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We have a pair of the delta/peerless one-handle type faucets in a bathroom. They're the ones where you remove the handle after loosening the hex-key worm screw, then the metal bonnet unscrews (flats, large crescent wrench) and underneath there's a plastic unit with a shield-shaped (not rectangular) cutout for the mini lever, and it's got a couple seals on the bottom when you pop it out.

Underneath this, there's the typical delta ball/lever and under that, 2x rubber seats on metal springs, one each for the hot and cold water coming into the faucet body.

This one's dripping from the faucet, not from the bonnet so it's not a matter of bad seals for the plastic unit holding the ball in.

I have replaced the seals in the past and stopped the dripping, for a couple years at a time. For some reason, this time this doesn't quite get the job done. There's only a tiny spot, off-center, counterclockwise, that completely shuts off the water. Anywhere else, such as straight down, where it's supposed to be, and you get a lot of drips or a small stream.

Replaced the seals last week. Very hard to get it to stop dripping -- only I could find the magic spot. Yesterday, I have replaced the seals yet again, this time I used some fine steel wool to polish the spherical inside of the ball/mixing chamber to get rid of anything in there that might have been causing a problem -- but it was already smooth and clean as far as I could tell. Cleaned up the threads to remove accumulated soap scum, put in new seals, re-assembled, and it appeared to turn off nicely with the handle straight down, but only 24 hours later I'm back to dripping/stream unless it's exactly offset counterclockwise a bit.

Neither of these faucets have the plastic "adjustment ring" that I have seen with some rebuild kits, the one that takes a spanner to adjust, though both bonnets do have threads in the top/center that would appear to take such a thing. They've never had them, AFAIK.

The ball seems perfect: smooth, undented, no obvious wear.

I'm stumped as to why the usual seal-swap didn't get the job done this time around. The box of seals I have is stored dry and cool, and they all appear just fine.

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  • lots of words, not one picture
    – Ruskes
    Sep 10, 2022 at 19:23
  • did you replace the half bowl where the ball sits in ? did you replace the springs ?
    – Ruskes
    Sep 10, 2022 at 20:18
  • half bowl isn't a replaceable part on these, it's the standard old-school one. Seats and springs replaced together, each time.
    – WPNoviceCoder
    Sep 11, 2022 at 15:12
  • Neither one has the plastic adjusting ring seen in most of the videos showing seat repair. I'm thinking that might be the crucial issue, as the bonnet alone may not seat the ball properly, with enough force, although why one side would work fine and the other not, I don't know.
    – WPNoviceCoder
    Sep 11, 2022 at 15:18

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Adjusting ring!

I managed to get a plastic adjusting ring ordered. I 3d printed a 4-notch spanner to fit it, tightened it down, and it presses the top shield assembly more firmly, in turn pushing the ball more firmly against the seats, and that fixes the problem. Not sure why neither sink had one, but there's the fix.

Possible just varying seat/seal quality and an intolerant faucet.

I replaced the seats yet again (3rd pair, with springs, all from same box). The faucet appears to close off better now.

Before I did that, I took apart the identical one on the other sink. The seats in there were old, super worn-looking -- had been carved concave from years of use. Yet that one does not leak. Both ball valve/handles look identical. I put the (new as of yesterday) seat from the left sink into the right sink, as well as the ball (essentially swapping guts from one side to the other) and the right faucet continues to shut down flawlessly.

Left, we'll see.

I'm not sure why, but the seats I put into that one today (again, from the same box) seem to spring back more vigorously -- like they have less friction within their little cylinders in some way. Maybe that made the difference (for now).

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