Kitchen faucet suddenly stopped working

[delactivisto]

Hi folks,
I just bought a 1999 Excella Classic. I parked it, tonight, at a campground and the kitchen faucet suddenly stopped working! I can't tell where the problem might be coming from. The other faucets are working, oddly enough, and so was the drinking water filter spigot. Any suggestions appreciated!

Thanks,
Ted

[HiJoeSilver]

Pull off the aerator screen where the water comes out of the faucet. Possibly clogged.

[OTRA15]

Assuming you have a hose with a spray wand as part of that faucet assembly -- the diverter which supplies the spray wand may have gone bad, and is permanently toggled into the "divert" mode.

Do you have a spray wand and is it working?

If my guess is correct, you may have to replace the entire faucet assembly for a unit that old.

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- Yes, the aerator may need cleaning, but debris here would not cause the symptoms described of a sudden shutdown IMO.

[WayneG]

I have had my kitchen and bath faucets clog from sediment that gets stirred up in the hot water tank. I pull the aerator off the faucet and alternate between hot & cold and on & off.
Sometimes I need to hold my thumb over the faucet to build up back pressure and release it.
That said, in my 84, the drinking water spigot is on a tee that also goes to the faucet, so unless both are clogged, your problem is at or before that tee.

[OTRA15]

Or the spray wand diverter per Post #3, if he has one?

Aerator clogging seems unlikely for "suddenly stopped working!"

PS -- Welcome to the forum Ted!

[delactivisto]

Hi! Thanks for the suggestions. I searched the forums and found the idea of the clogged aerator for clogging. I unscrewed the little metal thing and the strainer, and tried to turn it on. No luck.

It's a white Moen faucet. It's kind of odd... then again, all of this is rather odd at the moment! Haha... The whole faucet comes out as a spray wand deal.

Oh, I think it may have stopped working when I replaced the water filter for the drinking spigot.

[WayneG]

Did you turn the handle back to ON at the top of the water filter after it was replaced?

[delactivisto]

Originally Posted by WayneG

Did you turn the handle back to ON at the top of the water filter after it was replaced?

Yes sir. I've got a different spigot for drinking filtered water, which is great, except you have stand there and hold it down. Let me see if I can upload a picture.

Update as well: The faucet is working a little bit better now. I'll be swinging by the previous owner's place today for some final paperwork, they will probably have some suggestions (original owners for this 1999 Airstream!!).

But whereas before it just didn't work, it works now but there is a black button on top. It keeps popping out and stopping the water flow.

Ted

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the photo and update.

Does that Moen spray head come apart for cleaning? There might be some grit inside at the various operating parts. If not, maybe dunk the whole thing is a strong vinegar solution in a non-reactive bowl in the sink, and rotate the spray adjuster ring/bezzle (if any) and operate the push button on and off quite a few times? Guessing there is some mineral calcification inside from hard water over the last 18 years.

You might be able to get a new spray head also IMO.

Hopefully the prior owner will have some ideas.

Good luck!

Peter

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by delactivisto

Yes sir. I've got a different spigot for drinking filtered water, which is great, except you have stand there and hold it down. Let me see if I can upload a picture.

Update as well: The faucet is working a little bit better now. I'll be swinging by the previous owner's place today for some final paperwork, they will probably have some suggestions (original owners for this 1999 Airstream!!).

But whereas before it just didn't work, it works now but there is a black button on top. It keeps popping out and stopping the water flow.

Ted

If you remove the handle that turns the water on and off and controls the temperature there will be a nut that can be removed to get to the cartridge in the faucet, the clog may be there.

[delactivisto]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I'll see about disconnecting the water briefly and taking the faucet apart and soaking it, and I also may replace the strained basket thing inside of the faucet. Between all these things, it may start working again. It acts like it wants to work!

Ted

[CRH]

I have the same Moen. First, pull it out and make sure hose isn't kinked. Second, unscrew the head from the hide and look for grit there.

[silver.villa]

I have had the same problem with the Moen faucet twice. Do what Hijoesilver said and remove the cartridge that controls the water flow. The clog is probably in the hot water inlet. Use a small pick to remove the mineral build-up and flush out by running the water pump for a second. Then reinstall the cartridge and handle. I can send pictures of my clog tomorrow if needed.

Jerry

[HiJoeSilver]

When you took the aerator screen off did you try to turn the faucet on with it removed. Could be junk clogging it there. Disconnect the hose from the pull out portion and see if water comes out there. Keep working backwards.

Just had something like this happen while visiting mom. Kitchen sink worked fine one second, then suddenly no flow at all. Took the aerator off, nothing, took hose off wand, found plastic wrap stuck on the filter going into the wand. How it got into there? Quick fix, but she'd have been lost trying to figure it out alone.

[delactivisto]

Hmm... the situation continues to devolve.

I haven't gotten around to checking the faucet yet, but I will get right to it now. I am thinking of just going and grabbing a new faucet, because this faucet is now leaking onto the counter. It may be time to call it kaput.

Further, it is leaking between the copper and plastic under the sink. Here is another pic attached. I will replace the faucet and install shut off valves there as well. When I remodeled my house, I installed shut off valves for all faucets. I am a big fan of being able to shut off water locally.

Unless of course there is a shut off already present in the camper?

It looks like the faucet is simply glued in place?

Ted

[OTRA15]

A new faucet with shut-offs sounds like a good investment. Most faucets are held in place with a large threaded "nut" of some kind, but this is probably not the correct plumbing term. "Basin nut?" The new faucet should have the necessary mounting hardware as part of the package.

You may need a "basin wrench" to tighten up the nut(s):

https://www.amazon.com/Superior-Tool.../dp/B0000CBJD4

You don't have to put in a new Moen obviously, but the basic geometry will have to match in terms of centerlines for the holes in the counter/sink. You can also consider adding a deeper reach/offset for the distance which the faucet reaches into the sink(s). You can also get a higher one which allows pots to fit under it more easily.

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- If your sink does not have a hole to the right for a separate spray wand, this may limit your selection of a new faucet.

[delactivisto]

Okay, I have a new faucet in hand, some Teflon tape and some adjustable wrenches. I may need that other doohickey though (technical term).

[delactivisto]

Problem fixed - I replaced the faucet with basically the same faucet from Lowe's. It's not quite as good quality as the old one though. The old Moen was white and solid metal. Quite frankly it was rather ugly - I got a nice brushed nickel... but who knows if it will last 20 years like the metal one..