The development of new technologies significantly affects the increase in comfort. This applies to almost all areas, from the automotive industry to the necessary household appliances. The latter can be attributed to such as a ceramic axle box, which is increasingly found in standard mixers.
Design
Despite the outward resemblance to standard worm structures, the crane has a fundamentally different structure. Traditionally, the water pressure is shut off by gradually lowering the stem when the tap is turned. Or a ball is installed with a hole connected to the control handle - changing the position of the structure, reduce or increase the pressure of the water. Such methods are characterized by low reliability and the likelihood of leaks.
The faucet with ceramic taps does not have such drawbacks. Thanks to a carefully thought-out design with a minimum of effort, precise control of the water pressure can be achieved. In order to understand the principle of action, you need to find out what the crane box consists of.
- Body. Its surface serves as a mounting element for installing the structure in the capacity of a crane or mixer.
- Lever arm. It is connected to the control parts of the axle box, and its outer part is necessary for installing the handle.
- The locking and regulating element is 2 ceramic-metal plates interconnected. On the body of each of them there are holes, the position of which relative to each other is regulated by a lever.
With a minimum of moving elements and their reliability, a smooth regulation of the flow of water is ensured.
Principle of operation
Ceramic box crane operates on the principle of changing the through hole between the plates. After installing the unit in the mixer, water flows under pressure into the structure body. The normal position of the plates is such that the holes on them do not coincide with each other. Thanks to a perfectly flat surface, a tight clamp is provided to ensure tightness.
Further, as the lever rotates, the planes shift, as a result of which the plate openings overlap. Water in the casing, under its own pressure, passes into the gander of the tap. The basis of the reliability of the device is its simplicity. It is this design that replaces the worm and ball models.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any complex design, a ceramic axle box for a crane has a number of distinctive operational properties. They appear even during the installation process - for the correct operation of the device it is only necessary to screw the unit into the mixer housing.
The positive aspects include the following:
- Small effort to open (close) the crane.
- Small overall dimensions, which contribute to the reduction of the housing plumbing devices.
- Reliability. If the operating conditions of the crane axle box are observed, ceramic can last for more than a dozen years.
But, in addition to this, the disadvantages should be taken into account:
- High cost relative to classic locking devices. Exceptions are cheap models, in which the quality of the materials used is significantly reduced.
- Water requirements. In the presence of solid particles, ceramic plates will quickly wear out, the cause of which is an abrasive reaction - surface damage, as a result of which the tightness of the device worsens.
All this must be taken into account when choosing a particular model of ceramic crane axle boxes. But sooner or later even this reliable device can fail.
Repairs
Due to the simplicity of the design, it is possible to repair ceramic box-axles on their own. To do this, you need a screwdriver, pliers, a WD-40 aerosol (or equivalent) and a gasket for replacement. The latter is best selected using the old as a sample. Most often, it is the source of leakage in the tap.
The procedure for repair work:
- Dismantling the device from the crane body.
- Using a slotted screwdriver, the retainer ring is removed from the lever.
- Next, the plates and the control element are removed.
- After that, the metal surface is treated with WD-40. This is necessary to remove the rust layer.
- Then the device is assembled again, a new gasket is installed on the end. On this repair is completed.
If damage on the plates is visible during inspection, the ceramic axle box needs to be replaced. It is difficult to find and pick up similar components. Fortunately, the cost of good factory models is more than affordable.