When a
Customer
Teaches You
Sometimes the best customer interactions are learning opportunities. How an engineer taught me about electrolytic corrosion and seized shower cartridges.
First Impressions vs Reality
Turned up to a job today and one of the first things the customer said to me was two things: first, "disregard everything he says" (pointing to someone else), and second, "I'm an engineer."
Now, that second comment made me think, "I'm definitely not going to listen to what he's got to say" - you know how it is when someone leads with their credentials like that. But actually, this meeting went much better than expected.
Pleasant Surprise: He explained the issues very clearly and in a well thought-out way. I could see that he could see I was really trying to do my best for him.
The Seized Cartridge Problem
We got talking about shower valves and how hard it can sometimes be to get cartridges out - you know when they seem like they've been welded in place? I asked him why he thought that happens, and he came out with something that really made me think.
He explained that it's probably down to electrolytic corrosion - basically where you've got like a very small battery current going through the water, just a very low voltage, but when you have two different types of metal, they react with each other.
The Missing Connection
Now, we learned about electrolytic corrosion back in college, but I hadn't thought about it in this context. When we studied it, it was more to do with discoloration of water in old houses where you've got old mild steel pipework mixed with new copper - that sort of thing.
I hadn't connected electrolytic corrosion to why cartridges get seized in valve bodies.
The Technical Explanation
He was saying that could be exactly why you sometimes find cartridges completely stuck - it's two different metals reacting with each other over time, essentially welding themselves together at a microscopic level.
Why This Matters
This isn't just theoretical - it explains a real problem we deal with regularly. Those cartridges that seem impossible to remove? There might be actual microscopic welding happening due to electrical currents in the water system.
College Theory
- • Steel + copper pipework
- • Water discoloration
- • General corrosion principles
Practical Application
- • Cartridge + valve body metals
- • Seized components
- • Real-world repair challenges
The Learning Moment
It's lovely to meet somebody who's not only going to be a great customer but can actually teach you something new about the trade. Makes you realize there's always more to learn, even about problems you deal with regularly.
I'm looking forward to going back and doing some more work for him. Should be good.
Your Experiences
Have you had customers who've taught you something new about the trade? Or encountered seized cartridges that seemed impossible to remove?
Would be interested to hear your experiences - and any theories about what causes them to get so stuck.
Understanding Electrolytic Corrosion in Plumbing
What Happens:
- • Different metals in water create tiny electrical currents
- • Metals react and bond at microscopic level
- • Components become effectively "welded" together
- • Removal becomes extremely difficult
Common Situations:
- • Brass cartridges in chrome valve bodies
- • Mixed metal fittings in hard water areas
- • Old installations with dissimilar metals
- • Long-term exposure in active systems
More Customer Stories
Other insights from customer interactions and technical experiences
Got a Technical Challenge?
Sometimes the most interesting problems lead to the best learning opportunities. Let's tackle your plumbing challenges together.
Professional plumbing services with a curiosity for the technical details - Hampshire, Wiltshire & Berkshire