Hot/Cold mix question on kitchen faucet

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JeffL

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Trying to help my neighbor with a wall mounted, two handle kitchen faucet (don't know the brand).

Warm water is slowly running out the spigot. I assumed a bad washer or seat, but upon removing the stem, found it had a cartridge.
I wanted to be sure it was the hot water cartridge, so with the house supply on, I turned off the hot water heater valve. To my surprise, the leak was still there, but the water started running cold. Opening the hot water faucet valve, the water ran cold at full force (the cold faucet valve was off).

Opening the hot water heater valve made the water (and leak) run hot again.

I assumed then, that the hot/cold was mixed before the valve, and that is why the cold water would run when the hot faucet was open with the hot water heater cut off. But then that didn't make any sense because if the water was mixed before the hot and cold valves, how the heck would the valve regulate the water temp??

This is blowing my mind! Can anyone tell me what is going on?

BTW, I've verified that it's the hot side cartridge that's leaking, by swamping the hot and cold cartridges. The handles worked the wrong way, but the slow stream went from warm to cold. Might not find a new one on New Years day.

Update: OSH was open and had the cartridge. Repair accomplished. Don't know why a $20 cartridge is better than a 20 cent washer. That's progress I guess.

Still can't get an answer on the weird H/C mix.
 
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I got a probable answer on another forum, which reminded me of seeing a similar problem on Ask This Old House. There are probably one handle shower faucets in the bathrooms. A defective cartridge there could be send cold water into the hot water line, when hot water pressure is lost (as in closing the water heater shut off valve.
 
I saw that episode as well. I wish I could copy it here without being arrested for a copyright infringement, because it affects many. Please let us know the conclusion after you dig some more!
 
I saw that episode as well. I wish I could copy it here without being arrested for a copyright infringement, because it affects many. Please let us know the conclusion after you dig some more!

Havasu I hate to say it but I think it was one of my post on the other forum.

John
 
I know you have also helped many with similar problems here but I also like the visuals provided with the TV show.
 
Also look into the possibility of a hot/cold cross in the piping, such as for a hot and cold mixed hose connection or with the valves open, but the nozzle on the hose is off.
 
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I saw that episode as well. I wish I could copy it here without being arrested for a copyright infringement, because it affects many. Please let us know the conclusion after you dig some more!

If it were my house, I'd fix it (just because I need to have everything right), but it's my neighbor's house. I'm not really inclined to dig into it since it doesn't seem to be causing a problem (that I'm aware of), and I don't think she'd want to spend money on an unperceivable problem.
 
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