Kingston Brass Faucet Cartridges: How to Find the Right Replacement

Replacing the cartridge in a Kingston Brass faucet starts with the right part number, and that number is not always the faucet number with letters added. Kingston Brass sells faucet cartridges under their own part numbers. Here is how to read those numbers, how to find the cartridge for your faucet in Kingston Brass's own documents, and what to check before you order.

Sources: Kingston Brass product pages, spec sheets, installation instructions, parts diagrams and the FAQ on kingstonbrass.com.

How Kingston Brass replacement cartridge numbers work

Nearly all Kingston Brass faucet cartridges in our catalog have RP in the part number: KSRP, KSRPL, KSRPT, KBRP and KFRP are the most frequent starts. A few do not, such as KC1000C and KS1000H.

The letters at the end can tell you the side or the job. In Kingston Brass's product titles:

KSRPT4000DC is titled Diverter Cartridge, but KSRP226DC is titled Temperature Cartridge. A single final C means cold on some cartridges (KSRPL8000C is titled Cold Ceramic Disc Cartridge), but on others the title names no hot or cold side: KBRP101C is a Pressure Balanced Washerless Cartridge and KSRP3191C a Ceramic Disc Cartridge. Read the full title, not only the last letter.

The digits sometimes match the faucet and sometimes do not. The instructions for the KB131 tub and shower faucet list KBRP131HC; the instructions for the LS8451DL bathroom faucet list LSRPL8291HC and LSRPL8291CC.

Ceramic disc, washerless and compression cartridges

The title also names the cartridge type. This is how Kingston Brass describes each one:

• Ceramic disc: two opposing discs made of ceramic carbide rotate to control the flow of water (for example KSRPL2000CC). Most of the Kingston Brass faucet cartridges in our catalog are this type.
• Washerless: according to the FAQ, a stainless steel plate with a crescent-shaped cutout lines up with a spring-loaded washer to let water through; turned 180 degrees, the washer lines up with the solid part of the cartridge and the flow stops. The FAQ adds that the springs eventually lose tension, which lets the faucet drip.
• Compression: a rubber seal prevents water from flowing out of the faucet (KFRP102HC).
• Diverter: for use with diverters, helping redirect the water to the desired spout (KBRP131CD).

How to find the replacement cartridge for your faucet

1. Find the faucet model number. The Kingston Brass FAQ says it may be on the outside of the box or on your original invoice.
2. Open the faucet's page on kingstonbrass.com. On the faucet pages we checked, the Specifications & Downloads section links the spec sheet, the installation instructions and the parts diagram.
3. Look for the Replacement Parts box in the installation instructions. In the KB131, LS8451DL and LS8451JX instructions, that box prints the cartridge numbers; the parts diagrams for the KB131 and the LS8451DL show the parts by callout number only.
4. Read the cartridge's own description as well. Some name the faucets they fit: LSRPL8291CC is described as compatible with Kingston Brass LS829x, LS845xDL and LS845xDKL faucets.

One parts diagram can cover a whole family of finishes. The KB131 parts diagram is titled "KB131,2,8": KB131 is polished chrome, KB132 polished brass and KB138 brushed nickel. The LS8451DL diagram is titled "LS8450,1,3,4,5,8DL,DLAB,DLPN". Cartridge descriptions write such a family with an x where that digit goes, as in LS829x or LS845xDL.

Kingston Brass's FAQ also warns that if an item has been discontinued, Kingston Brass may not carry replacement parts for it.

Example: KBRP131HC hot cartridge for the KB131 tub and shower faucet

The KB131 installation instructions (PDF) list Cartridge KBRP131HC, Diverter Cartridge KBRP131CD and the hot, cold and diverter handles. Kingston Brass describes KBRP131HC as a hot washerless cartridge for tub and shower faucets with a D type stem and a 1-7/8 inch overall length; the spec sheet draws the stem 3/8 inch round and 5/16 inch across the flat.

The KB131 instructions do not list KBRP131CC, the cold version Kingston Brass also sells, with the same D type stem and 1-7/8 inch length. If you are not sure which one your faucet takes, ask us with the faucet model number. The diverter cartridge KBRP131CD is 2-13/16 inches long, and Kingston Brass lists a separate rubber boot, KBRP131CDR, that fits KBRP131CD.

Example: two Concord faucets, two different cartridges

The LS8451DL and LS8451JX are both Concord two-handle 1-hole bathroom faucets in polished chrome, yet their installation instructions (LS8451DL, PDF and LS8451JX, PDF) list different cartridges:

The cartridge descriptions agree: LSRPL8291 for LS829x, LS845xDL and LS845xDKL faucets, LSRPL8451 for LS845xJX and LS855xDL faucets. Both have a 3/8 inch x 16 point spline, but Kingston Brass gives an overall length of 1-3/4 inches for LSRPL8291 and 2-1/8 inches for LSRPL8451. The letters after the digits matter.

What to check before you order

• The full faucet model number, including the letters after the digits (DL, JX and so on).
• Hot or cold. The KSRPL2000HC and KSRPL2000CC spec sheets show the same dimensions, so the drawing alone does not tell them apart; order the HC or CC number your faucet's documents give.
• The stem. On the pages we checked, Kingston Brass describes it either as D type (KBRP131HC, KBRP101C, KC1000C) or as a spline with a point count: 3/8 inch x 12 point (KFRP102HC, KBRP471H), 3/8 inch x 16 point (KSRPL2000CC) or 3/8 inch x 24 point (KSRP3191C). The word washerless in a title does not tell you the stem: KBRP131HC is D type, KBRP471H is 12 point.
• The overall length, from 1-1/2 inches (KFRP102HC) to 4-5/8 inches (KSRPL8000C) among the cartridges we checked. Spec sheets also give thread sizes, such as 1/2-14 NPSM on the KSRPL2000CC.
• The finish, where the cartridge comes in finishes: KSRP3191C is polished chrome and KSRP3198C brushed nickel. For these, Kingston Brass asks you to check model and color for compatibility before purchase.

All 20 Kingston Brass cartridge pages we checked on kingstonbrass.com say the cartridge is for use on Kingston Brass faucets and ask you to check the model for compatibility. This guide covers Kingston Brass faucets only.

Kingston Brass cartridges at The Builders Supply

• Kingston Brass - all Kingston Brass products
• Faucet Parts & Repair - cartridges, aerators, handles and other repair parts
• KBRP131 cartridges and the KB131 faucet: KB131 faucet, KBRP131HC, KBRP131CC, KBRP131CD, KBRP131CDR
• Concord: LSRPL8291CC, LSRPL8451CC
• Other examples: KBRP101C, KSRPL2000CC, KFRP102HC

Have the faucet model number ready, or the cartridge number from its instructions. Our customer support team is available Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM Central Time, at 1-888-800-7789 or [email protected].