Can a Touchless Faucet Work Manually

Can a Touchless Faucet Work Manually? (Find Out!)

ByScott Robillard Updated:

Touchless faucets are great indeed. But there are times when you just need to go back to the old way of operating it manually. It could be due to a power outage or some other reason.

However, can a touchless faucet work manually, and how exactly to get that mode on?

Most touchless faucets can work manually with a different process to enable the mode. Brands will provide instructions in the user manual on how to activate the mode or simply turn off the sensor. The process can vary depending on the brand and the model.

In this article, I will discuss the most general methods to disable the touchless mode and other things you should know. Let’s Not Wait!

Most Touchless Faucets Can Work Manually

Most touchless faucet with manual handle will allow this. You may need to bypass the sensor in some cases or simply turn off the touchless feature. Now exactly how do you bypass the sensor on a touchless faucet?

Most Touchless Faucets Can Work Manually

To bypass the sensor on a touchless faucet, you need to try different ways for different models/brands. Some require holding hands underneath the faucet for a specific duration. While others have a knob/switch to disable the touchless feature.

I will share the process of using the manual mode for two of the most popular brands of touchless faucets, Moen, and Kohler.

Just to let you know, both of these processes are quite general and likely to be used for other brand faucets as well. You can always check the provided instruction manual to confirm it. 

How to Switch a Moen Touchless Faucet to Manual Mode?

Dead batteries may interrupt your use of a Moen touchless faucet. It can be the case of a power outage or sensor failure.

Now will a Moen touchless faucet work without batteries? The manual mode can make that happen. This process is more specifically called Moen motion-sense manual override.

This Is How You Can Make Moen Touchless Faucet Work Manually:

  • Shut off the Moen faucet.
  • Next, you want to keep the handle in the open position.
  • Bring one of your hands in front of the sensor. You must give the sensor to detect it for at least 5 seconds. Some models may require at least 10 seconds.
  • Once you can see the blue LED flashing, remove the hand. This means the front sensor is turned off, and the manual mode is activated.
  • Now if there is more than one sensor in your Moen faucet model, you can disable the other one in the same manner. The blue LED will flash will help you determine if the disabling is successful.
  • You can revive the sensors back to work by repeating the process.

How to Switch a Kohler Touchless Faucet to Manual Mode?

Kohler touchless faucets are super simple when it comes to manual override. Because the brand provides a knob or a switch for the task. This is for users to easily operate the faucet when there’s an event of a power outage or other emergencies.

This Is How You Can Make Kohler Touchless Faucet Work Manually:

  • There is a valve box that you need to find. Usually, it stays underneath the sink.
  • Now depending on the Kohler model you own, there should be a knob or a switch.
  • Rotate the knob/switch in a clockwise direction. This will disable the touchless function.
  • To revive the touch-free function, you need to rotate the same knob/switch in a counter-clockwise direction.

More Ways to Disable Touch Function to Manual Mode

  1. If your touchless or touch-on faucet comes with a battery, then removing those should be the easiest way to disable the function.
  2. Some faucets come with a plug-in for drawing power to operate the faucet. In that case, simply unplugging it would disable the touch feature.
  3. A complicated way that is something to try as a last resort is removing the solenoid. This often comes attached with a blue removal clip.

Benefits of Touchless Faucet with Manual Override

Touchless faucets are generally worth it for so many benefits. However, there are specific advantages to having a manual override feature on touchless bathroom faucets and kitchen faucets.

You will find a manual mode of touchless faucet useful for the following situations:

  • A sudden power outage may temporarily restrict you from using smart appliances at your home. Some models of Touchless faucets may need electricity to run. But if it supports manual mode, then that can work as an excellent backup.
  • Due to many reasons, the sensors may not work and need repair. However, this won’t halt your faucet usage thanks to the availability of manual mode.
  • Some faucet models may have less water flow when working in touch-free mode. By switching to the manual mode, you may be able to increase the water pressure for certain tasks that need it.

Final Verdict

So can a touchless faucet work manually? I hope now you know the answer. Manual override could be an important factor when considering an upgrade to a touchless faucet. However, this is not the only thing to worry about.

Other important factors to consider when comparing Touchless faucets with manual and automatic modes are:

  • The sensor’s activation response of the faucet needs to be quick and accurate. Options that come with multiple sensors must be judged based on accuracy and sensitivity.
  • Make sure to check what power source is needed for the touchless faucet and if your space will be compatible with it.
  • The quality of the finish and material used for the faucet needs thorough consideration too. These choices do not only determine the overall appearance of the faucet but also its durability
  • Consider touchless faucets that provide your preferred extra features such as temperature control, sprayer, and water-preserving settings.

That’s all for today, I will see you in my next guide soon!

Hi, Scott Robillard here! I represent the small team of plumbers behind FaucetFam.com who love to write what we have learned. Common problems and easy fixes are the main topics we discuss on this site – as knowing these surely helps!

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