David Jenkins
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| posted on 28/2/13 at 07:21 PM |
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Another plumbing question! Electric shower problem
I'm sure someone on here will know the answer...
We have a Mira Sport 7.5KW electric shower - not the latest model, but the one before
(this one). Has been working perfectly, but from this morning it's
decided to work for a second or two after pressing the button, then stopping. It keeps working if I hold the button in (but not easy to shower
yourself in this position!)
So far I've tried the following:
1. Put the controls in all sorts of positions - flow control to max & min, heat to max & min. No change.
2. Taken the shower head off, in case it's blocked. No change.
Tomorrow I plan to check the inlet filter, but I did that 6 months ago and it was clear, despite running for many years before - not saying that
isn't the problem, but I don't expect to find it blocked.
Done a bit of googling and found the Mira site - they suggest that it may be a scaled-up heating element, or possibly the flow valve, but as these are
£84 and £64 respectively I don't want to try one out and find it's not the problem! Especially if the real cause is an £18 solenoid...
Common-sense says that I should replace the whole thing - but that's around £300 plus fitting, and I'd hate to pay out and find it could
have been fixed for much less.
So - anyone here got any experience of these? If so, any other ideas? and how hard is it to fit these replacement parts? (Note: I have a fair amount
of experience with electrickery, and tend to be super-cautious).
[Edited on 28/2/13 by David Jenkins]
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NigeEss
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| posted on 28/2/13 at 09:26 PM |
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Does it have a low pressure shut off valve ? I've known them to stick fooling the system into shutdown.
Also the main water inlet solenoid valves fail, from experience especially Eaton ones.
Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.................Douglas Adams.
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Dick Axtell
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| posted on 1/3/13 at 09:32 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Common-sense says that I should replace the whole thing
That would/May well be my approach. Have had similar probs with our Triton electric showers - (on the 3rd now!) - discovered that fault could be
within the control pcb, which is £85 + Vat!! Triton's advice was to replace, because there was no guarantee (their words) that replacing the pcb
would effect a cure.
My first step was to replace the isolator switch, which had developed an irritating, random non-operating mode, allowing the shower to switch off
mid-soap. Not funny! 
New switch appears to have solved present prob - so far!
Work-in-Progress: Changed to Zetec + T9. Still trying!!
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 1/3/13 at 07:16 PM |
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...and just to be awkward, it worked perfectly this morning! I hate chasing intermittent faults. 
I turned the temperature down to minimum while it was running, to get maximum flow rate - it was flowing strongly, which suggests that it's not
a furred up heating element.
[Edited on 1/3/13 by David Jenkins]
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Not Anumber
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| posted on 1/3/13 at 08:31 PM |
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If there is a relay on the board it could be worth checking it's contacts for corrosion.
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JoelP
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| posted on 1/3/13 at 08:42 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
...and just to be awkward, it worked perfectly this morning! I hate chasing intermittent faults.
I turned the temperature down to minimum while it was running, to get maximum flow rate - it was flowing strongly, which suggests that it's not
a furred up heating element.
[Edited on 1/3/13 by David Jenkins]
It could be furred up enough to make it overheat without affecting flow. Id have it to pieces and see if there is anything obviously wrong. Limescale
could be dissolved off if this was the problem.
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 1/3/13 at 09:00 PM |
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Might seem silly but if it only works when you hold in the button, I would ask myself; what's not latching, the switch or a relay? Surely it
has to be as simple as a replacement switch or relay if that's how it latches and everything else seems to work ok.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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