New Thermostaic Shower Valve

[Yellowpearl]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone could give me some suggestions.
I have just had a thermostatic shower valve installed and we have a new Combination boiler also. I tried it for the first time tonight (been waiting 3 years. Was really looking forward to it but just ended up hot and bothered. The temperature is very high and does not adjust very much at all, it is far to hot for me so there is no chance my young son will be able to use it. There will be no cold or luke warm showers in the summer either.

Any help will be greatly appreicated.

Thank you

 

[kevnurse]

I think the guys here would want some more information from you. Who installed it? A qualified plumber or a DIYer? Presumably the shower is a mixer and the hot water comes from the new boiler. It sounds like the cold supply to the mixer is either insufficient (or non existent) or the hot water is far too hot; but I guess that you would have mentioned that the tap water is too hot, also. As a DIYer, I would be looking at the cold water source to the mixer, but the pros here should give you a better answer. In the meantime, I would advise you to supply the forum with the brand of boiler and confirm the type of shower.

 

[powell30]

Yes more info.....like is it mean't for mains pressure. There are 2 types, gravity h/w and mains h/w. Or it could be faulty....

 

[Yellowpearl]

Hi,

My boiler is a Worcester 28i Junior. The shower valve was fitted by my brother who is a builder and not a plumber but pretty good at most things. That was a good few months ago and it has only just been tiled and such. Can't get hold of him for a while to ask what type it was and I cannot find the instructions that he had with it.
Below is a link to one that is very similar apart from the temperature on mine starts at 35 not 20.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THERMOSTATIC-...s_PP?hash=item563310eefe&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

The hot comes directly from the bolier and I have recently had the mains renewed into the house so the pressure is very good. I do remember that we had to have 1 bar min for the type of valve and we do.

Thank you

 

[g20]

Sounds like its not mixing properly, you can take off the "tap head" and the cover and get into the cartridge and adjust the mixer valve with a pair of pliers until you find a comfortable temperature.

 

[Yellowpearl]

Thank you

I will take the cover off as you suggest. Can you tell me though should I be able to have it running cold completely?

Thank you

 

[kevnurse]

In your previous post you mentioned that the operating temperature range started at 35, which means that it must contain some hot water. So, I guess that a truly cold shower is not available, unless the knob can be set below 35.

Best get Bro the Builder to look at it when he can.

 

[jezplumb]

the most likely reason i'm afraid to say is that the hot and cold are the wrong way round. because its thermostatic the heat of the hot water closes the hot off, to allow more cold in. but in your case the cold inlet is hot. no easy fix other than to pop a tile off and re plumb.

it could also be, but not so likely but are easy to test so by process of elimination you can decide if the plumbing is reversed.

there is either weak or no pressure at the cold inlet.

Test one. go to boiler. where the seven pipes enter boiler there will be (nomally 3) plastic handle valves which will only turn 1/4. Two to these are on rather large pipes 22mm and the other on a thin pipe 15mm and is this one you should close. Turn boiler off on the control panel and run the shower. if no water comes from your shower you know there is no cold getting to your mixer. this would mean that pobably an isolating valve has been left closed.

If cold comes out, but under no great pressure then the cold is still being fed from the old tank in the loft and is thus just under gravity. to test this leave existing test running, and go to main stop cock for house. turn off and if shower is still running slow then you need a cold water main converssion.
This is simple enough and should take someone who knows what ther doing about an hour. all done in the lift without disruption. It pretty much just involves connecting the outlet of the tank to the inlet. whoever fitted your boiler should have done this but in some circumstances we reccommend no to. For example older properties with signs of lead pipes. (they simple won't take mains pressure.

hope that help, dont forget to turn everyting back on.

 

[Yellowpearl]

All is fixed

Removed the bottom tap head and adjusted the what ever it is there and now it runs cold and hot.

Wonderful!!

Thank you all for your time and replies espically g20