Shower going hot and cold

dmcg14 · 24 Mar 2011

My shower is run off the mains supply and if you flush the toilet, run a tap or the washing machine is on then the shower runs hot and cold.

The shower works perfectly otherwise.

Is there any way to fix this problem? Is it a simple job? Or do i have to just grin and bare it?

Cheers!

Bamba71 · 24 Mar 2011

Run the shower from the cold feed tank in the loft (if you have 1), this will solve the problem but will be a bit of work & you may have a loss of pressure in your shower as it is gravity.

seco services · 24 Mar 2011

I take it it's an electric shower ?

Does it cycle hot/cold or just go cold ?
Sounds like your on the border line of dynamic low pressure when another appliance is run ie dropping below about 1 bar.

Don't connect it to take fed it won't work at all unless you fit a pump to pump feed from the tank.

what shower is it ?

dmcg14 · 24 Mar 2011

I don't have a cold tank in the house, everything is off the mains.

Yes, it's an electric shower but can't remember the model of the shower of the top of my head. And it cycles both hot and cold.

Cheers

seco services · 24 Mar 2011

Has it always done it or just started ?
does it have a low pressure neon ?

dmcg14 · 24 Mar 2011

seco services said:
Has it always done it or just started ?
does it have a low pressure neon ?

I only moved in 6 weeks ago so i have no idea if this was always the case. There's no low pressure neon on it

dmcg14 · 25 Mar 2011

dmcg14 said:
There's no low pressure neon on it

Sorry, i got that wrong. There is a low pressure neon which goes red when the toilet is flushed etc. What does this mean? Easy fix?

Fluffster · 25 Mar 2011

Very easy fix do not use the toilet when someone is in the shower.

Your incoming mains is a single pipe which feeds everything in the house. What pressure and flow rate do you get at your kitchen sink.

Pete

Agile · 25 Mar 2011

Contrary to the last advice which would be an inconvenience, you can use the toilet.

Just dont flush it until the shower use has finished.

If you want to stop the problem you could upgrade the mains waher into the house. Thats usually £500-£1500.

Tony

dmcg14 · 25 Mar 2011

Thats all and well for using the toilet, but the same problem occurs when the washing machine or dishwasher is on aswell.

So basically your saying i need to put washes etc on around about the times i go for a shower?

pozidrive · 25 Mar 2011

How old is the house?

If it is pre 1900 then there is a chance that the main water feed could come into the house via lead pipe or a common pipe that will have a narrow bore - Resulting in a low flow rate.

This is often true of terraced houses.

Hence the problem with shower and other appliances being run simultaneously.

The only way to resolve this is to either only use 1 appliance at a time or upgrade the incomming supply - as previously mentioned.

If you do have a lead or common pipe then most water companies run a lead / common pipe replacement scheme. This usually means that they will will replace the lead pipes that they own free of charge. But will also connect the new supply pipe to the water main free of charge.

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Shower going hot and cold

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