Electric Shower Low Pressure Problems

stonefish27

Hi I hope someone can help,
I have been having probs with my electric shower. I had a Triton T80si fitted wich always worked fine until one day it just packed up.
I bought a new shower a Triton Rapide 4 this was working fine for about 3 months then one day it started going cold whilst in use and the low pressure light comes on. At first it would do this occasionally and then the light would go off and it would go hot again but the more we used it the more the low pressure light would come on until eventually the shower would not go hot at all and the light never went off. We stopped using it for a month and then I decided to try it and for two days it worked fine not going cold then again the low pressure problems started. I am unsure what to check as the old shower had never had a prob so I didn't think it would be the water pressure but more a prob with the shower. (we do not have the washing machine etc running at the same time).

If someone had some pointers at what to check it would be much appreciated.

Also do I need to repost this query under plumbing or am I in the right place?

Thankyou

elisa123 · Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:37 pm Post Subject: Triton Shower

Contact the Triton Service Desk. They are very helpful and your shower might still be under guarantee. Make sure you have all the purchase details handy when you phone.

kevnurse · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:18 am Post Subject:

I'm guessing that the guarantee is expired, otherwise you would be sorting this out by other means. If you fitted the shower, yourself, read on, this might be of some use. However, if a plumber or electrician fitted it, disregard this message and get the guy back in to fix it.

The theory is this: if the water pressure entering the copper heater vessel falls below a pre-determined setting, the warning light will come on and the electricity to the heater will be isolated (otherwise the vessel will overheat due to insufficient water passing through it). So, with both the warning activated and cold water coming out of the shower, the warning is valid. The pressure sensor is downstream of the solenoid valve that opens and closes upon the user's ON/OFF selection. If the valve fails to open properly when required, or there is insufficient pressure in your plumbing system, the low pressure warning will kick in. The best way to find out if there is sufficient pressure available to the shower, is to set it to fully cold (thus removing flow restrictions) and switch it on, while listening to the solenoid valve (the valve should make an audible clunking sound). If there is a definite clunk and the water comes out powerfully, the pressure is good. If, on the other hand, the valve doesn't seem to operate positively or the spray is not powerful, you should suspect the solenoid valve. I have changed the solenoid valve (or the coil) 4 times in 14 years in my T80 shower. The solenoid coil is the vulnerable item in my shower unit. However, the valve stem is also unreliable, particularly in overpressure situations. Changing the solenoid valve assembly is not difficult. Triton will supply a replacement. You should have a mechanical isolation valve in the cold water supply to the shower to permit maintenance of the shower without closing off your main stop cock. If you any doubts about this job, call in a plumber or lecky familiar with electric showers.

Lectrician · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:21 am Post Subject:

Triton had a known problem with their pressure switches.

The sudden on/off action of higher pressure supplies actually displaced the switch on the pcb - bending it up slightly and causing it not to close firmly enough when the water turned on.

Tweaking it back down so it was at 90deg to the PCB sorts the problem.

kevnurse · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:23 am Post Subject:

Oh, and I should add the obvious. Don't forget to isolate the electricity at the consumer unit as well as the double pole pull cord switch, which I'm sure you have, before opening the cover.

Softus · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:47 am Post Subject:

Also, check the inlet filter for debris.

stonefish27 · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:01 pm Post Subject:

Ok I will get my boyfriend to try all your suggestions hopefully somethin will work -

thanks again

plugwash · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:36 am Post Subject:

kevnurse wrote:

Oh, and I should add the obvious. Don't forget to isolate the electricity at the consumer unit as well as the double pole pull cord switch, which I'm sure you have, before opening the cover.

hmm, i thought shower pull cords were supposed to be isolating switches (hence why they have mechanical indication on them)

kevnurse · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:08 am Post Subject:

Plugwash, true enough, but for me its a matter of belts and braces. With a cable capable of kiling me, there cannot be enough gaps between me and the hazard.

Softus · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:28 am Post Subject:

kevnurse wrote:

Plugwash, true enough, but for me its a matter of belts and braces. With a cable capable of kiling me, there cannot be enough gaps between me and the hazard.

Well that's acutely inconsiderate - there might be a faulty pull switch that would remain undiscovered unless you received that near-fatal shock.

Triton · Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:36 pm Post Subject:

Lectrician wrote:

Triton had a known problem with their pressure switches.

The sudden on/off action of higher pressure supplies actually displaced the switch on the pcb - bending it up slightly and causing it not to close firmly enough when the water turned on.

Tweaking it back down so it was at 90deg to the PCB sorts the problem.

Bending the Switch down will only last for a short period. If the shower is more than 2 years old then the pcb switch can be repaird by anyone who is handy with a soldering iron. If you are in guarantee then an engineer will fit a revised Pcb Which cures this problem, but ensure the inlet filter is clear before you request an engineer visit.