Baxi venturi valve problem

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I posted on here at the beginning of the year concerning my shower running hot, then cold all the time. Its fed by a Baxi 105e instant which has served us well for a very long time.
After a couple of calls from our friends from British Gas (on contract) which was unsuccessful in the fix, I had a guy on here advise that it was probably the hydro venturi valve and he even gave me a picture of what I would need to buy.

I bought one and fitted it, and it worked a treat. So we have been very happy. Untill the other day when it all started going cold again! I've removed the valve which is in pieces and looks like it has started to disintegrate.

This whole system is fed from a water softener which also has been in-line for a lot of years.
The white plastic parts of the valve look like they have been eaten by something and I'm wondering if the softener has malfunctioned in some way with the salt content.

Here's a couple of pics of what the plastic parts look like after four months use.
IMG_2240.JPG
IMG_2241.JPG
 
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@gas112 will probably be able to help you with this, I have tagged him for you so he will see your post, and hopefully be able to advise you
 
You mean big water softener that uses salts and does whole house or 20 quid in line one on pipe to boiler.
 
Its a big one that you load with salt tabs and yes, it does the whole house apart from the fresh cold tap in the kitchen.
 
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I'm digging this thread up as this problem hasn't gone away. The last valve was fitted just four months ago and its happening again. The last valve was a genuine Baxi part.
If its being eroded by the chemicals from the water softener, what do I need to do to get the water to a state where it doesn't dissolve the plastic of the valve? Is there a way to measure the water consistency? if so, What meter do I need to buy to do it?
Thanks..Steve
 
You need top contact the water softener manufacturer and get their take on it. If it's breaking down and causing the damage what is it doing to you?
How old is the softener?
 
Hi. Thanks for the reply on this.
If you know anything about water softeners you will know that its not a good idea to consume water treated through a softener. Installation regs require you to have a mains supply for any human consumption of the water, so you can rule out what it may be doing to me! lol.

The softener is about six years old but I don't think anything has changed with its operation as the service units (white goods etc) Have not suffered from scale build up. The boiler was one of the worst for scale before I had the softener installed. One DHW exchanger after another.

What I really want to do is measure the consistency of the water leaving the softener and the same for the water from the mains. That way I would see what the difference was and adjust the softener accordingly. Or, even attain the info on what it should be after it has been treated by the softener. There must be a chart somewhere that would show what the values it should be at. Just as a note: This latest problem is with cold water and not hot.

I think the softener is a unit made in the US. I'll dig it out and have a look but I can tell you that the companies that sell/install these units aren't very helpful and are bent on selling you a new replacement unit rather than give you helpful information. That's why I'm on here!
 
The argument as to whether you should drink the water from a softener has been rumbling on for years but some manufacturers are fully confident their units do not raise salt levels and the water is safe to drink.
Regardless of that you are bathing in this water....
 

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