Aqualisa Aquavalve 605/405 dripping

[jonnyw]

Thanks again for the replies.

Does the o ring come as part of the cartridge kit, or is it a separate part (or a generic part I can get from any DIY store)?

 

[seco services]

Part of the kit.
Bugger to remove but a crochet hook useally does the trick.

 

[JohnD]

you do a lot of crochet?

 

[rjm67]

Aaarrrggghhhhh!

I'm trying to finish this job now and I've got stuck. I can't get the gasket on the wall plate to stay in place when I fit the shroud back on. if I take the wall plate off and do this messing around off the wall, what should I seal the wall plate back on to the wall tiles?

Cheers in advance (and frustration)

Ok, probably solved it myself now I've calmed down. Silicone mastic?

 

[BJay]

So I managed to fit an aqualisa blanking plug as mine had blown off - see //www.diynot.com/forums/plumbi...et-plug-assembly-installation.292843/#2131201 - fiddly job as hole in wall was pretty tight) - but that fixed that no problem
I also discovered the plug hole was leaking, so I fixed that as well

The cartridge (white) seems to be ok in all circumstances bar one;
I generally keep the temp at just under max. If I use the shower and then switch off, and THEN change the temp setting to cold - I hear water gurgling into the cartridge. If I then turn on the shower (now on cold), at lowish power/speed, water comes out of the small holes in the white part of the cartridge - it only seems to drip for a few minutes or so and then stops, and also stops if I turn up to full power.
If I leave the temperature setting where I use it I haven't been able to make it leak with limited testing.
I'm tempted to reassemble and try to remember not to touch the temperature setting but woudn't want to reassemble everything, if this is a sign the cartridge has actually gone and won't last, or is this sort of thing to be expected in those specific circumstances?
Thanks for any help!

 

[jonnyw]

When you get the new cartridge and seals make sure you change the o ring in the base of the body it's in the centre and pushes up aginst the cartridge or the hot will bypass the cartridge and the shower head will drip constantly.

Well you were right, it is a b*****d to remove, and took me an hour and a half to do so.

Despite removing it, replacing it with the new one and covering in vaseline, the shower head has started dripping (almost 200ml an hour).

Can anyone suggest anything to try to reduce or stop this dripping (other than buying shares in united utilities!)

 

[seco services]

Can you isolate each supply in turn and see if it's hot/cold causing the drip ?

 

[graeme0161]

When you removed the "O" ring in the body did you scratch the body at all? easily done, I use a dentists tooth pick to remove the O ring

If so I think you may have knackered the body, if not contact Aqualisa if you bought the cartridge from a reputable firm, shower doctor, shower services the cartridge will be guaranteed for 2 years

You could speak to the supplier and get a half cartridge, this is as it describes but blanks the hot and cold supplies in the body, but allows you to see in to the body, if water appears, the body is damaged

 

[jonnyw]

When you removed the "O" ring in the body did you scratch the body at all? easily done, I use a dentists tooth pick to remove the O ring

I think with all the messing I did, I'd be surprised if I didn't scratch the opening where the "O" ring was.

Can I ask what difference it would make it if was the hot or cold water causing the leak?

If it makes any difference to the prognosis, the shower still seems to be cooling down ever so slightly as the shower runs on (I'm not sure if this is to do with the shower, or the hot water supply), though nowhere near as drastically as previously.

In looking at the image below (and the ones on the previous page):
View media item 40732
Does it look like it'll be possible to replace the body leaving the tiling unaffected, or am I likely to have to remove tiles to replace it?

Can anyone identify the model I have from the pictures provided?

Other than the wasted water, is there any issue in leaving this unresolved (as the shower does work, and all drips / leaks are within the shower)?

 

[seco services]

Can I ask what difference it would make it if was the hot or cold water causing the leak?

The hot enters casing at rear into bottom of thermostaic cartridge.
The o ring seal stops water entering the shower body so must go up cartridge centre.

The cold water enters rear but passes through the gasket with the gauze filter
to the front of the cartridge.

If it passes with the hot it's the o ring or body damaged.
If it passes with the cold it's the gasket at front not sealing.

 

[jonnyw]

Can you isolate each supply in turn and see if it's hot/cold causing the drip ?

Is the supply that can be isolated likely to be on the pipes leading to the shower, or elsewhere in the house?

The house is about 15 years old if that would make a difference to the "typical" setup.

Sorry if that's a stupid question, though I looked under the shower basin, and couldn't see anything to isolate the supplies with, though I do know there's a blue valve either going into, or coming out of the hot water tank in the airing cupboard.


Is this likely to be of any use or am I way out?

 

[seco services]

Not everyone fits isolation valves but if you have them i would say they are more likey in the airing cupboard 1 on the hot supply to shower 1 on the cold supply.

what type of system have you gravity or unvented hot water system ?

 

[jonnyw]

It's a gravity hot water system.

 

[seco services]

All you can do is check the showers hot supply from cylinder and the cold supply from the cws see if you have any.

If not i would fit them anyway.

You could always shut the gate valve thats on the cylinder supply from the cws but then you don't know if your going to get a good seal on that.

 

[BJay]

The cartridge (white) seems to be ok in all circumstances bar one;
I generally keep the temp at just under max. If I use the shower and then switch off, and THEN change the temp setting to cold - I hear water gurgling into the cartridge. If I then turn on the shower (now on cold), at lowish power/speed, water comes out of the small holes in the white part of the cartridge - it only seems to drip for a few minutes or so and then stops, and also stops if I turn up to full power.
If I leave the temperature setting where I use it I haven't been able to make it leak with limited testing.
I'm tempted to reassemble and try to remember not to touch the temperature setting but woudn't want to reassemble everything, if this is a sign the cartridge has actually gone and won't last, or is this sort of thing to be expected in those specific circumstances?
Thanks for any help!

Aqualisa sent me the two O-rings (big one with filter, and small one for groove at back of cartridge) and I replaced these with plenty of grease, but nothing's really changed. With the temp on hot, the shower seems to work ok. If I turn off the shower and leave for some time (>1hr) and then move the temp to cold, a little water (20-30ml?) pours out of the one of the screw holes in the white ring. It slows to a drip if I keep the temp on cold. If I move it back to hot it stops.
I'm guessing this suggests the cartridge needs replacing - and the problem is the cold seal which is inside the cartridge?
Just wondered if anyone can can confirm this before I splash out on a new cartridge!
Thanks.