Aqualiser mixer shower not shutting off - confused

[matz]

I replaced the grey cartridge in our Aqualiser shower about 5 years ago and since then it hasnt really run right temperature wise but we're put up with it until now when my missus has said "sort it out"

so I removed the cartridge and spent a good hour working out what I had done wrong all that time ago and realised that I had not aligned things properly so that it never ran anywhere near its hotest setting.

Re assembled it all today and switched water back on only to find the shower won't turn off properly.

Took it apart again and couldnt for the life of me work out what was up with it and net result is that we now have no shower and no hot water as the gate valves isolating the shower are letting water by.

Can anyone shed any light on why the shower wont turn off? what have I done so wrong - I'm at a loss to know...

Turning the shower on and off with cartridge in my hand and you can hear the thing sealing inside as you close it also if you blow up through the cartridge with shower turned off, no air passes through.

Any idea what I've done wrong??!!

help!!!

PS Its gravity fed - cold from loft tank and hot water direct from HW cylinder in airing cupboard

 

[ChrisR]

If it's the one with an O ring right at the back, about 15mm, & if it's not sealing, you won't stop the water. You can try lubricating it (vaseline if not silicone grease). They're fiddly to change - run the new one down a screwdriver to hold it, then you need a second screwdriver to push it into its groove...

 

[seco services]

As chris has said poss can be the o ring but can also be the gasket or cartridge.
Can you id what supply is passing ie is the water cold, hot when it won't shut off fully ?

 

[matz]

cant tell whether its hot or cold running past as HW tank drained so that water is cold. Whether mixer is set to hot or cold, it still runs when closed.

I downloaded some instructions from the net regarding seals/ o rings etc but I cannot see where any of these go at all.

I think I may just go for a new cartridge as this one is now 5 yrs old and there is some congealed rust on it.

 

[matz]

Heres the stuff from the internet that I mentioned. I cannot see at all where any of this is relevant to what I've got!

what am I missing here!

+++++++++++++++

You're now ready to reseat the on/off rising pillar.

11) Check the integrity of the 3 rubber sealing rings for any damage. Replace if needed.
12) This bit needs concentration. On the central polythene rising pillar are 2 longitudinal locating lugs. Re-attach the black plastic screw down moulding onto the rising pillar. Looking down the joined units ensure the black plastic moulding side lug is just to the right of the polythene rising pillar lugs. Next, return the now single unit into the shaft of the thermostatic unit, taking care in aligning the 2 polythene longitudinal lugs with the locating grooves inside the thermostatic unit. This is *critical*.
Once inserted, and whilst holding the on/off rising pillar in place, turn over the thermostatic unit and looking into the column, ensure the other end of the rising pillar, which can now be seen, covers the water inlet groove in the metal shaft. Holding the rising pillar firmly in place turn it as you would turning the shower on/off, viewing the pillar and inlet groove. In it's open position, the inlet groove is visible. In it's closed position the pillar twists further into in the tube covering the inlet groove. If the rising pillar doesn't move up and down the tube when twisted, the lugs are not located correctly. Repeat the rising pillar insertion procedure until you can see the pillar moving up and down the tube when twisted and the inlet groove being covered and revealed as the pillar is twisted.
13) Next re-insert the polythene filter disc into the end of the tube.
14) Reverse the disassembly procedure.

 

[seco services]

What shower model is yours ?
And where did you get them instructions as reading them don't match what type of shower/cartridge you have.

 

[matz]

What shower model is yours ?
And where did you get them instructions as reading them don't match what type of shower/cartridge you have.

well unhelpfully I dont know - its about 15 yrs old I think. I've now read further that you can dismantle the cartridge starting by undoing the black notched cap adjacent to the on/ off spindle so I'm guessing insire there is where everything is?

Just thinking further about this problem - before I took it out, the on/ off was working fine, I havnt dismantled the cartridge and now the on/ off doesnt work properly. When I installed this new cartridge 5 yrs ago and didnt fit it properly, I dont think in its last 5 years use its ever been turned on fully. Maybe now its out of the wall and turned fully on and off for first time in 5 years, theres a seal inside thats suddenly gone or something. Thats all I can think of...

 

[matz]

another thread here on diynot on this.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=176551

I've taken the cartridge apart now and can see what they are on about with lugs, o rings etc.

got 3 o rings on the shaft and one big one on the splined cap. The ones on the shaft seem pretty flat to me so I may try and get a new set of these and go from there...

still cannot work out why it turned off ok until I removed cartridge yesterday...

 

[matz]

just to put closure on this thread in case someone finds it via google - I fixed the on/off issue but dont know how! I think it wasnt quite seated right. But hot still not hot enough so bought new cartridge and hey presto everything fine now.

One little tip is look for the rubber O ring that sits in the back of the black housing (in the wall) you cant really see it without a torch. The rear of the cartridhe where the grey filter is, sits inside this o ring. (the hot feed) The replacement cartridge kit includes a new o ring and its a right fiddle to replace (torch in mouth job!)