The baffle in my megaflo is disintegrating and the debris has blocked the hot water inlet strainers in my concealed shower valves - one is a Marlow and one a TS1503. Accessing them will involve some serious hole bashing. I know it's probably a silly idea, but has anyone managed to clear them via the supply pipework - sticking a hoover on the end of something? I'm guessing they'll have check valves so removing the cartridges and reverse flushing probably isn't an option either?
Blocked shower valve strainers
- Thread starter cdbe
- Start date
Only way to do it properly and be sure they're clear is to get to the filters and flush them clean.
Have you been in touch with HS re the unvented baffle breakdown? It's a well known fault and they have replaced them in the past.
Have you been in touch with HS re the unvented baffle breakdown? It's a well known fault and they have replaced them in the past.
Cylinder was used and no paperwork unfortunately.
I've done the first one - side of fitted wardrobe and a bit of plasterboard - I thought there'd better be something in there and I wasn't disappointed. I've heard the stuff described as Kendal Mint Cake and it was - quick shake in a glass of water and it was gone.
I've done the first one - side of fitted wardrobe and a bit of plasterboard - I thought there'd better be something in there and I wasn't disappointed. I've heard the stuff described as Kendal Mint Cake and it was - quick shake in a glass of water and it was gone.
Yeah it's nasty stuff. Seen it a couple of times.
Second one appears to be sorted now, it's inside a brick wall so access would have been from the back, coring a hole through from the adjacent bedroom!
Anyway, as the stuff seems fairly soft and just lightly packed against the back of the gauze, I thought I'd take a chance and rigged up a jetting/hoover arrangement - because it's piped in 15mm plastic I was able to insert 5m of 10mm
plastic pipe inside it all the way to the elbow on the valve, connect this pipe to the hot water and "jet" the back of the strainer - I alternated this pipe back and forward with the water and then sucking with the wet and dry vac and fingers crossed have managed to suck most of it out.
Obviously this doesn't solve the cause - as the baffle is still functioning (no discharge from the PRV), I've ordered a spirotech dirt separator to fit on the cylinder outlet to capture and see how much is coming out - if nothing else this should buy me some time to consider cylinder options - maybe not much will come out - on reflection we reckon the showers have been gradually losing pressure over a period of months and there wasn't much there so it could become a non issue.
Anyway, as the stuff seems fairly soft and just lightly packed against the back of the gauze, I thought I'd take a chance and rigged up a jetting/hoover arrangement - because it's piped in 15mm plastic I was able to insert 5m of 10mm
plastic pipe inside it all the way to the elbow on the valve, connect this pipe to the hot water and "jet" the back of the strainer - I alternated this pipe back and forward with the water and then sucking with the wet and dry vac and fingers crossed have managed to suck most of it out.
Obviously this doesn't solve the cause - as the baffle is still functioning (no discharge from the PRV), I've ordered a spirotech dirt separator to fit on the cylinder outlet to capture and see how much is coming out - if nothing else this should buy me some time to consider cylinder options - maybe not much will come out - on reflection we reckon the showers have been gradually losing pressure over a period of months and there wasn't much there so it could become a non issue.
Meant to say, only the hot side should be effected and needing cleaned, given it's the cylinder baffle breaking down.
I would have just bought a 22mm in line strainer, much easier (and cheaper) I'd guess
www.toolstation.com
Not sure if the new spirovents use centrifugal action to separate or not and that may not catch the debris, as it's plastic it's very light and may not drop out of circulation.
I would have just bought a 22mm in line strainer, much easier (and cheaper) I'd guess
Compression Inline Y Filter
Body and cap hot forged in brass.Stainless steel 400 micron filter.
www.toolstation.com
Not sure if the new spirovents use centrifugal action to separate or not and that may not catch the debris, as it's plastic it's very light and may not drop out of circulation.
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Just to update, I'd already bought the spirovent just before I saw your post, but only £25 off eBay, I see what you mean about how they work - seems to rely on stuff "sinking" out of the flow so don't know if it will do much, if there's nothing in the trap in 6 months I'll stick it on my dirty boiler. For belt and braces I also fitted 15mm Y strainers to each of the shower hot supplies so I'll keep an eye on those.
I still wasn't 100% happy with the flow from the inaccessible valve (more the rain head and bath filler than the shower) so I added something to the end of my 10mm jetting pipe (this is why I keep a garage full of junk) that would get round the 90° elbow and poke the stuff loose off the back of the strainer - a bit of poking and I felt it go round - now it's virtually as good as it was before.
I still wasn't 100% happy with the flow from the inaccessible valve (more the rain head and bath filler than the shower) so I added something to the end of my 10mm jetting pipe (this is why I keep a garage full of junk) that would get round the 90° elbow and poke the stuff loose off the back of the strainer - a bit of poking and I felt it go round - now it's virtually as good as it was before.
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