Desperate plea for help! - Supajet 108

[Dazmeister]

Rubbish timing I know but I have guests coming to stay this weekend and my shower has packed in at the most inconvenient moment.

As per the title, I have a old SupaJet 108 which has some sort of transformer in the airing cupboard wired to it. Anyhow, thats not the issue. I bought the place intending to rip out the whole bathroom but decided to put the refurb on hold until after xmas (doh!). I did however have the old boiler replaced with a combi system (Worcester Bosch) about 6 months ago and I think thats where the problem started.
Prior to the change of boiler the shower used to trickle but since then, the increase in bar has pushed the unit to the limits. Water pressure is great but components have begun to fail to the point where the shower packed in all together last night. I'm no plumber by any means but a very competent DIY'r in other aspects. Is there components i can change for this shower or is it fuubarred?? I've attached a pic of the components. Where the water is p*ss*ng out is the cold supply as it comes in (blue nut). Hoping to do a temporary fix, otherwise what options do I have? Bear in mind I am refurbishing the bathroom and already have the new shower unit but this is a completely different design.
Could I install a cheapo electric shower and put a stop end on the hot supply? (please excuse my ignorance).



Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[kevplumb]

that shower should not be fitted to a combi system

 

[pannierstan]

Im suprised you havent blown the thing off the wall.

Who the hell left it connected when they put the combi in

These showers or for gravity hot water systems only hence the pump.

If you get a shower that SHOULD be on a mians water it will be brilliant anyway.

 

[Dazmeister]

Oops!

Thanks for the prompt reply.

So I have to start again i guess?

It was BG who fitted the combi actually.
As the pipes are close by each other and the new style mixer showers are approx 150mm spaced...I'm stuffed really.
The wall itself is made up of tile, ply then a gap before the brickwork. Pipes run up from under the bathroom floor in between brickwork and ply.

I cant see myself getting a plumber this late in the day and even if I do it will cost me a arm and leg. Anything I can achieve? What's my other alternatives guys?
Could I fit some flexies temporarily to the original pipework and run that to a termostatic bar mixer I have?

 

[pannierstan]

Not much you can do really other than hope the thing hold the pressure until you can rip it out

 

[JohnD]

If your bathroom has pipes bringing in both cold water (at mains pressure) and hot water (from the combi, also at mains pressure) then, if you feel like doing a bit of plumbing, you can fit a mixer shower. They are available by the gross at your DIY shed or plumbers merchant. Plain ones are fairly cheap. Thermostatic ones are more expensive.

If you buy a nice one you can re-use it in your bathroom refit later. (edited: Sorry, I see you already have a mixer. Just get some surface wall elbows for it that will accept the incoming pipes)

If you are not keen on plumbing, consider using flexible braided connectors, they are inelegant but will save you having to make precise lengths and joints to get everything lined up and will save you time if you are in a hurry to get it done for Christmas.

If you are going to have surface-mounted pipes for ease and speed, chromed pipes look quite good.

 

[Dazmeister]

Not much you can do really other than hope the thing hold the pressure until you can rip it out

Thats the problem, its given up completely now. It had been slightly dripping for some time, I'd hoped it would last a few more weeks but now its just gushing out at the place described, so it has to come out today.
I was thinking of temporarily running some flexies somehow to a mixer of some description. It's just I have guests this weekend, otherwise I would have coped until the new year.

All the best.

D

 

[Dazmeister]

Cheers JohnD!!

I never thought about the surface mounted elbows but then again, I need a quick fix so the flexies will probably suffice until I refurb the bathroom entirely.

THanks for all the replies guys.



Merry Crimbo

 

[Dazmeister]

If you buy a nice one you can re-use it in your bathroom refit later. (edited: Sorry, I see you already have a mixer. Just get some surface wall elbows for it that will accept the incoming pipes)

John,
If I were to go this route (rather than flexies), how do I connect the original pipework that comes in through the wall which is spaced approx 10mm apart?
Sorry for sounding dumb but the temporary bar mixer I have... can the incoming pipes be sited from above? rather than coming in at 45 (hope this all makes sense).
I was under the impression that these type of mixers are screwed to wall with pipes coming in from behind cavity. Can the pipes be run on the surface?

 

[Dazmeister]

Sorry, the penny just dropped. I have had another look at the technical diagram for a bar mixer and the inlets come in underneath.

 

[JohnD]

The bar mixers usually poke their connections into the wall and may not have any other way of mounting it, but you can get an adaptor plate to make it easier.

I was thinking you will probably not have time to get one, so I was thinking, get some 90 degree elbows and screw them to the connectors on the bar mixer, then you can fiddle about with your flexi connectors and do it all surface mounted.

The is a 90 degree elbow that has lugs to screw to the wall, I don't know if it will be available to fit your mixer. Luckily there are only a limited number of threads and sizes in common use. If you take your mixer to the counter I think you willl be able to find one. Otherwise some sort of fabricated bracket or sticky tape to hold the mixer...

p.s. I am not a plumber, but have been very annoyed with how difficult it is to change shower mixers when they or their pipes are sunk into the wall. Now I go for surface-mounted ones with chromes pipes.

 

[Dazmeister]

THanks again John, (looks like you have just saved my bacon)

I think that last suggestion fits the bill, just hope to find a decent trade shop open now! I certainly not going to B&Q. I'm traveling from Reading (work) back to Sutton now. Can you recommend a outlet?


Cheers.

 

[JohnD]

No, sorry.

 

[Agile]

"""I cant see myself getting a plumber this late in the day and even if I do it will cost me a arm and leg."""

I am sorry that you have this perception that plumbers are both unavailable and expensive. What can we do to change this?

Solicitors charge about £200 per HOUR whereas plumbers will work all day for £200.

Tony

 

[Dazmeister]

"""I cant see myself getting a plumber this late in the day and even if I do it will cost me a arm and leg."""

I am sorry that you have this perception that plumbers are both unavailable and expensive. What can we do to change this?

Solicitors charge about £200 per HOUR whereas plumbers will work all day for £200.

Tony

Sorry Tony, but its just from experience, I guess bad experience!
I was quoted £1000 just to re-do the pipework in my bathroom. Is this reasonable? However, If you are near Sutton (Surrey) I would gladly take you up on the offer of fitting it for me if thats the kinda money I should be paying.