Does anyone know what I’m looking at here?

[bramleytom]

Hi,

I’m having an issue in a new property where the shower must be all the way to the “hot” side to get hot water at all, and if you have it on full pressure the cold dilutes it.

Inside the shower ‘lever’ I’m seeing this. It is a 20 year old system. Is someone more knowledgeable than me (most people!!) able to explain what I’m looking at, and if I can change anything in here to bias the system more towards hot?

Thanks in advance

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

First question - Is your hot water supply hot?

 

[oldbuffer]

1. You are looking at the end of a monobloc shower cartridge.
2. Symptoms could be of the cold "overpowering" the hot. Usually if cold is from mains and hot is from a hot water cylinder which in turn is pressurised by a cold water storage cistern, usually in the loft. If this is the case, items 3 to 5 below suggest approaches.
3. One "cure" is a non return valve in the supply to the hot. However, if the hot water pressure is low, such a valve will reduce it even more unless it is a vertically oriented "flap" valve. Often awkward to fit.
4. Alternatives are:
4.1 Shower pump. Needs fitting properly and per manufacturer's instructions. Won't like cold mains feed. Can be noisy.
4.2 Unvented hot water cylinder. Expensive and disruptive.
5. Check how the hot and cold are supplied to the shower and come back for further advice.

EDITED

If you have a Combi boiler, or an unvented hot water cylinder, ignore the above.
Before the above, check to see if there is a Thermostatic Mixing Valve on the hot pipework to the shower. If there is, check it is working.

 

[BlueLoo]

Have you looked up the manufacturer and read the instruction manual?

 

[bramleytom]

Thanks for all the replies.

1 - yes hot supply is hot.
2 - it sounds like the cold over powering problem.
- this is the water tank set up that we have.
- nothing in the loft

That shower cartridge has numbers and dials on it. I’m guessing there is no easy way to adjust the hot vs cold ratio using that?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That is a mains pressure hot water system, so both pressures will be equal. That suggests to me, that the temperature mixer cartridge has failed.

 

[bramleytom]

Okay thanks. Is that something that can be repaired simply, or is it a tiles off shower replaced kind of job? Thank you

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Okay thanks. Is that something that can be repaired simply, or is it a tiles off shower replaced kind of job? Thank you

That I don't know - the plumbers may, take a wider angle photo of the mixer..

 

[bramleytom]

This is the widest I have until I’m back there later, if anyone has any tips

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Whether it can be repaired or not depends on whether you can get a cartridge for it.
2. If you know the make and model, you may be able to look it up.
3. Otherwise:
3.1 Take a photograph as it is now.
3.2 Put the handle and cover back on and take another photograph of it.
3.3 Send the photographs to "showerdoc.com". They may be able to recognise the make and model and supply the cartridge
OR
3.4 Isolate the water and remove the cartridge (see below). Measure it carefully, and see if you can match it on-line. Have a look at https://www.plumbers-mate-sales.co.uk/replacement-plastic-monobloc-tap-cartridges-121-c.asp
4. When removing the cartridge it is very handy to have the installation guide. However, few people keep them. Possible step are:
4.1 Isolate the hot and col supplies to the shower mixer.
4.2 Remove the outer chrome trim. May be held on by the two screw below the handle, plus probably siliconed to the wall. Ease silicone off by cutting through with a large sharp knife.
4.3 The cartridge is probably held in place with some form of flanged nut. If you are lucky it will have a hexagon on it for turning with a large (adjustable?) spanner. If not so lucky it may have notches (probably 2 or 4) in the outer periphery. They require a special tool, but with care you may be able to turn by tapping the side of the notches. Almost certainly a normal right hand thread, which unscrews ant-clockwise as you look at the end protruding from the wall.
5. If its going to work at all, it should be achievable without damaging tiles.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Trace supplies back from shower, see if there are any filters in the supply pipework, could be as simple as a blocked filter on Hot supply. Failing that, as said above, https://www.showerdoc.com/ are the people to speak to.

 

[Madrab]

Certainly worth pulling apart and giving it a good clean out and see if that sorts it

If all else fails then it's Kugler Cartridge by the looks of it - not sure what shower it is though.

It's possibly one of these - Kugler 83.532 Cartridge - not cheap though

Kugler 83.532 Cartridge

Kugler 83.532 Cartridge. Please note, the retaining nut is no longer included.

www.divapor.com

 

[bramleytom]

Thank you all, and thanks Madrab for the part. That certainly looks like it, I’ll see what I can do with having a dig around.