Gainsborough 9.5e Electric shower

[keen2learn]

I switched the above shower on this morning and it will not warm up freezing cold water not good for showering brrrrrrrr its not the fuse as believe it or not its not on a dedicated fuse and the other things on the same fuse still work any ideas

 

[HH1]

Due to recent experience with a Triton shower with a similar problem.....

On this unit it was traced to the pressure switch.

Basically if the water supply flow/pressure is not sufficient then it will not allow the shower to heat up either on low/high settings. Had varied the flow too but still no joy. Surprising enough, the water flow coming from the shower head looked ok, but the house always did have water supply pressure/flow problems though.

Funnily enough it HAD worked for a month or two before giving this problem. Would be worth checking the inlet filter to ensure its clean.

 

[keen2learn]

Thanks for your reply HH1 I think with it being a cheap shower Im going to have to bite the bullet as there are no servicable parts just a complete new engine or a new shower

 

[seco services]

As you say it will be a new engine more likely the tco has failed in the engine.

Gainsborough showers don't suffer the same problem with the pressure switch/pcb issues that triton do they have a different set up.

If you do fit a new shower try to keep away from gainsboroughs as they are the low end of market shower and have no changable parts.

 

[keen2learn]

thanks seco been looking at mira as a possible replacement but think im gonna have to get an electrician in as im sure the wiring is dodgy as hell from previous owner, its on the same fuse as electric oven and hob and runs from a grey wire, in the switch in the cupboard I can see a black wire and a red wire at the top of the switch and a blue wire and brown wire at the bottom of the switch

 

[londonboy]

thanks seco been looking at mira as a possible replacement but think im gonna have to get an electrician in as im sure the wiring is dodgy as hell from previous owner, its on the same fuse as electric oven and hob and runs from a grey wire, in the switch in the cupboard I can see a black wire and a red wire at the top of the switch and a blue wire and brown wire at the bottom of the switch

Not allowed

It needs its own radial (run of cable and fuse).

 

[Whitespirit66]

its not the fuse as believe it or not its not on a dedicated fuse

As seco has said, this is not allowed. Should be on it's own circuit, protected by MCB.

I wouldn't even attempt to use this shower until a spark has had a look at it. Electric showers are fine if installed properly, but could be lethal if not!

 

[keen2learn]

cheers london boy I thought that was the case not being an electrician I will have to wait till I can afford to upgrade the wiring before i replace the shower

 

[keen2learn]

Hi whitespirit66 the shower worked flawelessly for the last three years but I realise now it is broke it is better to have the wiring checked and if need be upgraded before replacing the shower its self

 

[keen2learn]

just a thought as this shower does not have a solenoid valve and pressing the button just opens the valve so water will flow from the shower head with or without power is it likely to be a circuit fault I suspect not as the other 2 items on the same fuse still work

 

[HH1]

Do you have the manual for the shower?

Here, hopefully is a link to it in case you haven't :-
http://www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk/upload/Documents/Gainsborough_Electric_Shower_07.pdf

Check that its the correct one though just in case I got the wrong one.

The manual will give some basic info on the shower, fault finding, cleaning the filter and most important of all, how it should be wired up. Didn't pick up on that one in the OP. Head in the clouds. Get that fixed pronto.
(refer to section 4.2.7 in the manual)

 

[keen2learn]

Hi HH1 yeah its the right manual and yes it is wired incorrectly as its on the same circuit as the oven and hob although not done by me only come to light since a problem with shower it seems that it is a none servicable part but I guess before I even contemplate replacing the shower it needs the wiring corrected to make it safe im amazed it has not burned the house down
oh well the bodge merchant that previously owned the house strikes again