Mira Event XS - suddenly stopped working

[Charon]

Wonder if antone can help me with this shower problem? My Mum has a Mira Event xs thermostatic shower, been installed for about 8 years and never a problem with it. Suddenly, in the middle of a shower last week, the flow just cut off. The electrics are still working fine, and the noise it makes still sounds as before as the high to low power knob is turned, but nothing comes out of the shower head. I've tried tapping it and staring angrily, but nothing seems to help ( ), any suggestions??!!

 

[seco services]

More likely the solenoid coil has failed.
Check it for resistance with a multi meter, should be 3.4 kohms or above.
Isolate the mains power to shower first before checking.

 

[Charon]

Hmm, if I'm getting no reading at all, would that suggest the valve has failed? or that I'm doing something wrong??!!

 

[seco services]

yes that would suggest it's knackered.

 

[Charon]

Thank you Seco Services, t'was indeed the solenoid valve! No one around the area seemed to stock them, but got one on eBay for £25. Always tended to try to avoid working with water and electrics, but felt this was do-able. The electric was easy enough to switch off, but why don't plumbers automatically put isolator valves on pipes going into units like this? Faced with the labyrinth of pipes and a sparcity of taps, I got a Pipe Freezing Kit in the end, the pipes were close enough together for one kit to do the job, and managed to avoid all the hassle and installed the new valve with a minimum of hassle. The shower now works fine with regards the flow control, but the temperature leaves a lot to be desired, moving from tepid at the coldest setting, to warm on the hottest - despite the water in the boiler being piping hot. Has anyone any ideas why this might be? The temperature range was fine prior to the valve failing...

 

[seco services]

Thank you Seco Services, t'was indeed the solenoid valve!

but got one on eBay for £25.

Not bad price.

but why don't plumbers automatically put isolator valves on pipes going into units like this?

Laziness.

The temperature range was fine prior to the valve failing...

Try cleaning the filters out.
Hope you fitted isolation valves cause you need to isolate the water again.

 

[Charon]

Fit isolation valves???!!! er, no! However, I DID take the opportunity of cleaning the filters while the water was frozen , though they were pretty much pristine - probably due to the water softener? Is there anything else you can think of?

 

[seco services]

No but it's poss scale etc has gone into the filters when the water has started to run from being frozen.
Also if you remove the filters and let each supply run for a few seconds to clear any air/scale that could be in the pipework

 

[Charon]

Hmm, 'let each supply run for a few seconds to clear any air/scale...' so I wouldn't have to turn the water off for that, just don the wet suit and be quick on the ball with the screwdriver !8)

 

[seco services]

Isolate water remove fiters.
then open each supply one at a time and check flow etc.

Handy if you have 2 people one to do isolation valves one to watch the flow.

 

[Charon]

(sigh), no isolation valves! I shall have to ponder this one a little longer...Thanks again for the help and advice!

 

[seco services]

My thought i read it wrong thought you had fitted them.
Doing it without isolating can be messy and getting water on the electrics is what you don't want.

 

[Charon]

Pondered long and hard over this one and decided to attempt the job without any more recourse to isolating the water supply. Taped some polythene over the electrics, donned a wet suit to protect me from the expected gush of steamy hot and icy cold water, drew the shower curtain round and had at the filter with a screwdriver. Got it out, rinsed it in the pouring water, squeezed it all back in surprisingly easily, put the cover back on, and turned the lecky back on. Dried off, had a stiff drink, then tried the shower again. Hey presto...the water responded to the control and ran hot and cold once more...HA!!

Don't know whether it was an air-lock or something in the filter, but another thank you to Seco Services for putting me on the right track. I can put my feet up for a while now, and stop sticking pins in the effigy of the generic plumber who doesn't put isolating valves on pipes going into shower units...!

 

[seco services]

Glad you sorted it.