My showers died and I'm at my wits end....Help?

[jbarron81]

Triton Amber II shower has suddenly given up the ghost and I can't suss why. The pull cord light has stopped coming on but water still does. I've had shower cover off, all looks fine. I believe the shower is hooked to 'Wylex' BS 5486 fuse box. The pull out fuse/circuit breaker which is wylex B40, BS3871 is the only one of the 2 that could be broke however i can't figure out what would indicate that it was broke, guessing fact it has trip switch which stays up its ok, fair assumption?

Only thing i've not managed to do is remove pull cord cable from side of shower to see if anything there, it certainly 'clicks' OK and there's a real problem with accessability. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

John

 

[securespark]

Only thing i've not managed to do is remove pull cord cable from side of shower

Can you post some pix, please?

 

[Steve]

In particular, Jbarron, pictures of your fusebox, shower switch, and the inside of the shower unit.

Chances are, your fusebox isn't suitable for the high load your shower presents.

The only thing that a circuit breaker will do it turn off. To fix it, turn it on. Though the fault may still be present. You cannot fool a MCB by holding the switch to on, it will still trip.

Now, I have an IvoryII. On turning the power off to it at the pullswitch, the water does not run at all.

Which means the fault is within the shower.

Untitled

• Steve
• 12 Feb 2009
• 1

(Out of interest, does the power light stay on on yours all the time too? Ours always has.)

 

[dannyboi2003]

Thats a quality bit of trunking above the shower Steve

 

[ban-all-sheds]

(Out of interest, does the power light stay on on yours all the time too? Ours always has.)

So where does it get the power for the light when you turn it off at the ceiling switch?

 

[Steve]

(Out of interest, does the power light stay on on yours all the time too? Ours always has.)

So where does it get the power for the light when you turn it off at the ceiling switch?

That switch never gets turned off.

Living on the edge innit

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That switch never gets turned off.

So why on earth did you ask "Out of interest, does the power light stay on on yours all the time too? Ours always has."?

Surely it's no mystery to you that the power light is always on on yours when you never turn the power off?

 

[Steve]

Because I am perplexed that despite the fact that the knob on the shower is turned to OFF, the "power" light remains lit! It seems a completely daft idea. Its almost like its in standby, when it needn't be because it has no remote control!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Because I am perplexed that despite the fact that the knob on the shower is turned to OFF, the "power" light remains lit!

Err...

It's to tell you that there is power being supplied to the shower!

If it were worked by the shower on/off switch then it would come on when you turned the shower on - don't you think that the sight and sound of water spraying out of the shower head would be enough to alert you to the fact that you'd turned it on?

It seems a completely daft idea.

Don't give up your day job.....

 

[Steve]

Thats a quality bit of trunking above the shower Steve

I know lol.

Well, theres a bracket for the shower door system above the cable entry, and I didnt fancy making a bend in the 10mm² cable and trying to cram it into the trunking. So I just ran it at an angle, making good the ends. Its only 18 inch long (low ceiling)

The shower WAS fed in 6mm² but the switch burnt out so we took the opportunity to change to 10mm² but didnt want to rip out the tiles. Theres another run of trunking (vertical) floor to ceiling near the door, where it returns to the CU.

 

[Steve]

Don't give up your day job.....

I wont. This is why people fall out with you though ban. Dont you think its a little wasteful? Having another LED burning 24/7? Bearing in mind, we're not the only people in the world who dont turn off their shower isolator.

 

[jbarron81]

Ahhh, now I need to figure out how to get pics on new comp!!

Water comes from the shower even when I've turned power off to house. Been here for over 2 years without problem then 1 day it says no, I'm not playing any more. Light on shower unit itself only turns on when hot water coming out, even if immersion switch is powered. Prob seems to be with immersion switch as that will not light. Had cover off this and there doesn't seem to be any internal fuse, that was my final clutching at straws manoeuvre. Feeling slightly defeated as al common sense fault finding has drawn a blank.

 

[Steve]

Your immersion heater should have nothing whatsoever to do with the shower wiring. If it does, start worrying now.

You have an electrically heater shower, with one single incoming COLD water supply. It requires its own electricity supply.

I am perplexed by the water still running when the power is off, as mine appears to have a solenoid water valve, which requires power to operate.

Strange.

 

[jbarron81]

when I say immersion I mean the pull cord at the side of the shower that turns the power on to the shower, poor terminology! So effectively the power isn't going on, resulting in no means to heat water. Regardless of power supply i get water, just don't have the climate up here to survive without its heated counterpart. Had the box for the pull cord off, which has several large wires but no separate fuse which i'd thought may have blown.

Hope this makes sense?!?!?!?!

 

[Steve]

Yes it makes sense.

Was there any signs of burning or melting or scorching in the switch?

I take it you have checked obvious stuff like the RCD, MCB (in the fusebox / consumer unit) are all turned ON.