New boiler compatible with pumped shower?

[stephrose87]

Hi there,

We are having a new boiler installed at the moment, going from cylinder system to combi. All good, but our shower (Triton AS2000XT) is not compatible with a higher pressure system. The plumbers seem to think that if they disconnect the electricity from the power shower, the water should run free-flow through it and it should be okay to use? Will this be the case? I was thinking we would have to get something like a mixer shower, or a compatible replacement from Triton (see examples below). Please advise! Many thanks.

(ps, changing taps to one with incorporated shower head is not an option)

http://www.victoriaplumb.com/Shower...le-Manual-Single-Lever-Shower-Valve_4792.html

http://www.victoriaplumb.com/Showers/Shower-Valves/Bar-Valves/Cyclone-Bar-Shower-Valve_103.html

 

[Tibbot]

They're not designed for mains pressure. Ask them how you operate it without electricity. Ones I've installed have water outlet controlled by a powered solenoid type valve.

 

[stem]

The plumbers seem to think that if they disconnect the electricity from the power shower, the water should run free-flow through it and it should be okay to use?

As there is a solenoid valve that has to be electrically powered to open in order to allow water to flow out from the shower, how do they work that one out.

See item 13 on page 3 of the Installation Manual

 

[TeaTime]

2 port solenoid valve. Isolate the supply and the valve will be closed.

 

[stephrose87]

thanks for quick replies guys. Is there any sort of shower/solution that would be particularly easy to fit to the present pipes? They are quite close together, only about 10mm apart max.

 

[Gasguru]

I'd be getting a new plumber...if they're dumb enough to suggest running mains pressure through your existing shower they must be clueless.

That scenario happened to a customer of mine a while back....stoopid installer just disconnected the power to the shower pump...it lasted a few months and then flooded the bathroom

 

[longdogs]

As Gasguru says, I have also seen this. The shower worked for a while but eventually water p*ssed out everywhere.

 

[longdogs]

The showers shown in the links have 150mm pipe centres so would not be an easy swap over. You are not going to get anything with pipes that close. Is there access on the other side of the wall, a cupboard perhapl?

 

[bernardgreen]

Combi boilers and showers are seldom compatible.

If shower is in use and then the flow rate through the combi is increased by someone turning on a hot water tap the water coming from the combi can drop in temperature and the shower becomes colder.

Getting a combi with a higher output can solve that problem but then for normal use the combi is oversized.

 

[Tibbot]

Most 'plumbed' showers sold today are compatible with combis. Indeed a mains pressure shower is one of the boiler's main benefits.

The issue of HW starvation can be overcome by using a good quality thermostatic shower valve, such as an Aqualisa, Mira, Grohe or the like. When another outlet is drawn the flow is reduced but you don't freeze or get scolded.

Unfortunately these are expensive but better than oversizing the combi (which is unlikely to help anyway). The mixers selected in your post are unlikely to be as accurate or last a fraction of the working life.

 

[stephrose87]

Untitled

• stephrose87
• 22 Apr 2015
• 1

Untitled

• stephrose87
• 22 Apr 2015
• 1

Pics for reference. Unfortunately the pipes just go straight into the wall, under the tiles.

 

[stephrose87]

New bathroom was put in just a month ago unfortunately. I have thought about changing the taps to a shower combination tap. But to change it, you'd have to get the bath out again right?!

 

[bernardgreen]

Indeed a mains pressure shower is one of the boiler's main benefits.

Mains pressure shower can be achieved with a heat only boiler and a thermal store. Alternatively a second coil in a vented hot water tank can provide mains pressure hot water without the complications of a combi