Performance and reliability

[lc04]

Whilst I appreciate opinions vary and it's a bit like cars that some top league tables for some things and finish last in others however......as a good guide from you guys out there servicing and installing which manufacturer would come top of your list for showers to fit comfortably with a combi bolier.

Thermostatic mixer types generally used for combi boliers not electric ones. Obviously I'm looking to buy one and there are sooooooooo many, looking to spend iro £300.

Your respected opinions welcome.

 

[Agile]

Viessmann and Vaillant are popular with installers.

I dont even recommend a thermostatic shower with a combi boiler.

Tony

 

[lc04]

Viessmann and Vaillant are popular with installers.

I dont even recommend a thermostatic shower with a combi boiler.

Tony

Thank you Tony. Just as well you picked up on the Shower bit as I completely left it out of my OP

 

[possum_jenkins]

cant go wrong with grohe tbh. Great looking showers, very reliable, and if they do go wrong you will get spare parts no probs at all. Just make sure when you buy you specify a high pressure cartidge type.
TBH dont know what tony is on about....

 

[lc04]

cant go wrong with grohe tbh. Great looking showers, very reliable, and if they do go wrong you will get spare parts no probs at all. Just make sure when you buy you specify a high pressure cartidge type.
TBH dont know what tony is on about....

Cheers, Tony was talking about Boilers I assume as my OP only alluded to showers when I sad 'thermostatic mixer'

 

[Agile]

I fix boilers and a few times every year I go to faults caused by failed thermostatic elements in showers and a few more where the user has selected a combination of boiler and shower settings which interact with each other ot cause oscillations in shower temperature.

A modern combi controls the output temperature to within 1° C and the extra expense of a thermostatic shower seems totally unecessary to me and is just another part to fail.

Furthermore a tenant's inclination to turn all boiler temperature controls up to maximum encourages temperature fluctuations in shower output.

Tony

 

[Gasguru]

Firstly you have not told us the boiler make and model. Some older combis have very poor temperature regulation/burner control using simple step modulation which is not ideal with manual mixer valves. Later models have better control with fully modulating burners.

If you can afford it get a thermostatic shower. The boiler may well be able to maintain an accurate set temperature with a constant water flow, however, if the flow through it suddenly changes say, due to other taps being used or a shared water main there will always be a significant time lag in the boiler sensors reacting to the lower flow rate. ie the water temperature can overshoot/undershoot significantly. Plus or minus 10 Centigrade is not unusual resulting in fluctuating shower temperatures unless the mixer is thermostatic.

Strangely despite Grohe being a quality make I recently came across a shower mixer letting by from cold to hot (it was only 18 months old).

 

[lc04]

Firstly you have not told us the boiler make and model. Some older combis have very poor temperature regulation/burner control using simple step modulation which is not ideal with manual mixer valves. Later models have better control with fully modulating burners.

If you can afford it get a thermostatic shower. The boiler may well be able to maintain an accurate set temperature with a constant water flow, however, if the flow through it suddenly changes say, due to other taps being used or a shared water main there will always be a significant time lag in the boiler sensors reacting to the lower flow rate. ie the water temperature can overshoot/undershoot significantly. Plus or minus 10 Centigrade is not unusual resulting in fluctuating shower temperatures unless the mixer is thermostatic.

Strangely despite Grohe being a quality make I recently came across a shower mixer letting by from cold to hot (it was only 18 months old).

2 year old Ideal Isar 30 HE with 1 bar static pressure and 15lts per minute flow rate and no PRV fitted (yes I have been reading the installation notes from BG...I know....) I hope that helps your advice and there is only me here most of the time so the multi use problem shouldn't be an issue except when someone stops here

 

[lc04]

* bump* in case anyone wants to add to this since I added the boiler make.

 

[Agile]

2 year old Ideal Isar 30 HE with 1 bar static pressure and 15lts per minute flow rate and no PRV fitted (yes I have been reading the installation notes from BG...I know....) I hope that helps your advice and there is only me here most of the time so the multi use problem shouldn't be an issue except when someone stops here

You are not meant to go bump on th same day ( or even the next either! ).

What do you mean by a "PRV" ?

Tony

 

[lc04]

2 year old Ideal Isar 30 HE with 1 bar static pressure and 15lts per minute flow rate and no PRV fitted (yes I have been reading the installation notes from BG...I know....) I hope that helps your advice and there is only me here most of the time so the multi use problem shouldn't be an issue except when someone stops here

You are not meant to go bump on th same day ( or even the next either! ).

What do you mean by a "PRV" ?

Tony

Well I consider my wrist firmly slapped! Pressure reducing valve. Can you, should you care to, continue the advice please.

 

[Gasguru]

Well I would advise a thermostatic mixer; been years since I last was involved with showers but I generally went with Mira.

Whatever make it is make sure the cartridge is fully accessible for future maintainance (including non-return valves/strainers) WITHOUT having to pull off the tiles. Some top of the range makes eg Hudson Reed have appalling design that require tiles pulling off if the built in strainer blocks ie you have to install the non-return valves and strainers in a more accessible position unless you want future agro.

 

[lc04]

Well I would advise a thermostatic mixer; been years since I last was involved with showers but I generally went with Mira.

Whatever make it is make sure the cartridge is fully accessible for future maintainance (including non-return valves/strainers) WITHOUT having to pull off the tiles. Some top of the range makes eg Hudson Reed have appalling design that require tiles pulling off if the built in strainer blocks ie you have to install the non-return valves and strainers in a more accessible position unless you want future agro.

Thankyou, I'm lucky that I have the old airing cupboard right next to the bath and have access to put the new shower and therefore I'm lucky I will have all the access I need. Mira was going to be my choice. Thanks again.