Power shower playing up

[NBee]

Hello all.

We have a 'Mira Essentials' power shower, which has been installed now for about 6 years without a problem.

Now suddenly it has started struggling, the pressure is falling and the motor sounds like a car running on two cylinders. The longer it's left on the more it seems to slow down, shuddering a bit and losing pressure. The water is still hot.

Any ideas what could be happening? Do you think it can be rescued, or are we looking at a new shower?

 

[ajs heating]

'Mira Essentials' is an electric shower not a power shower.

 

[NBee]

Hmm - I'm pretty sure this is a power shower... I'd have to go and dig the box out of the loft to be sure, but I know when we bought it we got a power shower! Maybe they did more than one model? I wanted a power shower for the strength of the water, and it's certainly very strong.

 

[Timmyturtle]

Looks to be electric mains fed shower,which they market as power shower
Scale?
Do you live in a hard water area?

 

[ajs heating]

if you find the box look for a kw rating on it.
it will have it on the shower but you'll have to remove the cover to find the label.
but you need to try you filter inside the shower sounds like it's blocking up.
or you may have a dicky solenoild valve.

 

[NBee]

Yes, apparently we do live in a hard water area - north London?

I will see if I can get into the cover and check the filter.


As for solenoid valves, means nothing to me - are they replaceable by a DIYer like me, and available?

 

[ajs heating]

the solenoild is where the mains pipe go's into and that is where the filter is.
blocked filters restrict flow but don't cause the shower to make noises unless it's the heater kettling due to restricted flow.

 

[NBee]

This morning the shower just about packed up completely. It's like there's no power to it at all.

When I turn it on now, it's like the power cord is switched off, there's no difference in the pressure or sound it makes.

I haven't got inside it yet, but it doesn't sound like it's going to be the filter.

 

[NBee]

I finally got to look inside the shower unit. Strangely, everything seems to be covered in a black deposit, smells kind of oily. Is that usual? Like I said before, it's about six years old. Where is the filter?

 

[seco services]

follow the two inlets in see the black cover with the screw in the middle that is the filters.
by the state of that it's time for a new one . no wonder the motor is making a noise.

 

[NBee]

If I do have to replace it, can I get something which will be pretty much a straight swap, without having to alter pipes and electrics?

 

[NBee]

Nope, the filters were completely clear. Must be electrical.

I see there is a <a href=" http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/n...refview=search&ts=1196716224566&isSearch=true ">new version of this shower</a> now - do you know if this will swap directly with the old one?

 

[lagunaglen]

Just a thought, have you tried it without shower head on, just the hose, it could be limescale blocking the shower head?