shower cold

[milkybar3000]

My shower (manual mixer type fed from hot water cylinder and cold tank in loft) is now only cold. it is a qualisa verispay.

my taps in the bathroom and also kitchen mixer are both hot

so why is the shower cold now, not hot.

someone suggested a cartridge in it needs changing, but what would this do? can i get a new one in wickes, or another diy store?
and is it an easy thing to replace?

the shower is not a thermostatic type so i am not sure why this has started to happen.

 

[seco services]

it won't be the cartridge if its not a thermostatic shower.
is the hot pipe from the cylinder to the shower hot when running ?

 

[milkybar3000]

yes, so it cant be a blockage can it?... what is causing it?

 

[seco services]

can you isolate the cold to the shower and just run the hot. see if you get full flow.

have you any other names for this mixer as a verispay is a shower head not a mixer valve.

 

[milkybar3000]

Hi again, sorry I am replying late I stil have the problem though.

I run it hot on its own but i didn't get a flow, just a few drops if that. do you mean turn the gate valve to it off, or just run the shower on fully hot?

The shower is aqualisa varyspray make i think, it is about 12 years old but looks really good still.

I do not understand this as the other hot taps are good.

Some posts suggest the cartridge failing means no hot water from the shower-is this my problem too?

 

[seco services]

you haven't go a thermostatic cartridge cause its not thermostatic.
its just a mixer, which is just like a tap on or off.

what i mean is isolate the cold supply and just run hot.
but as you said you turned it to hot and no flow.

you may have a sticking non reurn valve in the shower unit.
you'll have to remove it to do that.

you sure you haven't got an airlock in the hot side ?

 

[milkybar3000]

possibly an airlock i suppose - but how do i know for sure, and how to i get rid of it?



i don't believe there are any check valves on the pipework to the shower mixer to be honest.

 

[seco services]

non return valves are in the shower mixer if any.
is their any joints you can slacken off to release any air on the highest point of the pipework ?
is their any bleed valves on the pipework ?
how is it connected to the cylinder ?
have you any pics of the pipework ?

 

[milkybar3000]

i am not sure if the mixer has non return valves, but possibly an airlock is more common i would think.

so to answer your questions the best i can: where the shower connects to the mixer, it is very weird. a hot and cold go into it in 15mm pipe, then another pipe comes out of it, in 22mm pipe and through the tiled cupboard wall to the shower head connector.

there are white plastic elbows (look like compression joints) that i can get to, should i try and loosen these/one of these?

 

[seco services]

you want a joint between the cylinder and the shower.

where the hot pipe comes from the cylinder does it drop at all then go back up ?

its only the hot we need to work on.

 

[milkybar3000]

yes the pipe for the hot comes out of the side of the cylinder and then goes down and up again and then is bent (offset)? to the mixer entry.

Why does it go down like this then back up? is this why air has got in? but it has been OK for years.

 

[seco services]

sounds like its got an anit gravity loop.
is this pipe in plastic or copper ?
how far down the pipe is it hot ?

 

[milkybar3000]

whats an anti-gravity loop for?

the pipe is in copper.

is is a flange into the hot water cylinder (essex is side flange i think) - so i thought with a flange the pipe could run at any angle to the mixer? so why this anti gravity loop thing?

 

[seco services]

useally fit anti gravity loops when it has a pump and its higher than the cylinder.

yes thats a essex flange.
can you slacken the pipe at the cylinder end and release any air.
put some towels down etc

 

[milkybar3000]

But I don't have a pump! So don't know why he's done that as I know for a fact with a flange you can run pipes straight in without the worry of an airlock!!

Although obviously somehow I do have one now...

The hot pipe to the mixer, in between the cylinder and the mixer, has a red wheelhead gate valve. Shall I slacken that.... Should I turn it off first or leave it open? If I leave it open and air does come out, should I firstly turn the gate valve to the cylinder off first?

Ta for helping by the way