Triton shower temperature knob won't turn

[Hannah87]

I've just recently moved into a new house with a triton shower fitted. The knob to control the temperature of the water will not turn beyond a certain point to make the water hot, there is a red button which I have tried to press while turning but it won't budge. The water is flat cold. Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

I guess this will be the bar shower type - on / off at one end, temperature the other? It sounds like the temperature cartridge has called it a day....they greatly benefit from being turned regularly (shower off, of course).
You may be able to take the turn knob off (screw in the end, under a cap probably) and get some pliers on the turning spline but do go gently, to and fro and a bit at a time.
Check out showerdoc for a replacement cartridge - but they ain't cheap I'm afraid.
John

 

[Hannah87]

Thanks for your help John I'll see if I can get into the screw to turn it. When I first turned the shower on though it was warm, I did turn it to try to make it hotter but turned it the wrong way, the red button clicked and now I can't turn it to hot again.

 

[Hannah87]

Thanks for your help John I'll see if I can get into the screw to turn it. When I first turned the shower on though it was warm, I did turn it to try to make it hotter but turned it the wrong way, the red button clicked and now I can't turn it to hot again.

 

[Burnerman]

You'll certainly need to get that button depressed before it will override, Hannah.....work the knob to and fro as you try to press it. The button is in the turning part, not the cartridge so that will be much cheaper if you need one. They do tend to get abused a bit!
John

 

[Agile]

You have pressed the safety red button haven't you as you try to turn the knob?

Tony

 

[Hannah87]

I've pressed it in as far as it will go (till the button's flush with metal) but it won't budge.
Thanks for your help though!

 

[longdogs]

Hannah.....work the knob to and fro as you try to press it.

 

[Hannah87]

Just an update, I removed the temperature knob to manually change the temperature which seemed to work as the bar nearest the temp knob became red hot but the water coming out of the shower head was flat cold. Any ideas would be much appreciated! Thanks again!

 

[Burnerman]

Errr right!
As you turn the temperature cartridge, is there any point at which the water comes out hot? Just wondering if the adjustment has gone round the clock, so to speak.
I guess you don't know if the thing has worked properly recently?
John

 

[Hannah87]

The water didn't come out hot at all but the metal bar closest to the temp knob did get very hot when I turned the cartridge. I was thinking maybe the hot water isn't reaching the shower head? But I really have no idea! ive attached a picture if that's any help... The right hand side of the bar gets red hot but the left side is completely cold. That's the thing, I'm not sure whether it's been having problems before or not! Thanks so much for your help again!

 

[Burnerman]

Well, we can only assume its been plumbed in correctly Hannah - that is, the supply pipes the correct way round! Another issue could be a gravity hot feed and a mains cold, but that's a bit ridiculous. There are gauze filters in the unit too - or there usually is!
If the shower has supply water isolators, do check them!
Replacement of the entire shower bar could give you issues with the tiling (which you don't want).
The cartridge mixes the hot and cold to suit you, naturally enough, so if it was mine I'd check out a new cartridge.....presumably all of your other bathroom supplies are ok?
At least Triton spares are available from the showerdoc.
Is there any way you can contact the previous owners, just on a friendly basis?
John