Triton Spellbind 9.5kw low pressure problem

[pixey]

Hi. I have installed a triton spellbind 9.5kw, model no:A10130500, and am having low pressure problems.
The shower is installed in a new enclosure on the 1st floor of the house. The cold feed, mains pressure, is taken from a tee at the inlet to the cold tank in the loft and is 15mm copper.
The 240v is fed via a 50A mcb with approx 10m run of 10mm cable.
At certain times of the day, usually early morning and 7-8pm, if you try to have a shower, the LP indicator lights and the water flow stops. Reset the shower and it just happens again. I have also switched it to cold, and the LP indicator will still come on.
I have removed the shower to check the flow rate, and can fill a 3 gallon bucket in 55 seconds. (I have tested the flow rate from an external tap in my garden and can fill the same bucket in 45 seconds).
To me the flow rate seems ok?
The shower is brand new and will work fine sometimes, just not before work, when you need it.
It seems to me that the pressure must drop slightly when there is high demand for water in my street - I have made sure that no water is being used in my house when the LP indicator comes on, including the cold tank in the loft filling.
Any help or ideas would be helpful.

pixey

 

[ChrisR]

COUld be dirt has got into the inlet of the shower itself. Is there a filter to clean? Mebbe could try hosing it backwards - better check that with Triton first!

 

[pixey]

Hi Chris. I have checked the inlet filter and it is perfectly clean. I phoned Triton and the first thing they asked me was what was the water pressure and because I couldn't tell them, that was the end of the conversation.
I would think by the flow rate I have described above that the pressure should be fine, but is there any way that can measure the water pressure without buying a water pressure gauge for a one off reading?

pixey

 

[pixey]

I have taken the pressure gauge off my foot pump, and with a 1/4 - 15mm adapter have made myself a makeshift water pressure gauge.
I have tested the pressure at my tap in the garden and get a reading of 35psi.
Doe's this seem about right? I haven't tested the pressure at the shower yet, but will do that tomorrow if I get a chance.

pixey

 

[chrishutt]

35 psi is 2.4 Bar, which is within the range of typical mains pressures. Perfectly adequate for an electric shower. The pressure 1 floor (3 metres) up will be about 2.1 Bar.

 

[Gasguru]

I'm not sure whether using a gauge designed for air will give you an accurate reading on water (I guess it may be a standard Bourdon pressure gauge though)

By connecting onto the garden tap you are only measuring the static pressure ie the pressure in the street water main is 2 Bar.



To find the pressure whilst the shower is in use you must:

Disconnect the shower and fit a tee to the feed pipe.

In the branch of the tee fit the pressure gauge.

On the end of the tee fit a ball valve and then connect on the shower hose and head.

Now adjust the flow and set it to the minimun flowrate specified in the manual and read the dynamic (or running) pressure off the gauge.

This will give the true pressure reading.

The spellbind appears to be made for B&Q by Triton and there is no manual on their site.

I hope you have RCD protection as electric showers are not particularly safe (IMHO) and you have used the services of an electrician (Part P and a bathroom)

 

[pixey]

Thanks for the reply's. The shower is RCD protected, as are all of the sockets in the house, apart from the kitchen ring.
I tried to use the shower this morning, and again the LP indicator came on, so I went and took a pressure reading at the tap in the garden, and the pressure was 18 psi, and when I ran the drinking water tap in the kitchen, the pressure went down to 15 psi.
It seems to me that at "peak" times, ie mornings and evenings, the mains water pressure is dropping quite a lot.
Can anyone please tell me what the minimum water pressure should be at the tap in the garden, which is pretty much the first point incomming from the street.

Thanks

pixey

 

[ChrisR]

The minimum the water suppliers have to provide is an unrealistic 0.7 bar (10.5psi, 7m head) at the pipe below the ground.
Sounds like you have much more than that.
Try holding yor thumb over the garden tap to stop the flow - if you find it hard your pressure is OK! It's true that that doesn't measure flow but you've done that.

 

[Gasguru]

Read my last post to get an accurate pressure reading however, if you are only getting 15psi (about 1 Bar) at ground level then the shower unit will be about 0.4 Bar less than this (its higher up) so it probably won't work.

 

[Geoff78]

Check the inlet filter where the main connects to the shower is not blocked.
You need to turn off the power and the water to do this. Then disconnect the shower from the main, the filter is inside this connection. If you are running off a header tank you will need to do this every couple of months

 

[seco services]

this is over 3 yr old post. no point replying.

only just read the 3 yr old post and it's mains pressure related problem.