Triton T80Z Fast Fit Solenoid Valve

[Johntheo5]

Daughter's (Feb 2023) 9.0kW Shower takes ~ 15 to 25 secs to reach its normal flowrate after pressing the start/stop button, it looks like the solenoid valve plunger is sticking while opening but not while closing as it shuts the water off instantly on pressing the button. The coil checks out fine, a resistance of 3.66k ohms, 236V at the coil terminals when energized and ~ 233V after the microswitches close. The water is perfectly clean with no limescale.

O rings are not supplied with the replacement, wonder has anyone had any problems with reusing the old ones?.

For interest, below shows a typical diaphragm type solenoid valve like the Triton uses.

 

[Wayners]

Can ya not buy new o rings?

 

[Johntheo5]

Can ya not buy new o rings?

I didn't see them on the Triton or other websites, obviously you can get (a box) of them after you remove the solenoid valve but this isn't very convenient if you are 50 miles or so from the "shops".

 

[Wayners]

Yeah.
It's not Ideal.
Triton do a fixed price repair or plumbers will carry mixed packs of o rings.
Problem is o rings come in very specific sizes so you need to be sure they are the right ones.

Up to you if you want to try the old ones if they look ok. Probably be ok as I've done similar in the past.
Depends if you can wait for new ones or not.

 

[Johntheo5]

New solenoid valve did the trick, but leak on inlet to valve despite old O ring looking perfect, just used PTFE tape instead and will post exact size if I can source new O rings.
Flowrate exactly same as with original, 6.0LPM, same as my own which I now only get after Water Board reduced mains pressure from its former static 3.5bar to 2.2bar.

 

[Johntheo5]

Here are the the butchered remains of the old Sol.Valve, had to cut the top off to get some idea of what it looked like. Not 100% sure how it operates, normally the plunger bleeds the water off to the outlet when the valve is energized but this one is right in the centre so in communication with the inlet side (bottom), however there are 8 tiny holes radially on top of the diaphragm which I think do communicate to the outlet. Anyway the new one works fine.

The Link here is probably a reasonable description of how these centre fed (from Inlet) pilot operated Sol.valves work.

Pilot-Operated Valve Working Principle

docs.verdi.ag

 

[Johntheo5]

Here are the (now) dimensions (vernier calipers) of the original bottom O ring that leaked.

Apparently standard sized 12.8mm ID X 1.8mm (16.4mm OD X 12.8mm ID) are available.