No output from Power Shower and no Pump

busymumof3

Would be very pleased if someone could offer some advice re. our inherited Mira Excel power shower which decided not to work today!

It is around 8 or 9 years old I believe and is connected to a Mira PP3 pump. Although the shower enclosure, especially the tiling, is showing it's age a bit the shower has been working perfectly well.

Yesterday I noticed that there was a heavy dripping after using the shower and so I removed the shower head and hose and let it hang down. Forgot about it and so it was in this position for about 24 hours. I don't know if this has anything to do with it. The next morning I went to turn the shower on and the pump didn't come on and there was no output.

Basically because of the age of the shower and the deteriorating state of the tiling and shower tray, I am loath to pay much in the way of repairs. I would be grateful if someone knowledgable could advise whether this sounds like a small or a major problem and I could decidefrom there what to do. I cannot locate any power switch for the shower and wondered whether this was normal.

raymond

Firstly, it would be highly recommended to get an electrician who knows about showers in .. dont mess with it.

Next, there should be a switch, normally a pull cord switch in the bathroom.

Before trying the switch, check in your meter box and if you cannot see an RCD (like a big switch with a button labelled "push to test") then do not use the shower, get an electrician in.

Lastly, get an electrician in, dont mess with water and electrickery

Raymond

PS .. did I say .. get an electrician in to check it

busymumof3

Hi Raymond

Am a big scardy when it comes to electricity so won't be messing around with it. Did check the fuse box but nothing has tripped it. Really cannot see a switch of any description. Weird I know. Definitely nothing in bathroom or in airing cupboard where pump is. We just normally turn the dial in the enclosure off and on and have never thought about the lack of switch before.

Am waiting for the electriciian to get in touch about lsomething else so will add this to my ever growing list!

trace-j

We had that same problem with a brand new pump after we replaced our old one. It's possible some air has got into the system. Had to put the hose down with the valve open to bleed the air out of the system before it would work. Can't remember exactly what the instructions said will double check.

That said we had a mira power shower of the same age that had a nightmare drip on it. Jiggling with the mixer sorted it out. In the documents left by the previous owner, Mira can come out and service a system for you since it is quite old - wont be free though.

busymumof3

Thanks trace-j
Have got electrician coming round tomorrow to check if it is anything electrical. Have been pricing new showers/tray/aqua panels/door etc and come to a very scary number without taking into account a new pump or labour - you may have guessed we are not very handy ourselves! Hopefully it is something simple.

Would be grateful if you were able to find any instructions. I have the manual for the shower but not the pump and it doesn't cover this problem.
Many thanks

jasons_2

Sounds like an air lock in the system.

My dad had the same problem a while ago- we spent an afternoon going through the plumbing bit by bit- the pump wouldn't work without water in it.


J

Agutka

We had this problem a few years ago. Called out a plumber he said call an electrician, called out an electrician, he said call out a plumber. That was that. We now use the shower enclosure as a cupboard! I bet there's air in the system now! Fortunately we have another bathroom and showered in there, until that bath started to leak into the kitchen downstairs. Now we wash in the one remaining bath. *sigh*

Does anyone know if we should spend some money on our bathrooms?

busymumof3

Oh no! We have only been without the power shower for a few days and it is already driving me mad. The mira electric shower over the bath although only a few months old seems really feeble in comparison. Soooo glad I decided to instal it when we refitted the main bathroom.

Today I put the shower head and hose down on the tray and the water and pump came on after a few splutters! Would tie in with everyones air lock theory I think. Tried later with the shower head back in it's wall bracket but no joy, then worked when on the tray again and then repositioned. Obviously still needs a bit of TLC but thrilled that I won't have the mega expense of a new system. I'll see if the electrician can shed any light tomorrow, at least on the missing switch!

busymumof3

Electrician has pronounced pump is working fine. Shower works when set on cold but not on warm so his pronouncement is inadequate hot water pressure - and a job for the plumber. Could this be an air lock in the hot water system? The electrician also thinks that dirt or gunk may have got behind the control mechanism - it is fairly aged.

Also, apparently there is no requiement to have a shower switch on this type of system. So at least I know it was properly installed.

trace-j

Does water pressure come into the equation? Only ask as our pump is connected to two storage tanks, one cold and one hot. I thought pumps couldn't be connected to a combi boiler etc as it would knacker it up.

Daveuk

busymumof3 wrote:

Electrician has pronounced pump is working fine. Shower works when set on cold but not on warm so his pronouncement is inadequate hot water pressure - and a job for the plumber. Could this be an air lock in the hot water system? The electrician also thinks that dirt or gunk may have got behind the control mechanism - it is fairly aged.

Also, apparently there is no requiement to have a shower switch on this type of system. So at least I know it was properly installed.

I've had a Mira PP3 pump coupled with Excel for 14 years and never had a problem with the pump, if you get a constant drip from the showerhead after showering it is usually caused by a worn out cartridge, mine lasted 12 years.

You can take the cartridge out quite easily in fact in view of what you are saying about lack of flow it might be that the filters on the input side of the cartridge are blocked.

I'm pretty sure that if you give Caradon Mira Ltd a call on 01242 262888, and ask for customer support they will send you a booklet on Installation, Operation and Maintenance of the Excel Shower Control.

This booklet is very comprehensive and shows how to strip down the control unit and take out the cartridge, I can assure you that it isn't at all difficult to do.

If you do require a new cartridge they are quite expensive but Plumb Center's sell them cheaper than direct from Mira.

If you need any further help, let me know.
Dave