Power shower is pulsing

billy_the_kid_2

we have had this problem for years and havent been able so sort it out. When we moved into the house 10 years ago the previous occupant had a shower fitted. It is a mixer shower that is supplied by a remote shower pump by the hot water tank.

Particularly in winter, when the shower is operated, after a few minutes the shower pump cuts in and out repeatedly at about 2-3 second intervals. The shower is also very hot.

Water pressure in the bathroom seems to be ok as we get a good stream from both the bath and basin hot taps as is the water pressure from the cold taps.

I have changed the shower head and it still keeps happening.

The only thing I can think of is the mixer unit, I cant get a range of shower temperatures. The heat dial is very easy to move hotter, but a nightmare to move back colder the dial gets very stiff and you have to coax it back slowly and with force. I have tried resetting the shower temp using the internal setting screw but I cant get a warm temp, only very hot and scalding.

Any Ideas folks, I am almost tempted to get an electric shower soon if I cant solve this.

cosworth_monkey

sounds like there is a pressure build up somewhere and its forcing water the wrong way, hence the "pulse" What is you water like (limescale etc)

you can get power showers very cheap if you do a bit of searching

good luck!

BobProperty

Sound more likely to be the shower mixer than the pump, but the pump may be getting past it at 10+ years old. What make and version is the shower please?

TimBuckTeeth

It sounds like a problem with the mixer, it shouldn't be that stiff to operate.
There are 2 flow switches on the pump, one for the cold and one for the hot pipe. When the shower tap is opened the flow of water operates the flow switches and turns on the pump, sounds like mixer is not letting the cold water through so the cold flow switch is switching off the pump.

billy_the_kid_2

Dear all many thanks.

In answer to questions, the mixer valve is a NewTeam NT968 and the pump is an Aqualisa Aquaforce 30. Also Im sure the pump is turning on and off, its not a pulse in the water pressure.

BobProperty

billy_the_kid wrote:

Dear all many thanks.

In answer to questions, the mixer valve is a NewTeam NT968 and the pump is an Aqualisa Aquaforce 30. Also Im sure the pump is turning on and off, its not a pulse in the water pressure.

Thanks for that. Given its age, how hard is the water in your area? I suspect if the water is hard, that it may be scaled up, and taking the shower apart and descaling and cleaning it may improve things. That's a guess though, I don't have hard water problems in this area (smug b.......) and don't have to deal with it.

billy_the_kid_2

Thanks Bobproperty here are the hardness reports for our area

Hardness mg/l Ca mg/l CaCO3 Clarks deg French deg German deg

---

74

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185

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12.96

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18.56

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10.36
millimol/l
1.85

BobProperty

That's hard if I've read it correctly. Check on the Money Saving Old Style board for cheap ways of de-scaleing.