Thermostatic shower problem...

barginunter

Had a Triton Excellente fitted in August, it worked correctly for about a week.
We have a pump fitted to boost the pressure.
After about 3 mins the pressure starts to fluctate and then goes to virtually nothing.
The pump makes a terrible whining noise as it's struggling to cope. The shower has 2 controls - the shower is supposed to start by twisting the flow control on the left. If won't start until you twist the thermostatic control to full cold and then back to the centre.
My fitter has so far, fitted a new pump, altered the pipework in case of air probs - made no difference. This morning I bought another shower and he swapped the control bar over (thinking the other was faulty) - hasn't made a blind bit of difference.
He now suggests that I choose a different shower - I don't really want to as I love the look if the Excellente.
Does anyone have any ideas?

barginunter

Thanks, I'll have to respond to that lot a bit later.

anotherbaldrick

Are you sure the plumber fitted a new pump and not just mess about with the old one ? You say the pump makes noises as if it is struggling, to me this seems more like a seized pump rotor. The pump should cut in by sensing water flow through a flow valve, if it was pumping against a restriction it would just cut out. Their are good quality pumps and some not good at all, do you know the make of pump ?

keystone

Its getting air in it or the flow switches are incorrectly adjusted but I'd suspect the former. Piped incorrectly at the very least. How's it piped in detail, what is the make/model of pump and what is the physical layout of CWST, cylinder, pump and shower?

I'm suspecting you might need to change your fitter before he replaces anything else expensive (presumably at your cost).

Cheers

barginunter

Our fitter has installed a kitchen, 2 bathrooms and the downstairs cloakroom in our house this year. He's an honest guy we aren't paying him any extra. The shower in my daughters bathroom works ok, is a much longer run from the cylinder and uses the same model pump although it is a different shower.

https://picasaweb.google.com/111008488573560602625/1103ShowerProbsPics?authkey=Gv1sRgCMDD7sae9KbP_QE# photos of the airing cupboard connection and the pump area.

We have a non-combi gravity system.
At my husband's (ex-plumber) suggestion, yesterday he increased the diameter of the hot water pipe but now the shower is unuseable - the pressure being non-existant.

ormus

where have you installed the pump?
it must have a minimum 2m head to the water tank.

keystone

It will be drawing air out of the cylinder or down the vent. It's piped incorrectly.

How is your daughters shower piped?

Why have you two pumps? Are you planning to use both showers at the same time? What is the capacity of your CWST and also your cylinder.

Cheers

Canucklehead

Hi,

Your installer shows a lack of care in his work.
Scorched cylinder insulation.
Pump just left on the loft lagging, strain on flexi conns.
Gate valves are very unreliable as compared to long lever ball type, (but that's being a bit picky perhaps, but it follows the lack of care trend)

The installation bears no resemblance to any installation instructions I have seen.

Follow the instructions in the book you seem to have.

They would probably be something like this.

Fit the pump in the cylinder cupboard.
Use a Surrey fitting or no stop Essex flange for hot connection.
22mm supply to the pump -hot and cold.
Minimum 227litres (50gallon) cold water store.
Hot water no more than 60 degrees.

I would also fit the pump on a piece of paving slab to reduce noise transmission.
Was the shower connected the right way? Hot left, Cold right?

I would worry for the rest of the work you have had done.


GSR.

barginunter

Thanks for those comments guys.
Our fitter is obviously not a plumber - he's actually an electrician but he installs bathrooms all the time presumably in the same way.
I would think the other pump is installed the same. We have 2 pumps in case we use both showers at the same time. Both pumps are in the loft and ours in particular is extremely noisy. The airing cupboard is in my daughter's bedroom so I suppose a pump in there would be very noisy.
I'll show these responses to my hubby and see what he thinks.
I think I'm going to have to pay to get a plumber in to sort all this out

Canucklehead

O.P. : for future reference....and you can find a genuine plumber here.

Let us know how you get on.

Canucklehead

ormus

its taken me an hour to work out the CBA!