Plumbing help - shower splurts then stops working!

Odster

Hi there,

I've just moved into a new property and the shower isnt working. I've no experience but I'm keen to fix it myself if possible; partly to save money but this is my first home so I'd like to get a handle on how everything works.

Here's the details:
It's a self contained ground floor flat.
The Kitchen cold tap seems to be connected to the mains but the hot water and bathroom taps are fed from hot and cold water tanks via a pump.
There is combi boiler for the radiators and a hotwater tank. The hot tank has an immersion heater but I believe this is old and is redundant since the combi boiler was fitted.

All the taps work fine (the water pressure via the pump seems reasonable but I don't know how to measure it). There is a shower head attached to the bath mixer taps which works and again, seems to have reasonable pressure.

The main shower is mounted on the wall with two taps sticking out. One is for water pressure, the other for the temperature. When I turn the pressure tap to switch the shower on, there's a spurt of water for a couple of seconds and then it slows to a trickle then stops. The pump sounds like it's working.

Any advice would be appreciated!

spadoosh

I didnt think you could use a pump with a combi boiler, have you a switch anywhere in the house that says 'immersion heater' on it?!

A combi boiler doesnt normally use the hot tank either so im thinking your shower is trying to draw water where there is none?! Is the hot tank still definately working?!

A combi boiler heats the water as you use it like an electric shower, some come with storage tanks to have instant hot water.

Odster

thanks, I may be wrong on some of these details btw (sorry)!
I'm not 100% that the hot tank is working, it feels warm but its behind a tumble dryer so that may have warmed it up!

Pretty sure the immersion heater is not working...I had assumed that it was no longer needed but that may be my problem. There's a trip switch in the fuse box that says 'immersion' and I found that the socket connecting the immersion heater to the mains was completely burnt out (which I have now replaced) but I don't think the wires are even live and there's an inactive switch hanging off the wall in the kitchen that I believe could be part of the immersion wiring. I'll try replacing that and testing the voltage.


thanks for your help, I'm going to do some more investigation and report back!

spadoosh

Sounds like youve had a new combi installed and they havent taken out any of the old stuff. You can normally hear the hot water tank filling up after a bath has been run etc, if you cant hear anything its probably not being used.

If thats the case the easiest fix is probably an electric shower

Pics would be handy if you can take them of shower, boiler and water tank.

Odster

there's loads of disused pipes, power sockets etc. all over the flat so it wouldn't suprise me.

I'll have a look tonight and post some pics.

thanks again!

keystone

Odster wrote: »

There is combi boiler .............

Sorry but I have a problem believing that. Are you confusing the probablity that it's a condensing system boiler with your description of it as a combi? Most new combis are condensing but not all new condensing boilers are combis. Make and model would confirm.

The hot tank has an immersion heater but I believe this is old and is redundant since the [STRIKE]combi[/STRIKE] boiler was fitted.

It won't be redundant. The immersion heater is there for a quck boost if you don't want to fire the boiler up and also as backup in case of boiler failure. Whether its working is a different matter of course.

All the taps work fine (the water pressure via the pump seems reasonable but I don't know how to measure it). There is a shower head attached to the bath mixer taps which works and again, seems to have reasonable pressure.

I think you mean flow rate rather than pressure but I get what you are saying.

The main shower is mounted on the wall with two taps sticking out. One is for water pressure, the other for the temperature. When I turn the pressure tap to switch the shower on, there's a spurt of water for a couple of seconds and then it slows to a trickle then stops. The pump sounds like it's working.

Sounds like its a thermostatic one then - again make and model would be useful. Also please make and model of pump.

Any advice would be appreciated!

When you open the valve does the pump start immediately and does it continue to run even though the flow has stopped? Does the pump operate fine with the other taps without stopping/starting? Yes I know what you said but would like confirmation to rule out the pump.

Thats all for the minute and we can move forward with your answers.

Cheers