Replacing an existing shower

nick_pike

Hi, I want to swap out an existing shower with a new one. They are mixer types with hot and cold water feeds. The hot water/ heating system is a conventional boiler working with a Boilermate 2000 thermal store system, that delivers hot water at mains pressure by using a heat exchanger. I'm thinking that if I turn off the mains stopcock, this will stop all flow to the shower on both the hot and cold circuits. Is this correct? Do I need to drain down any circuit? Any help appreciated.

laurel7172

Probably a silly question, but have you checked to see if the shower has isolator valves? Mine are in the airing cupboard...

Ruski

Yep - turn off the stopcock and the boiler and boilermate.

Drain off hot and cold water from kitchen taps, then open the shower to get rid of any remaining water - but always have towels ready.

That is - ofcourse - if you don't find any isolation valves as Laurel said...
And if you don't find any - you may want to consider installing a couple of full bore isolators. Personally I like these.

HTH

Russ

cyclonebri1

Ruski wrote: »

Yep - turn off the stopcock and the boiler and boilermate.

Drain off hot and cold water from kitchen taps, then open the shower to get rid of any remaining water - but always have towels ready.

That is - ofcourse - if you don't find any isolation valves as Laurel said...
And if you don't find any - you may want to consider installing a couple of full bore isolators. Personally I like these.

HTH

Russ

That needs expressing more strongly Russ, the OP should fit isolators if none are fitted.

nick_pike

Many thanks to all for the replies.
I cannot find any isolators. To those who do not know, the Boilermate is a heat exchanger device that heats the cold water supply through a heat exchanger. therefore, the hot water is at mains pressure. I like the system personally. What you see in the 'airing cupboard' is a big box, about 4 feet high and 2 feet wide. So it is not like a conventional gravity feed, where I agree, you should see isolator valves.
I'm assuming there are no isolator valves, as the system does not store a significant amount of hot water. The boiler/ heat exchanger circuit is isolated from the hot water circuits for heating and taps. So there is little to drain down or have I got that wrong? If I do drain this type of system, is there a problem with air pockets when I try to get it up and running again.
many thanks for all your help.

Ruski

No problem with airlocks as it's mains pressure as you said. The 'drain down' is literally only what's in the H&C pipework before you work on it.

Regs say that any item likely to be serviced should have means of isolation - but it's your house - do what you want (Although as cyclone said - fit 'em anyway )

HTH

Russ

p.s. Boilermates are great and economical.. until they go wrong.. normally the high temp stat goes and the temperature starts fluctuating.. not nice in a shower

Russ

yangptangkipperbang

I've just had my shower replaced - I have a heat store.

All you need to do is turn off your mains stopcock. There are no isolators as everything is fed from one (mains) supply.

nick_pike

Many thanks Russ. I'm fitting a thermostatic shower (MIRA EXCEL), replacing a crappy non thermostatic Triton . I see the Boilermate manufacturers charge £75 for a service visit, so I might get them over to check it out. Yes, I like the way it works. The mixer shower is like a power shower because of the high hot water pressure. Thanks for you input.

nick_pike

Many thanks YPKB. All confident now to give it a go.