New shower mixer & still dripping

dave_ave

I installed a shower a few months back. The shower consisted of a thermostatic bar with an outlet at the top with a diverter valve for an overhead rain shower or handheld flexible cord shower head.
After a few weeks the overhead shower started dripping, getting worse and worse, until in the end I would set the diverter valve to handheld shower and leave it in the bottom of the tray to drip quietly. It would also stop dripping if I tightened the shower on/off control (more than usual).
I have changed cartridges before to stop leaks, but they are so expensive I thought I would save time and buy a new thermostatic shower bar.
Having installed the new bar, the thing is still dripping. I cannot fathom out what must be wrong as surely the bar controls the flow of water and that has been replaced.
Anyone have any suggestions please?

JohnB47

dave_ave wrote: »

I installed a shower a few months back. The shower consisted of a thermostatic bar with an outlet at the top with a diverter valve for an overhead rain shower or handheld flexible cord shower head.
After a few weeks the overhead shower started dripping, getting worse and worse, until in the end I would set the diverter valve to handheld shower and leave it in the bottom of the tray to drip quietly. It would also stop dripping if I tightened the shower on/off control (more than usual).
I have changed cartridges before to stop leaks, but they are so expensive I thought I would save time and buy a new thermostatic shower bar.
Having installed the new bar, the thing is still dripping. I cannot fathom out what must be wrong as surely the bar controls the flow of water and that has been replaced.
Anyone have any suggestions please?

That seems very odd. You might just have bought two faulty units - possible but unlikely. Or maybe the water is a bit dirty, with grit and it's managed to scratch both units ceramic discs (the common type of control these days). Letting the hot and cold water run full blast for a while, before fitting new units, is always a good idea.

Also, is your water pressure very high? I'd be surprised if it could be so high as to cause a new unit to drip but I can't think of anything else. Perhaps try reducing the pressure at the main stopcock?

Perhaps you could state the make of bar you're talking about. Someone might know if it has a weakness of some sort.

P.S So you're saying that the units (both) actually worked OK for a while?

dave_ave

JohnB47 wrote: »

That seems very odd. You might just have bought two faulty units - possible but unlikely. Or maybe the water is a bit dirty, with grit and it's managed to scratch both units ceramic discs (the common type of control these days). Letting the hot and cold water run full blast for a while, before fitting new units, is always a good idea.

Also, is your water pressure very high? I'd be surprised if it could be so high as to cause a new unit to drip but I can't think of anything else. Perhaps try reducing the pressure at the main stopcock?

Perhaps you could state the make of bar you're talking about. Someone might know if it has a weakness of some sort.

P.S So you're saying that the units (both) actually worked OK for a while?

I can't remember the make of the shower as I threw the box away after installation.
Our water pressure isn't high, just average I'd say.
I am thinking of regulating the supplies to the shower bar by adjusting ball valves I fitted on the feed.
The second, brand new, shower bar dripped almost as soon as it was fitted, whereas the first unit took weeks before it dripped.

JohnB47

dave_ave wrote: »

I can't remember the make of the shower as I threw the box away after installation.
Our water pressure isn't high, just average I'd say.
I am thinking of regulating the supplies to the shower bar by adjusting ball valves I fitted on the feed.
The second, brand new, shower bar dripped almost as soon as it was fitted, whereas the first unit took weeks before it dripped.

You mentioned that the original one would stop dripping if you tightened the shower on/off control (more than usual). Does that happen on the second one? Is there anything physical interfering with the movement of the on/off control? Details of the make or a pic of the installation might help.

Hopefully others will chip in with ideas.

[Deleted User]

If you're getting dripping from the shower, check there isn't a joint of beef in the water tank.

JohnB47

jack_pott wrote: »

If you're getting dripping from the shower, check there isn't a joint of beef in the water tank.

I feel partly responsible for your awful post by saying "Hopefully others will chip in with ideas.":o

dave_ave

JohnB47 wrote: »

You mentioned that the original one would stop dripping if you tightened the shower on/off control (more than usual). Does that happen on the second one? Is there anything physical interfering with the movement of the on/off control? Details of the make or a pic of the installation might help.

Hopefully others will chip in with ideas.

This is the second mixer bar to go in. The first one was similar, but a different make.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IFELGV0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1