Is this a dumb idea?

breaking_free

Just tested the shower in the 2nd bathroom (which I never use). Shower is identical to my own and get this: same problem. 2nd bathroom sink gets lovely hot water but the 2nd shower is warm but not hot. I'm starting to think this is some kind of manufacturing "feature". Clearly too much cold is being mixed in with the hot.

The caps on the end of the controllers come off to reveal Phillips head screws. I assume these are for dismantling and not for temp adjustment?

ThisIsWeird

breaking_free said:

grumbler said:

Do you realise that it's thermostatic and you can control the temperature with the right handle (and flow with the left one)? Make the flow low and if temperature control doesn't work, then, possibly there is a problem with the thermostatic valve. Give some time hot water to reach the shower from the boiler first.

Hi yes I do know this. The left side controller also determines if the waterfall showerhead or the hand-held showerhead operates (it's a dual headed shower as shown in the one of the original pics I posted). I can reduce the flow a little bit it makes no difference. I stay in the shower for 6 or more minutes which is plenty of time for the water to heat up. I'm leaning towards this being a problem with the thermostatic control.

So the LH control is the 'flow', and sends the water to one of the two outlets? Is the 'button' on that handle just a 'pointer', or do you have to press it before tit can be turned? And the more you turn it, the greater the flow - ie you can adjust the amount?

Has the actual volume of water changed over the year?

And the RH control adjusts the temp? That, too, has a button, and this allows you to move the temp setting to higher than the 'safety' point?

What is the temp range like? Can you adjust it nicely from 'cool' (or even cold) to quite warm? And all with a decent flow? Does the flow stay pretty much the same at all temps?

And when you then press the button and move the temp control further, is there any change at all in the temp or flow?

Is your water soft or hard?

Anyhoo, the most likely cause is a faulty thermostat within the mixer. It might just be scaled up, or even have a bit of grit in it, or it might be defunct. Just over a year of use is pants, and very good chance it has a longer warranty than that, but you'd need proof of purchase.

How DIYable are you?

breaking_free

I am very DIY thanks - I learned how to rebalance my radiators last month thanks to YouTube.

I'm fact it may have sorted this problem too. I've just watched a couple of videos that explain how to adjust the temp by removing the right-side controller head and rotating the spindle underneath clockwise. Looks simple enough and I've already uncapped the screws to take the previous photo.

I'll give it a go tomorrow and let you know how I get on. 
Thanks all.

breaking_free

Oh, and yes those buttons, when pressed and held in, do allow me to turn the controllers past the safety points to control the flow and temp.

SaverRate

When I fitted my thermostatic mixer tap (It was Grohe branded), there was an adjustment knob when you take the handle off. It said to check the temp with a thermometer once installed and adjust if needed. Maybe the plumber who fitted it didnt do this hence the colder water. 

breaking_free

I reckon you are on the money with that thought SaverRate. I'll know when I have a crack at adjusting it tomorrow. Getting too late for me to be DIYing tonight.

breaking_free

Alrighty, so I watched this video that explains how to adjust the thermostatic valve. Very simple and the heat has now increased in both showers...but it's still not really hot the way I like it.

My bungalow was refurbished for sale, so unsurprisingly the owner cut a few corners here and there. So my question is do I have 2 crappy showers? Would buying replacements make any difference or is one thermostatic shower pretty much like another? 

NeverTooLate

FreeBear said:

plumb1_2 said:

Ya you can install a electric shower, but will look silly imo.
Dont go below a 10.5 kw, as you say the cold main temp will be lower in winter. That’s why it’s swings and roundabouts with Combi ( that’s another kettle of fish).

wont be cheap, so will have to pipe it up in chrome pipe,unless you have spare wall tiles and can sink the pipe in the wall.
And run a cable back to the consumer unit.

If you bury the pipe in the wall, make sure to sleeve it to reduce the risk of corrosion from plaster/cement - 15mm copper is a nice fit inside 20mm conduit. And no buried joints either.

An electric shower will need to be signed off by a competent electrician to comply with Part P of the building regs - It is not a job I'd recommend someone DIYs.

I agree that the pipe should be sleeved but not because of corrosion:

https://copper.org/applications/plumbing/techcorner/problem_embedding_copper_concrete.php#:~:text=According to the Portland Cement,not cause a corrosion concern.

ThisIsWeird

breaking_free said:

Alrighty, so I watched this video that explains how to adjust the thermostatic valve. Very simple and the heat has now increased in both showers...but it's still not really hot the way I like it.

My bungalow was refurbished for sale, so unsurprisingly the owner cut a few corners here and there. So my question is do I have 2 crappy showers? Would buying replacements make any difference or is one thermostatic shower pretty much like another? 

Cool - so you removed the end knob, and repositioned it? Still not quite hot enough...

Ok, what if you remove the knob and leave it off whilst you have a shower - just turn the exposed spindle. Can you get it hot enough then? Or is the absolute max available rotation of the temp control just not quite scalding enough for you?!

It might be that you are in what's considered the 'danger' zone, and the thermostatic valves are not up to getting to where you like, I don't know - it would help to know what the actual water temp achieved is. I doubt very much that any thermo valve is going to let through neat hot water, as part of their job is to respond to a loss of, say, cold water, at which point they'd shut down completely.

Anyhoo, if you haven't already done so, try it with the knob offski, and see just how hot it goes.

In essence, I doubt it's a carp shower, just a normal one. You could always go 'manual' - if you can find one - and remove your skin :-)

(Just to be clear, an electric shower isn't going to give you what you want... Even if you could get it up to the temp you want, it would - by then - be a trickle.)

breaking_free

Thanks ThisIsWeird.

I've cranked the spindle as far as it can go with the knob offski. I reckon it is as you say - the mixer won't allow it to go any hotter. Good to know a leccy shower won't be an improvement as that's one less blind alley to go down.

Both showers were plenty hot over summer but are adversely affected by the cold weather it seems. Money isn't really a problem so if I could achieve a better result by paying someone I'd happily do so. Wondering why other money saver's showers aren't affected like mine?