Shower identification

moneysaver1978

We are trying to work out what that little grey plastic is for - as we do not know the make, we are unable to find online. Does anyone have a shower like this or know what this is for?



Also, we found that we could not turn the tap clockwise (towards blue/cold water), and I am loathe to turn too hard and breaking it! If we wanted a quick cold shower, it is not possible - and no idea if this is a standard thing or if it could be adjusted (or if it needs replacing!).

breaking_free

The photo is good but I'm not sure what "little grey plastic" you are referring to - perhaps reupload the photo with an arrow?

I'm going to ask an obvious question here but when you try and turn the temperature are you pressing that button on top? That's what allows the control to rotate (apologies if I'm stating the obvious).

moneysaver1978

breaking_free said:

The photo is good but I'm not sure what "little grey plastic" you are referring to - perhaps reupload the photo with an arrow?

I'm going to ask an obvious question here but when you try and turn the temperature are you pressing that button on top? That's what allows the control to rotate (apologies if I'm stating the obvious).

Oops sorry, I thought I did! I have reposted:



Our initial thought was indeed that the little button on top did something but it is stuck fast and not pressable - the water control on the other side has the same "button" so we think they were just decorative.

EssexExile

Is the little grey plastic thing just part of the slider unit that has come away?

ThisIsWeird

Pure guesswork here, but I suspect a good call by EssexE regarding the wee plastic thing. Try sliding it upwards, and pull the larger chrome holder away from the rail and see if the insert slides up inside it.

Re the controls, if the two knobules do not press inwards, then I suspect they are there just to indicate the 'off' or starting positions for each side. For the RH temp control, is the temp always warm or hot even when it's in that position? How much hotter does it become as you rotate it anti?

It might possibly be faulty, in that if it's at its max clockwise position there, then it 'should' represent 'cold'. Or, perhaps it is working fine, but just doesn't have a properly cold setting - just 'cool'?! It's a wimp shower.

So, (a) how much actual rotation does it have in total? And (b) by how much does the temp alter from that starting position to max 'hot'?

DullGreyGuy

With several showers we've had the you could turn it to full cold or circa 50% hot without depressing the button... the button allowed you to move it beyond 50% hot up to 100% and was just a safety feature to stop you accidentally scolding yourself if you got confused which way to turn it etc. 

Spinybif

That looks like a shower from Clifton Bathrooms.  Certainly the shower head is a close match

bob_a_builder

"Our initial thought was indeed that the little button on top did something but it is stuck fast and not pressable - the water control on the other side has the same "button" so we think they were just decorative."

Our Grohe  shower has 2 buttons like that one on flow and one on temp , and as DullGreyGuy says on the temp one it to prevent accidental selection of very hot water, but the button on the other side ( on/off & Flow) also limits flow in the same way - although not sure of the logic of needing to limit the flow to prevent a higher flow rate ?  Maybe just a cost saving both side having the same mech rather than 2 differnet ?

But my point is that both buttons on mine are actually active rather than decorative

moneysaver1978

Thank you all!

So the grey plastic thing doesn't fit inside the slider thing. We are now wondering if it was originally to hold something perhaps a soap tray?

As for the other mystery with the temperature tap - the furthest I could turn clockwise (towards cold, further away from you) is like 5 minutes while the anti-clockwise (towards hot, towards you) goes minus 35 minutes.

The "default" position means the water feels like a 60-70% hot so if we wanted to adjust the temperature to a bit cooler than this, it is not an option. I looked at the boiler and adjusted - it seems to be a bit better but when hot weather hits (or should I say if at this rate!), it'd be good to have a cold/cool shower!

I now wonder if the tap was incorrectly fitted?

ThisIsWeird

moneysaver1978 said:

Thank you all!

So the grey plastic thing doesn't fit inside the slider thing. We are now wondering if it was originally to hold something perhaps a soap tray?

As for the other mystery with the temperature tap - the furthest I could turn clockwise (towards cold, further away from you) is like 5 minutes while the anti-clockwise (towards hot, towards you) goes minus 35 minutes.

The "default" position means the water feels like a 60-70% hot so if we wanted to adjust the temperature to a bit cooler than this, it is not an option. I looked at the boiler and adjusted - it seems to be a bit better but when hot weather hits (or should I say if at this rate!), it'd be good to have a cold/cool shower!

I now wonder if the tap was incorrectly fitted?

If the showerhead holder works fine, and that plastic bit def doesn't fit, then I guess you have cracked that bit of your conundrum :-) Prise it off.

The temp controller issue has a few options, which - again - you've pretty much covered. The temp range you have there is almost certainly not as it was designed; you should be able to get either a near-cold, or actually cold, shower. If the coldest temp is only 60-odd % off the 'hot', then it just ain't working props. 

So, why is it like that? Yes, it would be wired incorrectly. The way to check is to feel the two inlet pipes, and see which one is hot, and which cold. There is a 'standard' way all showers are fitted (tho' possibly some weirdos could be the exception).

Or, the cartridge could be faulty. These usually cost around £40-odd, and should be fairly easy to replace. The way to check its operation is to have a shower, and ask folk to run hot and cold taps elsewhere as you do so - does the temp fluctuate for a moment and then stabilise again? (Assuming it's thermostatic).

Are you sure sure that the RH button doesn't press down? Have you tried thumping it? Or, remove the handle by prising off the end cap (if it has one), or undoing the grub screw at the back (if it ditto). Or, run a sharp blade along the side of the button - is there a teeny gap between it and the handle?

Plasticman

I have a very similar looking shower but it doesn't have the same plastic clip. It does have a retaining clip to hold the hose though to so it can't be put right down onto the shower base. Don't think that's what your clip is though. As others have said, maybe it held a small shelf or something that broke off.

I also have the problem that I can't adjust the temperature much. It was fine for about 8 years! I'm not sure whether the button isn't pushing in or whether the tap has become very stiff. Maybe both. We have very chalky water here so I was wondering whether that was part of the problem. As it's stuck on a reasonable temperature I haven't been brave enough to dismantle it yet!!