Triton electric shower cuts off mid shower

Starrygem

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi Starry.
Try removing the handset from the hose, and see if it now runs without shutting off.
If it works ok, it could be partially blocked nozzles, restricting flow, and causing the overheat stat to operate.

Descaling the shower head was the first thing I did and it flows freely...but I can try that

FreeBear

grumpy_codger said:

FreeBear said:

grumpy_codger said:

ThisIsWeird said:

Try removing the handset from the hose, and see if it now runs without shutting off.
If it works ok, it could be partially blocked nozzles, restricting flow, and causing the overheat stat to operate.

Electric showers control the temperature by changing the water flow rate (at the given power setting). If, for whatever reason, the flow gets too low, then the temperature gets too high - that doesn't seem to be the case.

My electric shower maintains the same flow rate regardless of temperature.

What model? It's hard to believe. Some showers do have thermostatic control on top of manual, but again, the power remains the same, the flow changes.

T80z with thermostatic control. And no, the flow does not change as far as I can tell.

grumpy_codger

It changes, but for the particular temperature you like the difference is more noticeable only between summer and winter - too slow change to notice. And in fact you control manually the flow, not the temperature, then the thermostatic valve comes into play. Try turning the dial in wider range and you'll see how the flow changes.

It's a challenge to control gradually electrical power about 10kW in such a small device and without causing significant interference.

ThisIsWeird

Starrygem said:

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi Starry.
Try removing the handset from the hose, and see if it now runs without shutting off.
If it works ok, it could be partially blocked nozzles, restricting flow, and causing the overheat stat to operate.

Descaling the shower head was the first thing I did and it flows freely...but I can try that

Good point by Grumpy earlier - if it was a case of blocked nozzles, then the resulting reduced flow could increase the temp to the point of tripping the 'stat, yes, - but you'd have noticed it becoming scalding!

Still worth trying it without the handset in place.

When it goes on and off, can you hear anything? Any mechanical noises? Any clunks? Any clicks?

If you lower the handset towards the tray so the water sound is reduced, trying listening very carefully to the shower unit.

grumpy_codger

The main suspect is the heating element. It has "thermal safety cut-out" built in. If the turbular heating element gets covered with thick layer of scale, the heat transfer to water drops. The element overheats while water remains not too hot. Theoretically, it can be descaled, but IMO this is too aukward job to do to save £100.
Some other showers have low pressure protection and indicator, but I'm not sure about this one. And the fact that it switches off after working for some time points to overheating as the most likely fault.

Vortigern

Starrygem said:

Hi, my Triton Enrich is 3yrs old. Its been working perfectly but now cuts out after a few mins, then comes back on again after a few seconds.
The length of time it runs for is random, guessing abt 4 - 6 mins. I rarely get through a whole shower.
After its come back on it runs another couple of minutes then cuts off again.
Suggestions I've read are to replace the solenoid. Also to check the pull cord  connections, but I'm no electrician. It scares me 😔
I dont know if I need a plumber, an electrician or if I can change the solenoid myself. Is there anything else it could be? 
If it was the solenoid...would it go off and on, or would it just stop completely?

I had a similar issue and it was the connections at the pull cord switch. A loose connection can get hot and break the circuit. As it cools it reconnects. 

Switch off at the consumer unit before attempting to examine this switch. You may find burned, pitted, blackened contacts with charred insulation and plastics.

The switches are relatively cheap but you'll need an electrician to fit one.

ThisIsWeird

Vortigern said:

Starrygem said:

Hi, my Triton Enrich is 3yrs old. Its been working perfectly but now cuts out after a few mins, then comes back on again after a few seconds.
The length of time it runs for is random, guessing abt 4 - 6 mins. I rarely get through a whole shower.
After its come back on it runs another couple of minutes then cuts off again.
Suggestions I've read are to replace the solenoid. Also to check the pull cord  connections, but I'm no electrician. It scares me 😔
I dont know if I need a plumber, an electrician or if I can change the solenoid myself. Is there anything else it could be? 
If it was the solenoid...would it go off and on, or would it just stop completely?

I had a similar issue and it was the connections at the pull cord switch. A loose connection can get hot and break the circuit. As it cools it reconnects. 

Switch off at the consumer unit before attempting to examine this switch. You may find burned, pitted, blackened contacts with charred insulation and plastics.

The switches are relatively cheap but you'll need an electrician to fit one.

Ooh, good call - worth checking.
Starry, is it a flick switch or a pull cord? Does it have a neon light on it? If so, observe that light during operation.
Neons can sometimes 'shimmer' constantly, but shouldn't flicker, and certainly not go off in use. Any change in yours as the shower goes off and on?

grumpy_codger

Vortigern said:

Starrygem said:

Hi, my Triton Enrich is 3yrs old. Its been working perfectly but now cuts out after a few mins, then comes back on again after a few seconds.
The length of time it runs for is random, guessing abt 4 - 6 mins. I rarely get through a whole shower.
After its come back on it runs another couple of minutes then cuts off again.
Suggestions I've read are to replace the solenoid. Also to check the pull cord  connections, but I'm no electrician. It scares me 😔
I dont know if I need a plumber, an electrician or if I can change the solenoid myself. Is there anything else it could be? 
If it was the solenoid...would it go off and on, or would it just stop completely?

I had a similar issue and it was the connections at the pull cord switch. A loose connection can get hot and break the circuit. As it cools it reconnects. 

Switch off at the consumer unit before attempting to examine this switch. You may find burned, pitted, blackened contacts with charred insulation and plastics.

The switches are relatively cheap but you'll need an electrician to fit one.

This is very easy to check without examining the pull-cord switch.

If the problem is with it, then the neon indicator light on the shower has to go off (and, I think on the switch as well).

https://www.tritonshowers.co.uk/amfile/file/download/file/271/product/354/ - p.14

Vortigern

grumpy_codger said:

Vortigern said:

Starrygem said:

Hi, my Triton Enrich is 3yrs old. Its been working perfectly but now cuts out after a few mins, then comes back on again after a few seconds.
The length of time it runs for is random, guessing abt 4 - 6 mins. I rarely get through a whole shower.
After its come back on it runs another couple of minutes then cuts off again.
Suggestions I've read are to replace the solenoid. Also to check the pull cord  connections, but I'm no electrician. It scares me 😔
I dont know if I need a plumber, an electrician or if I can change the solenoid myself. Is there anything else it could be? 
If it was the solenoid...would it go off and on, or would it just stop completely?

I had a similar issue and it was the connections at the pull cord switch. A loose connection can get hot and break the circuit. As it cools it reconnects. 

Switch off at the consumer unit before attempting to examine this switch. You may find burned, pitted, blackened contacts with charred insulation and plastics.

The switches are relatively cheap but you'll need an electrician to fit one.

This is very easy to check without examining the pull-cord switch.

If the problem is with it, then the neon indicator light on the shower has to go off (and, I think on the switch as well).

https://www.tritonshowers.co.uk/amfile/file/download/file/271/product/354/ - p.14

I can confirm that the neon indicators on both the isolator and the shower went off when the shower stopped and came on when it re-started. This made me think that the problem was upstream of the isolator, possibly in the CU. Examination of the isolator switch terminals proved where the issue really was.

Starrygem

ThisIsWeird said:

Starrygem said:

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi Starry.
Try removing the handset from the hose, and see if it now runs without shutting off.
If it works ok, it could be partially blocked nozzles, restricting flow, and causing the overheat stat to operate.

Descaling the shower head was the first thing I did and it flows freely...but I can try that

Good point by Grumpy earlier - if it was a case of blocked nozzles, then the resulting reduced flow could increase the temp to the point of tripping the 'stat, yes, - but you'd have noticed it becoming scalding!

Still worth trying it without the handset in place.

When it goes on and off, can you hear anything? Any mechanical noises? Any clunks? Any clicks?

If you lower the handset towards the tray so the water sound is reduced, trying listening very carefully to the shower unit.

No, so odd sounds or anything. All sounds normal.
I tried running it on the cold setting yesterday for 10 mins and it didn't cut out. 
I also tried it on the low (summer) setting and it didn't cut out in 10 mins either. So it just seems to be when its on high power that it does it. 
Looks like I'll be having a luke warm shower this morning  to see if I can get through an entire shower 😦 I'm at a loss...does this help anyone to explain what it could be?