Dodgy Power Shower on Combi Boiler

Jag1978

Hi All

My new house has a newly fitted bathroom. I have ready installed power shower! But my boiler is a Valiant Combi one. I didn’t realise that you couldn’t marry a power shower with a combi boiler. Somehow the previous owners did it. It worked fine for a few days that we’ve been using it but I’ve noticed leaking from the shower unit. Took the face off and there appears to be a few cracks inside which is resulting in the leak. I’m gussing due to too much pressure or something like that. I think the shower is feed off the same pipes as the basin and bath tap as the leaking starts as soon as I turn the basin or bath tap on.

It clearly looks like this power shower will not work in the current set up. What options do I have. There is a cold and hot feed going into the shower. (Triton AS2000XT Thermostatic power shower) it looks fairly new!

Regards

Jag

AMILLIONDOLLARS

Stop guessing and call a plumber, as you say it could be a dodgy power shower, so get yourself a second opinion from someone who's seen it, we can't beginning to guess from your description!!!

AMD

adaze

Are you sure that previously there was a power shower? The reason power showers and combis don't usually go together is that combis can't provide a high enough hot water flow rate. This could damage the shower if it was running dry, hence the "working for a few days" comment. I would say it is b**gered if it is cracked, but I don't know if this is due to how it has been installed or if it was just a dodgy shower to start with.

Assuming that it is shot, get rid and install a regular thermostatic shower mixer, hopefully you can get one that fits the old pipework and won't cause too much work for you.

i.e. surface mounted shower assuming your pipwork is suitable...

sethsgran

Can't you have a pump installed to help the flow??

turk3y

sethsgran wrote: »

Can't you have a pump installed to help the flow??

you cant have a pump running off a combi boiler afaik

sethsgran

Oops I thought you could have one independantly in the system???!!!??? Thanks for that.

Bungarm2001

I'm absolutely stunned that this arrangement actually worked at all, let alone for a few days. Peoples' perceptions of how a power shower works absolutely amaze me...

Jag1978

Yep I'm amazed too... But there you go, it's there and it worked and still does work to a point. I'm going to get a plumber out to look at it and give me some options... The water Pressure upstairs is quite awful that was possibly where the idea of a power shower came in, which is now giving a reasonable pressure. The previous owners must have had some use out of it!!

From what I can see there are 2 half inch pipes side by side going into the shower from the bottom. I’m suspecting one is a cold feed and the other a hot one taken from the existing piping running in the bathroom.
I guess now we’re going to have to move to an alternative type of shower. Any idea what I could use with the current piping without having to do away with the tiling work around the pipes??
Regards
Jag