Flooding Plumbing and Heating Questions

Outkast_IRE

what type of electric shower is it , Fed from mains or fed from tank in attic?

Vivara

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

what type of electric shower is it , Fed from mains or fed from tank in attic?

I'm not sure, but presumably the tank in the attic. I mean we have hot water from toilet taps full flow, no pressure problems.

Thanks.

Outkast_IRE

at any stage did you try and shower and it ran out half way through? did it start and then run dry if so it might be airlocked .
The pressure in a mains fed shower is usually enough to push out air but in a tank fed its usually not .
If you think its airlocked and your good at diy then you could prob google the make and model and problem and you should find info on it .
What make and model is it others here might be knowledgeable.

items

rebel.ranter wrote: »

Hey, thanks for the response, I normally only top it up as far as 1 bar, there is a little blue section on the gauge showing where is safe.
From what you say the boiler may be heating up too much, there is a dial on the front of the boiler with what looks like a radiator on it, I might chance turning that down.
I am happy enough that the water is only coming out of the relief outlet pipe outside the house. I had planned on calling out someone but just wanted to see if there was something simple wrong. I also ordered a PRV online on Saturday for my type of boiler, I was going to fit this myself, I am handy enough at DIY. I reckoned that this would be faulty as a result of all the pressure relieving it has had to do in recent days.
rgds,
rr

Gas Boiler problem (circulation)

If your boiler is heating up to much, creating high pressure, you have a problem with circulation. No or poor circulation can be caused by many things, it would be to hard to describe over this. The first place I would look is at the heating system circulation pump, its possible that its faulty, next would be air locks again its to hard for me to describe.

The dial you mention sounds like the temperature dial/thermostat, even at full on, your boiler should not over heat but you can try turning it down. When you say PRV? that is used for filling the heating, you may have a faulty SRV. You can not replace the SRV, you will not be covered by Bord Gas. Only a Qualified Register Board Gas Engineer can attend to Gas boiler repairs.

Boilers are advanced and clever enough to know how to turn themselves off, so if its not working, you know your self their is a problem.

Turn off the boiler and pop out the fuse at the fused boiler spur (resets boiler) Top up the heating over a bar, turn back on boiler, run the boiler at the coldest possible setting and see how it goes, if its running for a while at cold slowly bring the temp up, if its air locked this could help bring it on. If the boiler still gives trouble even at coldest setting, maybe best to call Bord Gas. Safety first.

Best I can do from here I am afraid.

items

Vivara wrote: »

We have had water back for a day now, yet our electric shower won't produce water, just makes a loud electrical noise as if we're damaging something.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Electric shower (air lock or blockage)

Sounds like you got no water running through the motor, its not a good idea to run a shower without water. Might have some airlock or even debris in the filter.

To help bring the water on, first let your attic tank fill up a while before using shower (if tank supplied shower) or you might have to wait a while for pressure to build up (water mains fed shower).

Turn the shower temperature to full cold before turning it on, let it run a while, you have less chance of damaging the shower if its at full cold, you might hear all kinds of sounds. Don't turn the heat up until you are happy you have a good constant flow of cold water.

If the above doesn't work and you still have problems even at cold, let me know and I'll see if I can help, best to know how its running at full cold first.

Vivara

items wrote: »

Sounds like you got no water running through the motor, its not a good idea to run a shower without water. Might have some airlock or even debris in the filter.

To help bring the water on, first let your attic tank fill up a while before using shower (if tank supplied shower) or you might have to wait a while for pressure to build up (water mains fed shower).

Turn the shower temperature to full cold before turning it on, let it run a while, you have less chance of damaging the shower if its at full cold, you might hear all kinds of sounds. Don't turn the heat up until you are happy you have a good constant flow of cold water.

If the above doesn't work and you still have problems even at cold, let me know and I'll see if I can help, best to know how its running at full cold first.

Thanks a million, really!

How long is 'let it run'? lol
I let it run for about one minute and thirty seconds on full cold and low flow (it has three options; low, medium and high) and nothing but drips came out. The sound is really bad and it really sounds like we're damaging something. Like loud motor turning.

If it helps it's an electric Mira Elite ST.

Thanks again for your help!

Vivara.

items

Vivara wrote: »

Thanks a million, really!

How long is 'let it run'? lol
I let it run for about one minute and thirty seconds on full cold and low flow (it has three options; low, medium and high) and nothing but drips came out. The sound is really bad and it really sounds like we're damaging something. Like loud motor turning.

If it helps it's an electric Mira Elite ST.

Thanks again for your help!

Vivara.

No bother.

How to remove airlocks or blockages in electric shower

Full cold is best (low). Disconnect the shower hose and let it flow out the bottom of the shower unit, try it again, I've ran them longer than a min before with no damage (don't hold me responsible if you do damage it). If it's still refusing to come on, you could have an airlock or some dirt in the shower filter. To solve these you are going to have to open the casing, if you still have the manual it should list how to remove airlocks (bleed water line) also how to remove dirt. I am not sure you are able to attempt this? Also electricity and water don't mix well so its important to know what you are doing, electric showers are dangerous in the wrong hands.

If you don't have the manual and you or someone in the house has a few tools, spanners etc come back to me and I'll list out some more info.

MunsterCycling

items wrote: »

Sorry to hear, thats a strange one.

Most boilers, for safety, release water if the pressure reaches above 3 to 3.5 bar, once the pressure lowers it should stop releasing water. But on yours the boiler returns to some form after lowering pressure from 3 to 3.5 bar. After a while the pressure drops completely, possibly below the required (1 bar ) when it does the boiler wont come on so you have to top it up again?

> snip

Would your system have an expansion vessel near to the boiler, our system had exactly the same symptoms and it was a faulty expansion vessel that was causing it in the end (Manual fill system with 21 rads and three zones)

items

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Would your system have an expansion vessel near to the boiler, our system had exactly the same symptoms and it was a faulty expansion vessel that was causing it in the end (Manual fill system with 21 rads and three zones)

Your right, it could be the expansion vessel (burst diaphragm from high pressure) well done for noticing. When I look at these questions I am thinking about how flooding causes system down time for a few days, not the overall possibility's of boiler failure.

I prefer not to go into to many details. Its best for me to just give quick tips that pretty much anyone can take on, when it comes into the more serious stuff I really don't want to be giving advice as when it gets serious, time to call the qualified people. Top marks all the same.

Feel free to give any advice, the more the merrier, fair play to Outkast as well.

Outkast_IRE

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Would your system have an expansion vessel near to the boiler, our system had exactly the same symptoms and it was a faulty expansion vessel that was causing it in the end (Manual fill system with 21 rads and three zones)

ya was just comin on to say expansion vessel . some good advice being handed out here

Flesh Gorden

One problem I'm having is that the stop cock supplying water downstairs from the mains is completely seized -
to the point where it feels it could snap in my hand

Same problem with the gate valve that supplies the hot water cylinder

Haven't ventured into the attic to find the one for the cold water tank but I'd expect the same


Any quick fix? or is it a case of getting new ones while the supply is off?

cornbb

Is it ok to leave an electric shower running to see whether water will come out? Our water has come back, there's pressure from the bathroom sink but nothing from the shower yet. I'm thinking there's air in there that needs to be released but I don't want to damage the shower...

Outkast_IRE

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

One problem I'm having is that the stop cock supplying water downstairs from the mains is completely seized -
to the point where it feels it could snap in my hand

Same problem with the gate valve that supplies the hot water cylinder

Haven't ventured into the attic to find the one for the cold water tank but I'd expect the same


Any quick fix? or is it a case of getting new ones while the supply is off?

Well they are prone to seizing so all i can suggest is trying to open the gate valve first while the stop cock is closed and i presume tank is drained in attic. If it snap it snaps nothin you can do about it now consider replacing it with a higher quality lever handle type.

As for stop cock just try your hardest to open it if it snaps then you will have to get your mains turned off outside and then replace stop cock

Outkast_IRE

cornbb wrote: »

Is it ok to leave an electric shower running to see whether water will come out? Our water has come back, there's pressure from the bathroom sink but nothing from the shower yet. I'm thinking there's air in there that needs to be released but I don't want to damage the shower...

there is a big answer to this further back in the thread read it its good , but short answer with water on and off so much there is possibe debris etc but you can try turning it on for short spurts to see if it gets it going. Only 10 -20 seconds at a time

items

Flesh Gorden wrote: »

One problem I'm having is that the stop cock supplying water downstairs from the mains is completely seized -
to the point where it feels it could snap in my hand

Same problem with the gate valve that supplies the hot water cylinder

Haven't ventured into the attic to find the one for the cold water tank but I'd expect the same


Any quick fix? or is it a case of getting new ones while the supply is off?

Valve problems (Valve information)

My advice is no quick fix's for valves, they either work properly or they don't and when they don't, its time for them to go!

If you are seriously stuck, you could undo them from the pipe work and give them a good dose of WD40. Most gate valves and stopcocks consist of threads and slots, when they are left dormant the threads and slots become stiff even blocked up with hard water. Some times when seized you can turn a wheel head valve or a stopcock all day and night either way and it wont turn on or off, the threads just slip.

Always good to have valves working 100%, in case of emergency and maintenance.

Here's a tip for anyone with valves working OK. (Gate valves) Never turn a gate valve fully on or fully off, just back it off a slight bit. If you are leaving it on, open it fully then close it a small amount. If you are leaving it closed, close it fully and open it a slight bit (it will still remain closed).

Tip for Stopcocks. You should adjust the pressure to suit your needs, open the kitchen sink tap and open the stopcock to suit a water pressure you like and then check your attic tank to adjust to suit. If you open a stopcock fully, it will reduce the overall pressure on the shared mains water line.

Here's a tip for anyone replacing a gate valve, don't buy one! Buy a lever action valve, you will never have a problem with a lever action valve, ever!

Forgot to mention, if you adjust old gate valves or old stopcocks that have been lying dormant watch out for weeps. You might find a small weep at the valve spindle. After you are finished you better check and make sure its not weeping. If it is weeping then the valve gland which seals the water is broke and the valve is pretty much beyond repair.

cornbb

Thanks so much for the advice guys. I've just gotten the hot taps to work thanks to your advice. And I've just enjoyed a shower

items

cornbb wrote: »

Thanks so much for the advice guys. I've just gotten the hot taps to work thanks to your advice. And I've just enjoyed a shower

Congrats, your almost a plumber now.

Heckler

hi,

I have a triton t80si electric shower. Don't know if its mains fed or from a tank. My water went off for a couple of days. Its back on now but there is no hot water from the shower. The cold flow is fine. Usual pressure and so on. I've tried running it cold for a while and switching it to hot but to no avail.

Any suggestions ? Thanks in advance.

curlie-wurliexx

hi, i am on boreenmanna road and our water came back yesterday.
as far as i know we have a mains-fed combi boiler and water is flowing from both kitchen taps and upstairs bathroom sinks hot taps and both hot and cold in the bath. however our upstairs cold taps are not running and toilet cisterns are not filling up.
we tried turning on all the taps that aren't working and holding a cloth over a cold mains fed tap and letting it run (thinking it might be an air lock) but so far nothing.
himself went up into the attic and the tank up there is full of water.
any ideas for me please?

jArgHA

This is a fantastic thread fair play to you and outkast for all the tips provided.

Apologies if you have already answered this one:

My water supply never stopped but the pressure has dropped in the kitchen taps and shower. The shower was fine for the first few days (pressure was a bit low but the temperature regulated as expected). Then it started going from hot-cold-hot-cold, and now for the past few days it has just been icy cold all the time. Also when the shower is turned on, nothing happens for about 30 seconds before the water starts to come out at a lower pressure than normal.

I am unsure as to whether the shower is mains-fed or attic-fed, but I *think* it may be attic fed as after taking a shower I can hear the tank in the attic refilling.

Is there anything that can be done in this situation or must we just wait until normal water pressure returns at some point?

Outkast_IRE

jArgHA wrote: »

This is a fantastic thread fair play to you and outkast for all the tips provided.

Apologies if you have already answered this one:

My water supply never stopped but the pressure has dropped in the kitchen taps and shower. The shower was fine for the first few days (pressure was a bit low but the temperature regulated as expected). Then it started going from hot-cold-hot-cold, and now for the past few days it has just been icy cold all the time. Also when the shower is turned on, nothing happens for about 30 seconds before the water starts to come out at a lower pressure than normal.

I am unsure as to whether the shower is mains-fed or attic-fed, but I *think* it may be attic fed as after taking a shower I can hear the tank in the attic refilling.

Is there anything that can be done in this situation or must we just wait until normal water pressure returns at some point?

Sounds a bit stange , Especially turning it on and its 30 seconds before the water even comes out .
And the fact that the water is icy is another thing .
Its possible the thermostat or heating element is gone .
According to the reports water should be back to normal next week
Maybe hold off till then if you can stand it then ring a proper shower serviceman

Outkast_IRE

curlie-wurliexx wrote: »

hi, i am on boreenmanna road and our water came back yesterday.
as far as i know we have a mains-fed combi boiler and water is flowing from both kitchen taps and upstairs bathroom sinks hot taps and both hot and cold in the bath. however our upstairs cold taps are not running and toilet cisterns are not filling up.
we tried turning on all the taps that aren't working and holding a cloth over a cold mains fed tap and letting it run (thinking it might be an air lock) but so far nothing.
himself went up into the attic and the tank up there is full of water.
any ideas for me please?

Its either a localised airlock or a blockage , presume the simplest problem first if its an airlock there is two ways to clear it , by pushing the air out by pushing water in to it.
Or by opening a fitting to release the air (not for amateurs as it can get messy).
Obviously anything i tell you shouldnt really be attempted by non pros
but if you wanna try it .
you will need two people . get a hose and fit it or hold it tightly up against a mains water pipe (kitchen cold ) and run the other end of the hose up to the cold tap that isnt working .Fit the other end or hold up against 2nd tap tightly . Open tap that isnt working , open mains and hold it for 20 or 30 seconds .
Its possible it will try and take the easy route and come out the toilet cistern so maybe have a 3rd pair of hands or somethin to hold the balcock up in toilet. Repeat a few times if it doenst work , after that bite the bullet and get someone in . There may be a earlier post with helpful information

items

Heckler wrote: »

hi,

I have a triton t80si electric shower. Don't know if its mains fed or from a tank. My water went off for a couple of days. Its back on now but there is no hot water from the shower. The cold flow is fine. Usual pressure and so on. I've tried running it cold for a while and switching it to hot but to no avail.

Any suggestions ? Thanks in advance.

Shower Question

T80 is fed from the attic tank, T90 in mains few. Strange that its flowing cold only at usual pressure but no hot water at all. Is the unit power light coming on? Have you had your electricity turned off, maybe the fuse for the shower is tripped at the fuse board? Its best to check all the obvious stuff first, it could be possible the heating element has blown.

items

curlie-wurliexx wrote: »

hi, i am on boreenmanna road and our water came back yesterday.
as far as i know we have a mains-fed combi boiler and water is flowing from both kitchen taps and upstairs bathroom sinks hot taps and both hot and cold in the bath. however our upstairs cold taps are not running and toilet cisterns are not filling up.
we tried turning on all the taps that aren't working and holding a cloth over a cold mains fed tap and letting it run (thinking it might be an air lock) but so far nothing.
himself went up into the attic and the tank up there is full of water.
any ideas for me please?

Bathroom cold supply air lock

Its strange to have some working and some not working, once the water starts moving from the attic tank, it should make its way to all your taps. From here its hard to say, I see you mentioned combi boiler, it could be possible that your mains from the road is supplying the working bathroom and the one that is not working is coming from the attic tank.

If you go back a few pages and look for the details on hot water air locks, the last two suggested remedy's can also be used for cold supply's, you just have to find the a cold supply valve in a hot press type area or go into the attic and find which pipe is supplying the cold from the attic tank. You are going to have to break open the cold supply from the attic tank somewhere far away from the tank for the air to be released.

Watch out for dirt in the cistern filler valve, if the cold supply's to that bathroom happen to be air locked, if you manage to remove them some dirt might find its way into the cistern filler valve.

items

jArgHA wrote: »

This is a fantastic thread fair play to you and outkast for all the tips provided.

Apologies if you have already answered this one:

My water supply never stopped but the pressure has dropped in the kitchen taps and shower. The shower was fine for the first few days (pressure was a bit low but the temperature regulated as expected). Then it started going from hot-cold-hot-cold, and now for the past few days it has just been icy cold all the time. Also when the shower is turned on, nothing happens for about 30 seconds before the water starts to come out at a lower pressure than normal.

I am unsure as to whether the shower is mains-fed or attic-fed, but I *think* it may be attic fed as after taking a shower I can hear the tank in the attic refilling.

Is there anything that can be done in this situation or must we just wait until normal water pressure returns at some point?

Electric shower possible low pressure problem or blockage

Sounds like your shower is mains fed.

You could be experiencing shower problems due to low pressure, when a shower is running it also suck's in the water supply, if the supply is at a low pressure it's possible the shower suction can draw air in from the low pressure supply. Air then water then water then some air etc will bring on the symptoms you have described. I would try to not use the shower as you might damage the element, if you have to use it keep the temperature down.

You could also have a slight blockage in the supply, the blockage could be restricting the supply, which again gives similar symptoms as you have described. To remove blockages the shower casing must be removed and shower until dismantled. I am not sure if you are able to attempt this.

Water and electricity don't mix well so be careful.

Hold out until the water pressure comes back strong if you can.

curlie-wurliexx

thanks very much to both of you for your advice, i think the hot taps that were working are mains fed. we have a mono tap in the bathroom so i put my hand over the end and turned on both taps and the toilet started filling up and then the cold tap started running!!!
happy days

jArgHA

Thanks for the tips outkast & items. I suspect the shower problem is pressure related so will take your advice of holding off on using it until normal pressure returns

Spindle

We have the triton t80si as well and have the same problem as Heckler. Our water has been gone since the Friday before last but has been gradually coming back over the last few days. The mains pressure seemed decent this morning so we tried the shower. It works fine on the cold but it doesn't heat up at all. Heckler did you manage to get yours sorted? Any ideas? Pretty sure ours is mains fed.

items

Spindle wrote: »

We have the triton t80si as well and have the same problem as Heckler. Our water has been gone since the Friday before last but has been gradually coming back over the last few days. The mains pressure seemed decent this morning so we tried the shower. It works fine on the cold but it doesn't heat up at all. Heckler did you manage to get yours sorted? Any ideas? Pretty sure ours is mains fed.

Hello, t80si is tank fed. What is the pressure like coming out of the shower?

Spindle

Thanks items, the pressure was very very poor, nothing compared to what its like normally.