Mira Elite ST

dubmark74

I have a Mire Elite ST for about three years. Get a lot of use (two teenage daughters). In the last couple of days it has started making a load noise when running. Sounds like it could be motor/pump. Anyone got experience of this happening with these showers and if so the cost of replacement parts. I have an older model mira elite in the attic, held on to it when i replaced with the new one. Maybe i can take the motor/pump from the old one?
Any help appreciated.

leeomurchu

Not much experience with that particular model myself could be the pump might just be that an O ring has gone on it. Have you had the cover off of it.

You'll be able to tell just by looking at the pumps if they're interchangeable but i doubt they are.

You can buy parts for them online.

Is it losing pressure or stopping at all? Have you ever replaced the brushes they'd usually go before the pump they might be on their way out and not making a good contact with the rotor.

The Brushes in your Mire Elite motor might fit the newer shower.

pictures go a long way when it comes to diagnosing these things.

Stoner

Ok off the record here.

Every now and then I get this with my shower, I've replaced 4 in 7 years. all Mira Elites

However the current one has lasted the longest. Every now and then i pop a calgon tablet into the feeder tank.

Initially I opened the shower and disconnected the water and poured an anti lime scale solution into the shower.

Now i have an express way of doing it that I don't really recommend but has helped stop my shower from that revving sound and the hot and cold situations.

I find the tank feeding the shower and the pipe feeding the shower. I then either use a lime scale solution or crush a calgon tablet beside the pipe, then have someone run the shower , the pump will pull the solution into the shower, leave the unit over night.

also take the shower head and hose off and leave it in a solution of vinegar or a lime scale removing solution

The next day I leave the hose off and run the shower for a few minutes, a residue will be pumped from the shower so don't have the hose on, let it flow away.

I do this every now and then, including cleaning the filters inside the shower. the liquid solution is best.

It works for me anyway as I was suspecting that lime scale was the issue. It could obviously be worn parts etc, but if it is lime scale, the above method is a good way of getting the liquid solution into the shower using the showers pump.
dont quote me on it and its at your own risk if you try it, but if you are in a high lime scale area, its doing your shower no good.

Even a clogged shower head can be too much work for a shower.

dubmark74

Thanks for the replies. Yes i had the cover off and ran the shower. Everything looks fine, no leaks. I thought about the brushes but did not remove them as i thougth the motor would not run if they were worn. The old motor/pump assemply looks similar but not identical, might try swapping them, the old shower is the Elite 2 and the new one is the Elite ST. I've no problem buying the part once i'm sure it knackered, just looking on the net they are £82 sterling. I assume you have to buy the complete unit, if anyone has an old one i'd be willing to buy.

Thanks for the advice on the tablets, but we do not have hard water in our area, so i'd say unlikely this is the issue.

leeomurchu

If it's a grinding sound and you're not in a hard water area best guess would be the pump one of the bearings might have collapsed in it. If you try and turn the pump by hand does it feel stiff at all like there's something caught in it.

You could try swapping out the motors if the piping is the same it will work but it may note quite fit but it'll give you a good idea if the pump is the problem. It probably won't be pretty though.

The shower will work intermittently when the brushes are beginning to go although not always the case. It's easy to pop the brushes out to check them anyway 3 years and two teenage daughters I'm surprised they've lasted as long if it's the only shower

I had a mira that the motor failed on it sounds similar to what you're describing but the noise was created because there was a slight crack in the pump housing and it wasn't sealing properly are you sure there's no water in there at all after use sitting just at the bottom of the motor where it attaches to the water feed you might have to stick your finger in (POWER OFF OBVIOUSLY)

dubmark74

Hi Lee, meant to say that there is no other problem with the shower, pressure, temp, etc. It is a kind of grinding noise, but not that noisy that you turn the shower off. I moved the pump with my finger and it didn't feel that stiff, but it does not spin freely, i.e. it stops as soon as i remove my finger, this may be normal though. Also the first time i heard the noise, it only lasted a few seconds then went away, now it stays there.
I didn't notice any water when i took the cover off yesterday, but i might look again just in case. Did you replace the pump the last time? Did you have to buy the complete motor/pump assembly, if so how much did it cost?

leeomurchu

Ah it won't turn freely there'll be resistance from the brushes but you should be able to feel if it's sticking or not.

I just replaced the pump assembly as I hang on to showers I've replaced over the years ya never know when you'll need a part. i thought I might have been able to help you out there just went out to have a look but no mira elite st I've a couple of elite 2 alright and t90s you're all out of luck

I think a pump assembly is about €80 well somewhere between there and a €100 anyway haven't priced one for an st.

As I was saying before it might just be an O ring gone there's one either side of the pump and if they break down it'll lose suction and that could ve where the noise is coming from if it does run dry it'll be knackered.

If it's just a noise and no loss of pressure it might be worth using it till it does give up once you've an RCBO at the board it's electrically protected and just keep an eye to see if there is water around the pump.

dubmark74

I'll let it run for a while as is and see if it gets worse and look out for water as suggested.
Thanks a lot, appreciate the help.

leeomurchu

No bother someone with a bit more info might post on here while it's still running

Frere Jacques

Anyone come up with a solution to this one. I have it off and on but mainly if the shower is run, then stopped and then run again, ie, for cleaning the bath after or if someone has a shower just after someone else comes out. I'm wondering is it an airlock or something, it's as if the pump is cavitating or something, the shower is about 1.5m below the tank. I just try to avoid the situation where it occurs as I don't want to damage the pump. It isn't running dry though and there is no drop in pressure. It bugs me though.

turbodiesel

Did you get a solution to this. Just this weekend my Mira Elite ST got noisy. If it was a motorcycle/car i'd say the motor sounded like it was hunting for fuel. ie. The motor sounds like it's overworking for the water output given most of the time and the sound it not a constant hum but more rumbly like an engine about to run of of fuel or with a dirty fuel filter.

dubmark74

I just decided to let it run until it failed. but it hasnt got any worse. usually noisey for a couple of minutes and then stops. these showers are getting cheaper so maybe best to just replace evry few years. saw this exact one in b&q yesterday for 200. woodles also do deals. sory cant be any further help

Frere Jacques

Never got to the bottom of it. If it occurs I just turn it off and leave it for a min then fire it up again. Normally goes away. Apart from that I don't run it and stop it and run it, if it is going okay as that was what usually caused it.

turbodiesel

Mine gave up this morning. Looks like I'm going shopping for a shower and a plumber.

DYING2DIY

I've a similar problem with out Mira Elite ST. It's about 3 yrs old and in the last week or so started to make a bit more noise than usual - I opend it up and have attached pics of what I saw. Not normal I guess. Anyone out there able to advise??

hufpc8w3adnk65

DYING2DIY wrote: »

I've a similar problem with out Mira Elite ST. It's about 3 yrs old and in the last week or so started to make a bit more noise than usual - I opend it up and have attached pics of what I saw. Not normal I guess. Anyone out there able to advise??

Thats entirely Normal it's the brushes from the pump leaving the black dirt. Call a shower expert as your messing with both water and electricity, it's not a job for a handy man. Where in the country are you?

DYING2DIY

MrMac84 wrote: »

Thats entirely Normal it's the brushes from the pump leaving the black dirt. Call a shower expert as your messing with both water and electricity, it's not a job for a handy man. Where in the country are you?

Thanks for response MrMac..... I'm near Fermoy....

Sir Arthur Daley

DYING2DIY wrote: »

Anyone out there able to advise??

Have you done the maintenance procedure as in page 23 of your user manual?

DYING2DIY

Sir Arther Daley wrote: »

Have you done the maintenance procedure as in page 23 of your user manual?

Yes - filter is clean and we have soft water. However, I must check the flow into the shower unit with the filter open. I'll update later.

beanns

Hi there, my mira elite st shower is making unbearable noise when running. im nearly at the stage of wearing ear muffs. going to take it apart tomorrow and take alook at the motor brushes. any advice what else is could be????

Steve

More likely to be a bearing about to seize.

Sleeper12

Motor goes quieter = Brushes
Motor gets louder = Bearings

In your case its bearings. Mira rob you blind on spare parts so you can expect to pay around €130 just to buy the pump or around €200 supplied & fitted. If it where me I'd replace the whole shower.

Sleeper12

Motor goes quieter = Brushes
Motor gets louder = Bearings

In your case its bearings. Mira rob you blind on spare parts so you can expect to pay around €130 just to buy the pump or around €200 supplied & fitted. If it where me I'd replace the whole shower.

beanns

Yep yee were spot on with the bearing been gone. Got a number for a guy who fixes showers full time and he gave me new motor brushes for 10 euro but they made no difference. So asked him bout any second hand motors and he gave me one from a display model that was hardly used for 50 euro. Fitted it myself and she's purring away grand so didn't do so bad...

tmg52

Have a new issue don't know how to post new thread sorry.
I have a Mira ST Elite shower unit it's leaking from the body of the unit. It works fine but still drips from the base of the control unit. I haven't opened it to check where the leak is coming from. Any ideas what to do, does it sound if it's beyond repair.

Sleeper12

tmg52 wrote:

Have a new issue don't know how to post new thread sorry. I have a Mira ST Elite shower unit it's leaking from the body of the unit. It works fine but still drips from the base of the control unit. I haven't opened it to check where the leak is coming from. Any ideas what to do, does it sound if it's beyond repair.

Turn off the pull cord and call in a repair company. You should NEVER, EVER run an electric shower if it is leaking inside. It's so dangerous.