New shower problem

retro:electro

Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes. We got a new power shower fitted last week, the Mira vigour thermostatic. Experiencing a few problems with it though; firstly it doesn't seem to be heating the water properly. It has eight settings, 1-6 would be coldish and 7 and 8 are both warm but not hot, not hot enough to create steam anyways and nowhere near as hot as the shower we has previous to this. The taps in the sink and bath are heating the water fine so it's just the shower.

Secondly it's using all the water at an alarming rate. I would have the immersion on for an hour before my shower and maybe the oil heating on too, I'd have the immersion switched to bath so to heat more water but I'm finding all the water is used in about twenty minutes. So after twenty minutes in the shower all the *hot* water is gone despite not actually having had a hot shower. What could be the problem here? Going to call the plumber this evening but id like to have an idea myself before ringing him. Thanks

Sleeper12

anna080 wrote: »

Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes. We got a new power shower fitted last week, the Mira vigour thermostatic. Experiencing a few problems with it though; firstly it doesn't seem to be heating the water properly. It has eight settings, 1-6 would be coldish and 7 and 8 are both warm but not hot, not hot enough to create steam anyways and nowhere near as hot as the shower we has previous to this. The taps in the sink and bath are heating the water fine so it's just the shower.

Secondly it's using all the water at an alarming rate. I would have the immersion on for an hour before my shower and maybe the oil heating on too, I'd have the immersion switched to bath so to heat more water but I'm finding all the water is used in about twenty minutes. So after twenty minutes in the shower all the *hot* water is gone despite not actually having had a hot shower. What could be the problem here? Going to call the plumber this evening but id like to have an idea myself before ringing him. Thanks

The vigour pumps 14 litres per minute. 20 minute shower is 280 litres!!! I'd hate to have to pay your water bill when it's metered.

It's possible that the thermostatic cartridge is faulty & this would be covered under the warranty.

It's more likely not the shower at all. Is the water in the basin taps hot?

Hang on, I just had a thought. Bet you didn't read the owner manual. :-)

Turn temperature dial as hot as it goes. Now @ 9 o clock there is a red (anti scald device) button. Push this in and you can turn the dial further around making the water hotter.

Enjoy your hot shower now. :-)

retro:electro

You were right! I pushed in the red button and the dial went further and the water got hotter. Still can't believe how much water it uses though. With my old shower I could turn on the immersion at the sink setting for an hour and have enough hot water for a long shower and some left over; this I have it on bath setting for an hour and oil on too and it goes after fifteen mins. Crazy, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. My old one was very old but the dial had broken off so I decided to replace it altogether as I was using a pliers to move the dial! It was the best shower I'd ever used these new ones are a suck on the water. Thanks for your response.

Sleeper12

anna080 wrote: »

You were right! I pushed in the red button and the dial went further and the water got hotter. Still can't believe how much water it uses though. With my old shower I could turn on the immersion at the sink setting for an hour and have enough hot water for a long shower and some left over; this I have it on bath setting for an hour and oil on too and it goes after fifteen mins. Crazy, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. My old one was very old but the dial had broken off so I decided to replace it altogether as I was using a pliers to move the dial! It was the best shower I'd ever used these new ones are a suck on the water. Thanks for your response.

The outer dial, the one for turning on the water, when turned on all the way uses 14 litres. If you turn it half way it uses 10 litres.

Glad I could help. :-)

AndyBoBandy

Why is a power shower using the hot water from your hot water cylinder?

Don't power showers heat the water themselves on an 'as needed' basis?

Sleeper12

Andybobandy wrote: »

Why is a power shower using the hot water from your hot water cylinder?

Don't power showers heat the water themselves on an 'as needed' basis?

A power shower pumps (minimum of 10 litres) heated water from the hot press.

An electric shower heats the water but only pumps out 3 to 5 litres per minute as it can't heat it any faster than this.

AndyBoBandy

Sleeper12 wrote: »

A power shower pumps (minimum of 10 litres) heated water from the hot press.

An electric shower heats the water but only pumps out 3 to 5 litres per minute as it can't heat it any faster than this.

Ah,

I saw Mira, and assumed an electric shower (I thought a power shower was the same thing) and I thought it was called a pumped shower (which is what I have)

greasepalm

lost me and i have a mira and triton and both heat the water.

jca

I think you can get restrictors to go in the hose to reduce water flow.

Sleeper12

greasepalm wrote: »

lost me and i have a mira and triton and both heat the water.

Yes but triton have over 200 different model showers. Mira have about 150. Some heat the water some don't.

For a shower to be considered a power shower it has to pump minimum of 10 litres per minute.

Obviously an electric shower couldn't possibly heat the water fast enough to pump out 10 litres.

Sleeper12

jca wrote: »

I think you can get restrictors to go in the hose to reduce water flow.

Yes you can but they are not suitable for electric showers. Electric showers don't use much water anyway.

They are suitable for power showers

jca

I was posting to the op.