Triton T80si - end of the road...

vidapura

Hi,
I think its the end of the road for a Triton T80si that has served us well ...
Its up in the attic and has been working great .. it was in the house when we moved in two years ago.. and I'd say it wasn't used much.. but we use it most days. I've always been amazed at how quiet it is.. and dismayed by what happens when anyone turns on the tap in the kitchen..

It used to hold the temperature fairly constant (unless someone used the main tap in the kitchen).. and I was very happy with it..

But now its either scaldin or freezing... presumably limescale build up...

I assume to replace the innards is less sensible than a replacement.

So, what would be a 'drop-in' replacement if there is one?
The T80Z possibly ?

Would the input pipe be in the same place etc?

Thanks

vidapura

Ok, so I pulled the T80 out for a looksee and there is nothing obviously gummed up with sediment or anything..
So I figure its time for a replacement.

I got back into the crawl space when I was lookin for a valve to turn off the water supply.
Turns out the shower is fed directly from the mains through the valve.

I'm not a bit surprised cos whenever anyone used the kitchen cold tap or flushed a toilet the shower temp used to fluctuate.

This time I think I'd like to remove that misery by installing a tank to feed the shower.
Anyone able to tell me what capacity tank I'd need?
And also whether I can use PEX piping for this job or do I really need to use copper?

Thanks

Sleeper12

I missed your first post. Don't waste your time & money replacing the shower. The shower though old seems to be working fine. Mains fed showers aren't suitable for most of Ireland due to the low water pressure especially in attics where the pressure is at its lowest.

All of the issues you describe are to do with water pressure and flow rate. Get a litre jug & see how many times you can fill it in a minute. You will need 8.5 litres of water as a minimum. Less than this & the flow rate is too low for the electric shower. It's a mains fed shower so it's normal for the temperature to change dramatically when someone uses mains water at the kitchen sink.

If you have pressure & flow issues then you can install a mains booster pump

It's quiet because it doesn't have a motor. There is nothing in the shower unit that can make a noise.

vidapura

Hi Sleeper12,
Thanks very much for taking the time to help.

This shower used to work really well.. for about 2 years since we moved in anyway... (dunno how long it was there before us)
Its only recently its doing this .. used to be able to set it to II on the power and 2nd blue bar on the temp selector, and it kept a constant temp.
Nice, warm, not scalding..

Now it doesn't do that.. it won't heat at that setting now.. to get any heat I have to set up up to near full on the red side of the temp selector to get any heat out of it.. and then its just scalding..
I try to edge it back down towards the blue bars then but it just goes from scalding to completely cold...

I'm not sure we have pressure issues really.. the water comes fine out of the main tap etc.. and the low flow warning doesn't show up on the shower...

I have the shower down off the wall now.. wanted to see if it was gummed up inside or anything...

I suppose I could put it back up and try the jug thing...

I was in a shop today and they are selling off the T80 Easi-fit for €90 so I thought I might just buy that...

I dunno...

Thanks for trying to help tho.. appreciate it.

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote: »

Hi Sleeper12,
Thanks very much for taking the time to help.

This shower used to work really well.. for about 2 years since we moved in anyway... (dunno how long it was there before us)
Its only recently its doing this .. used to be able to set it to II on the power and 2nd blue bar on the temp selector, and it kept a constant temp.
Nice, warm, not scalding..

Now it doesn't do that.. it won't heat at that setting now.. to get any heat I have to set up up to near full on the red side of the temp selector to get any heat out of it.. and then its just scalding..
I try to edge it back down towards the blue bars then but it just goes from scalding to completely cold...

I'm not sure we have pressure issues really.. the water comes fine out of the main tap etc.. and the low flow warning doesn't show up on the shower...

I have the shower down off the wall now.. wanted to see if it was gummed up inside or anything...

I suppose I could put it back up and try the jug thing...

I was in a shop today and they are selling off the T80 Easi-fit for €90 so I thought I might just buy that...

I dunno...

Thanks for trying to help tho.. appreciate it.

In bold suggests one of the two elements has blown. The T80si is obsolete as is the model after that the T80xr. The Triton T80Z is the best replacement. 190 in Woodies &about 5 cheaper in Heatmerchants


The T80 Easi fit is only for the UK market so you were in B&Q or a UK chain of some sort. There's nothing wrong with this shower but you will have no warranty with it as it's not supported in Ireland nor will anyone be able to repair it in Ireland. At that price it's worth buying & bin it when it breaks.


You need to look at the KW of the shower. You need a 9KW at 230 Volts this is Irish or the UK equivalent is 9.8KW at 240 volt. anywhere from 9 to 9.8KW at 240 is ok. some of these showers B&Q sell off cheap can be 7 or 8KW. On some you wont be able to have a hot shower in the winter when the mains water is much colder. So 9KW minimum at 240 Volt. If it's less than that buy the Triton T90Z

vidapura

Sleeper12 wrote: »

In bold suggests one of the two elements has blown.

Ahh haa.. ok.. so its a heater element.. its junk so...

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The T80si is obsolete as is the model after that the T80xr. The Triton T80Z is the best replacement. 190 in Woodies &about 5 cheaper in Heatmerchants


The T80 Easi fit is only for the UK market so you were in B&Q or a UK chain of some sort.

Yep, B&Q twas.

Sleeper12 wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with this shower but you will have no warranty with it as it's not supported in Ireland nor will anyone be able to repair it in Ireland. At that price it's worth buying & bin it when it breaks.

Feck.. how do B&Q get away with sellin them in Ireland so if there is no comeback?

Sleeper12 wrote: »

You need to look at the KW of the shower. You need a 9KW at 230 Volts this is Irish or the UK equivalent is 9.8KW at 240 volt. anywhere from 9 to 9.8KW at 240 is ok. some of these showers B&Q sell off cheap can be 7 or 8KW.

Yep, I think this one is...8.5kw...

Sleeper12 wrote: »

On some you wont be able to have a hot shower in the winter when the mains water is much colder. So 9KW minimum at 240 Volt. If it's less than that buy the Triton T90Z

Ohk.. and the existing wiring for the T80si would be good enough for the 9kw yeah? I'm not 100% certain what the T80si was drawing...

Thanks again.. this is brilliant info.. thanks

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote:

Feck.. how do B&Q get away with sellin them in Ireland so if there is no comeback?

I have no idea how they get away with it. Argos & Homebase do the same. Screwfix.ie also sell UK triton and Aqualisa showers with no warranty in Ireland.

vidapura wrote:

Ohk.. and the existing wiring for the T80si would be good enough for the 9kw yeah? I'm not 100% certain what the T80si was drawing...

Your T80si was most likely 9kw at 230 volts. You should have a 40amp rcbo at the fusebox. I strongly recommend you get one of these if you don't have one

vidapura

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I have no idea how they get away with it. Argos & Homebase do the same. Screwfix.ie also sell UK triton and Aqualisa showers with no warranty in Ireland.

Thats nuts isn't it tho? .. I'll tackle them about it in B&Q and see what they say, just for pigiron.
I'm thinkin the one might do us.. that shower is intended to become just a backup eventually.. assuming the plumber actually arrives as promised in Nov to redo the downstairs bathroom and give us a proper shower down there...

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Your T80si was most likely 9kw at 230 volts. You should have a 40amp rcbo at the fusebox. I strongly recommend you get one of these if you don't have one

Ahh yeah..thanks.. good advice.. when we bought the house I paid an electrician to do a thorough look through the electrics in the house and he found the rcbo for the shower wasn't workin.. we replaced that and put one in for sockets too..


Just for pure curiosity.. would you mind explaining a little about the difference between an mains shower and one that has to work off a tank.. like the T90SR?
Whats in the t90SR that means it can't be used off the mains?
Theres a pump in it right?
And is the mains pressure too much for that pump?
Or what? I'm just curious now.. not argumentative ...

Thanks again for all the advice by the way.

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote:

Just for pure curiosity.. would you mind explaining a little about the difference between an mains shower and one that has to work off a tank.. like the T90SR? Whats in the t90SR that means it can't be used off the mains? Theres a pump in it right? And is the mains pressure too much for that pump? Or what? I'm just curious now.. not argumentative ...

You answered your own question. Yes it's the pump. These pumps aren't designed for mains pressure. The mains pressure will blow the pump. Another thing that voids the warranty is installing the shower where it or the supply pipe is likely to freeze. If the pipe freezes then the pressure coming into the shower can change from a quarter bar to up to 30 bar of pressure.

Hooking up a t90 to mains pressure voids the warranty.

vidapura

Ahh yeah.. I was thinkin twas something like that..
Of course now I'm wondering what the pressure from the attic tank would be?
Is it that much less than the mains? I suppose it is if the water is to be pushed up there by the mains...

Apologies for the curiosity.. this is my first house so I'm coming across lots of things for the first time.. like Plumbing..

It seems to have all sorts of interesting aspects to it... and funny concepts to get my head around.. like how I can have an immersion tank on the ground floor but the pressure coming to anything connected to it is actually decided by the height of the attic holding tank that feeds it.. thats mad ted.. heh...

Is suppose its just stuff I never had to think about before..

Those holding tanks .. in the attic.. when you think about it they are quite a neat solution to problems caused where mains pressure can fluctuate... kinda insulate yeh from fluctuations...

I've a friend who visits from the states and he's always bitchin about the measly water pressure in Ireland.. I dunno what way its done across the pond but everything seems to be higher pressure anyway..

phester28

be careful. an old 8.5kw (not in the trade so this may be rusty) could be run off 6mm square cables. Changing to a 9 or 9.8KW shower should have the next size up most likely 10Square electrical cable. As always get someone qualified to do it and certify.

vidapura

Thanks phester28,
Just pulled the original shower apart looking for a label that might indicate what it was...

and here it is... so looks like it was a 8.5 kw at 230v....

vidapura

Here's a handy table that I found in the Triton T80si manual...

vidapura

The €90 shower in B&Q is this one... label reads: 8.5 kW at 240 v..
So, from table above looks like it should draw even less current than the old t80si which was 8.5kW at 230v.

Wearb

vidapura wrote: »

Here's a handy table that I found in the Triton T80si manual...

While the tables are a guide, the cable size is very dependent on length of run and whether it’s covered or not.

phester28

from your above example it and from the given table it would actually draw 1.5A more on 230 than on 240. (230)36.9A vs (240)35.4A

Wearb

phester28 wrote: »

from your above example it and from the given table it would actually draw 1.5A more on 230 than on 240. (230)36.9A vs (240)35.4A

I don't think that's correct. 230V will not be able to produce 8.5Kw in that case of the OP.

John.G

vidapura wrote: »

The €90 shower in B&Q is this one... label reads: 8.5 kW at 240 v..
So, from table above looks like it should draw even less current than the old t80si which was 8.5kW at 230v.

It will, but remember this 8.5KW shower @ 240V is only a 7.8 Kw shower @ 230V, 8.5*(230/240)^2, it will draw 33.9 amps, 7800/230.
The old T80si, 8.5KW @ 230V will draw 36.9 amps, 8500/230.

If you are happy with a 7.8Kw shower then fair enough but you will certainly notice the difference, especially in the winter. I would suggest a 9KW unit which will draw 39.1 amps.

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote:

The €90 shower in B&Q is this one... label reads: 8.5 kW at 240 v.. So, from table above looks like it should draw even less current than the old t80si which was 8.5kW at 230v.

That 8.5kw (UK) is less than 8kw here in Ireland. You'll freeze in the winter with this shower.

Blue Triton boxes are British showers. Not intended for the Irish market and have no warranty

vidapura

Ok guys,
Thanks very much for all the advice.
I can afford the €180 9kW shower from woodies... so I should heed your advice and just get it.

But I'll have to have a good look at the cable tonight and see if it will take the load from the 9kW shower.
The cable is loose in the attic.. not in a conduit and not covered.. so will be able to see if its got anything written on it.
If its not obvious I'll get an electrician in to verify/replace.

Thanks again.

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote:

Ok guys, Thanks very much for all the advice. I can afford the €180 9kW shower from woodies... so I should heed your advice and just get it.

190 in Woodies. At least that's what they usually charge. 180ish in heatmerchants

vidapura

Sleeper12 wrote: »

190 in Woodies. At least that's what they usually charge. 180ish in heatmerchants

yah, you're right..

https://www.woodies.ie/triton-t90sr-shower-1053736

No heatmerchants locally..

I'd nearly go the whole hog and get the thermostatic version if I could find it anywhere...

Thanks