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Plumbing Question - Shower not hot

Discuss Plumbing Question - Shower not hot in the Central Heating Systems area at ElectriciansForums.net

brianmoooore said:
The manual confirms you have the version with a min pressure of 0.4 bar, so it's odds on that this is the problem.
Manual also confirms that there are inlet filters (part #3).
The filter also incorporates check valves, which aren't needed if both hot and cold supplies come from the same header tank. Removing the hot one may solve the problem, to a degree, at least.
Click to expand...
Isn't 0.4 very low already? Would I find a shower designed for even lower pressure. Also I should mention in the kitchen the Tap did need replacng cos it wasn't correct bar and just came out as a trickle when hot.

Pretty sure its gravity fed but ill do some investigating.
 
Some years ago, I used to get promotional literature from the manufacturers along the lines of "our new tap/mixer/shower is the highest flowing on the market.
Cue the rise and influence of the tree huggers.
Now I get literature "our new tap/mixer/shower is the most economical and water saving on the market" which translates as "our new tap/mixer/shower is the lowest flowing on the market".
This is called progress.
Used to be no trouble finding stuff down to 0.1 bar, but these are few and far between nowadays. Still 0.2 bar stuff around, but even then it'll be a poor flow compared to what is considered normal these days. A double ended automatic shower pump is the usual solution.
 
brianmoooore said:
Some years ago, I used to get promotional literature from the manufacturers along the lines of "our new tap/mixer/shower is the highest flowing on the market.
Cue the rise and influence of the tree huggers.
Now I get literature "our new tap/mixer/shower is the most economical and water saving on the market" which translates as "our new tap/mixer/shower is the lowest flowing on the market".
This is called progress.
Used to be no trouble finding stuff down to 0.1 bar, but these are few and far between nowadays. Still 0.2 bar stuff around, but even then it'll be a poor flow compared to what is considered normal these days. A double ended automatic shower pump is the usual solution.
Click to expand...

I've had a few beers tonight with the Mrs, but full marks to Brian for knowledge of showers and BMWs!
 
brianmoooore said:
The manual confirms you have the version with a min pressure of 0.4 bar, so it's odds on that this is the problem.
Manual also confirms that there are inlet filters (part #3).
The filter also incorporates check valves, which aren't needed if both hot and cold supplies come from the same header tank. Removing the hot one may solve the problem, to a degree, at least.
Click to expand...
Only one degree that's not a lot :)
 
Another note: I ignored this but she said the shower is hotter when the hot water is switched on at the programmer and yes it does seem to be. Again the hot tap a meter away is not affected as long as the hot water came on in the morning it has hot/boiling water but the shower having the hot water does make it better.
Any ideas?
 
There's absolutely no point in doing so when a pump isn't involved, but the hot water for a shower is often taken from a slightly lower point in the cylinder than the rest of the hot water, to avoid problems with water being sucked down the cylinder vent pipe and air being drawn into the pump.
This arrangement leads to the hot water to the shower 'running out' a little before the hot water to the rest of the house, which would fit with the shower being a 'little better' with the boiler on.
A pic of the cylinder would confirm.
Are you sure that there isn't a shower pump somewhere, that may be switched off or otherwise not working for some reason?
 
Thanks again for talking me through - Again I do feel this might have happened since the new boiler but I could be way off.

Is this what you want?

[ElectriciansForums.net] Plumbing Question - Shower not hot

and do you know what this is> it's in a cupboard near the shower room?

[ElectriciansForums.net] Plumbing Question - Shower not hot

If you want higher def pictures let me know.
 
Last edited:
Mark Wright said:
This?
View attachment 107974
Click to expand...
Thanks
I don't want to hijack Mr moooore's contribution, but that seems to be a pump for hot and cold, maybe for the shower?
Is that a dented flexi or just my eyes?
Does it come on when you run the shower - should be able to tell from the noise/vibration!
 
Its a temp controller for underfloor heating systems. But can still be used
Mark Wright said:
Thanks again for talking me through - Again I do feel this might have happened since the new boiler but I could be way off.

Is this what you want?

View attachment 107969

and do you know what this is> it's in a cupboard near the shower room?

View attachment 107970

If you want higher def pictures let me know.
Click to expand...
temp control unit designed for underfloor systems .But its fine
 
ill have a feel of those flexi pipes and see if they get hot?

I think that pump was fitted/replaced when the boiler was. So if the pump comes on with the shower and not the tap - the shower is fed from a different source?
 
Last edited:
The feed for the shower hot does come from a special fitting that draws the water from slightly down the cylinder, and that is most definitely a shower pump on the end of the pipe that feeds from it.
Follow the flex from the pump to where it connects to a FCU, and see if it is switched on.
Also, check that the gate valve with the red wheel handle, near the top of the cylinder is fully turned on.
 
Last edited:
brianmoooore said:
The feed for the shower hot does come from a special fitting that draws the water from slightly down the cylinder, and that is most definitely a shower pump on the end of the pipe that feeds from it.
Follow the flex from the pump to where it connects to a FCU, and see if it is switched on.
Also, check that the gate valve with the red wheel handle, near the top of the cylinder is fully turned on.
Click to expand...
Hi yes the pump comes on with the shower. I posted a video above but it's probably not showing :(

With the shower running the two flexi pipes at the front of the pump are warm but not hot
[ElectriciansForums.net] Plumbing Question - Shower not hot
 
The gate valve is open full - I closed it to see what would happen and it was still slightly warm? maybe cos the pipes were warm.

So I'm guessing something is not right with the feed to the pump. But cant understand why the tap is hot because it's from the same tank.
 
The immersion heater would normally be switched off. It's only there to a) block up the big hole in the cylinder, and b) as an emergency backup if the boiler is out of order.
The problem with the shower is definitely the non working of the shower pump. Everything that has been discussed before is now irrelevant.
Do you have a non contact voltage detector (Volt Stick)? If so, wave it around the pump cable to see if it is live.
 
brianmoooore said:
The immersion heater would normally be switched off. It's only there to a) block up the big hole in the cylinder, and b) as an emergency backup if the boiler is out of order.
The problem with the shower is definitely the non working of the shower pump. Everything that has been discussed before is now irrelevant.
Do you have a non contact voltage detector (Volt Stick)? If so, wave it around the pump cable to see if it is live.
Click to expand...
The OP said that the pump comes on with the shower #66
 
Ah, so that's what that short video was about. Doesn't come over very well on a laptop without sound. Listened to it on my phone now, and it doesn't sound very happy, but having been asked many times to diagnose car faults from videos, I know that's the norm.
The black connectors at the top of the pump flexible pipes often have quarter turn isolator valves built into them. If they are present, are they all fully on?
I've also come across pumps where there are little mesh filters built into the rubber washers between the nuts at the bottom of the flexible pipes and the pump.
All comments about the shower valve having a to high minimum pressure requirement are now invalid. Something's blocking the hot water flow.
 

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