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Trtiton Shower Problem

  • 19-09-2006 11:37am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭


    Hope somebody has an answer to this one...

    Triton Shower (T90si) started whining and won't heat the water - doesn't matter what heat setting I use. I 'm guessing that it isn't that old although I don't know when it was put in as I bought the house in Feb with it already installed - no maual for the shower either.

    Any ideas?


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 23 DanteMancino


    Basically a triton t90 is a "pumped electric" shower. These does mean it has a pump but doesnt mean the water pressure will improve.

    The shower itself consists of an electric element similar to a kettle element. The pump regulates the speed of the water passing over that element and thus ensures that the water stays at the exact temperature you set it to. However, When the water fails to heat the problem is usually with the element. If the water temperature changes constantly from insanely hot to very cold without you changing the setting its probably the pump.

    Triton have a year replacement or repair policy which may entitle you to a free call out and fix up.

    To be honest the triton t90 isnt that old so unless it was one of the first t90's in a rather angular box rather than the curved edges of its younger counterpart its probably a faulty unit rather than simply knackerd by age.

    If all else fails, the most expensive part of a t90 is getting the mains power run to the bathroom. The rest of the unit is simply detatched from teh wall and replaced with a new one if that helps.

    Good Luck


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    Hope somebody has an answer to this one...

    Triton Shower (T90si) started whining and won't heat the water - doesn't matter what heat setting I use. I 'm guessing that it isn't that old although I don't know when it was put in as I bought the house in Feb with it already installed - no maual for the shower either.

    Any ideas?

    Hi Conleth
    My sister has 1 of the 1st T90.....donkey yrs old now
    In the 1st couple of yrs I had to change just about everything, Including the tank (incl. elec element). Easy enough to work on. One part that broke a number of times was the "actuator" a small fragile piece of black plastic that screws down the shaft when you turn on water, it actuates an elec switch to heat water. This little actuator is the only awkward piece when reinstalling.
    CAREFULLY (mains off at first) run shower with cover off. You can usually find fault with circuit / phase tester. Can't remember name of agent (in Maynooth) but great to deal with. All parts sent by post.
    Most sparks won't repair instant showers ( because of call backs for diff faults..and they can't charge again & again for diff faults) They usually recommend replacement. Sister's T90 has been OK for past 5 yrs....(touching wood)
    Regards
    t


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,086 ✭✭✭stapeler


    Are you getting water flow from the shower? Is it possible that the flow is insufficient causing the heating element to overheat and cut out. Possibly a failed heating element. There is a troubleshooting guide & "triton doctor" at www.tritonshowers.co.uk or you can contact them at:

    Triton Showers & Accessories. IEarthridge International Dowdstown, Maynooth Tel: [edit] (numbers removed as they are incorrect) if anyone has the correct number please advise here - probably easy to find in the book or goldenpages.ie)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,332 ✭✭✭311


    If the shower has a good flow of water coming from it and it's not heating ,
    then it's knackered.
    Theres normally only 12 months guarantee with the triton as far as I know.
    Anytime we install a triton and it gives trouble ,their service guy is out the next day.

    If it's only a new shower ,get it checked to see if the water supply has dirt in it ,which might have caused the shower to break.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭Pataman


    Limescale?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭mathias


    Its the pump , a small part inside the unit , I had exactly the same problem with exactly the same unit ,

    It cost 90 euros for someone to come a replace the part , took him about 20 minutes.

    Heres a link , its the part on the left and is wired to the mains ,

    http://www.showerright.co.uk/T90si_Pumped_dia_4.jpg

    You can buy the part but I wouldn't do it yourself if you are not comfortable around mains electric wiring.

    I think Barretts in Maynooth are the guys who fixed it for me by the way !


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 902 ✭✭✭BreadBoard


    Barretts in Maynooth ;), yeah got parts for our T90i there. We have our T90i over 10 years and it's still going strong.

    Although we have replaced nearly every part. :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Thanks for the replies and advice.

    I just took off the cover to see if there was anything obvious - not to my eye, so I put the cover back on again and just in case I tried the shower again. It struggled for a while, but then came good! Don't know what is going on but if it stays like this I'll be happy.

    Thanks again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    Thanks for the replies and advice.

    I just took off the cover to see if there was anything obvious - not to my eye, so I put the cover back on again and just in case I tried the shower again. It struggled for a while, but then came good! Don't know what is going on but if it stays like this I'll be happy.

    Thanks again.

    What do you mean "struggled"?. Do you mean low water output ?.It's yrs since I had one open but I think it's the "actuator"(that's their name). Take off cover again and turn on water valve, looking carefully at actuator. If actuator is broken (no longer has a full circle of plastic) then you will get hit and miss operation...quite literally. Sometimes the electrical switch will operate, depending on actuator's position on shaft.
    If I'm right, Ring them and they'll probably send you a couple free (my experience)
    Careful replacing it. It won't go on when you remove the old one(full circle of plastic instead of 1/2 circle) You have to remove or loosen the full component the actuator's on....Main valve I think (from memory). But if you can change a tap washer you can do this
    You grabbed my interest now..so let's know how you get on

    t


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,422 ✭✭✭Avns1s


    Sounds like it could be an airlock. When there is air in the system, the pump will emit a high pitched whine until it fills with water again.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Tapest

    It struggled for about 20 seconds - water stayed cold and the shower sounded like it was working very hard. But then it came good and has been heating the water since. When I had the cover off I really didn't see the actuator and nothing seemed to be broken. I'm actually getting the house ready to go on the market so if its working now and stays that way for the next couple of months until the deal is done I'll be happy!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,107 ✭✭✭enfield


    Hey guys any chance of a help please?
    I live in Tipperary and have a problem with lime in the water so I am used to changing the boiler and thermostat (on top of the boiler). Two weeks ago the unit gave all the impressions of the big element being knackered. When it was on the highest setting and all the way into the red on the dial it was still luke warm. I ordered a new boiler and thermostat, installed it and....it was no different. What the heck am I doing wrong? Please please throw me a lifeline, this is doing my head in. What could I do now? what have I missed?
    Your in desperation.
    Tom in Holycross.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Back to this problem. I've since had the bathroom retiled and the shower has been out of operation in the meantime. I reattached the unit to the wall (tiler had taken it off) last night and now I have no water! I opened the water inlet to the shower to see if there was any flow and there isn't. Surely there should be?


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    I opened the water inlet to the shower to see if there was any flow and there isn't. Surely there should be?

    Do it again with unit off wall...just to be sure,to be sure,to be sure that byou have water supply. Then fault is in shower. If no flow at all thriugh shower check for air lock or that the shower valve is opening ( while your at it check that actuatoe again, lol)
    t


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Hi tapest

    See pic showing water inlet opened and no water flow. Must be a problem back the line somewhere? Where is this actuator at?

    Conleth


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭charlie@w.d


    take a look at your picture....left hand side of the shower.see where the earth cable goes up to meet its connection, half ways up theres a nozzel to the right of the earth, unscrew that nozzel till theres a steady flow of water commin out of it. if theres no water at alll then it must be turned off up in the attic.
    p.s make sure u trip the shower mcb/rcd before doing any of this just to be on the safe side


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭charlie@w.d


    enfield wrote:
    Hey guys any chance of a help please?
    I live in Tipperary and have a problem with lime in the water so I am used to changing the boiler and thermostat (on top of the boiler). Two weeks ago the unit gave all the impressions of the big element being knackered. When it was on the highest setting and all the way into the red on the dial it was still luke warm. I ordered a new boiler and thermostat, installed it and....it was no different. What the heck am I doing wrong? Please please throw me a lifeline, this is doing my head in. What could I do now? what have I missed?
    Your in desperation.
    Tom in Holycross.
    do u mean an immersion tank


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    Hi tapest

    See pic showing water inlet opened and no water flow. Must be a problem back the line somewhere? Where is this actuator at?

    Conleth

    Don't you dare give up now. With all the guys on here we're bound to crack it. A group project, lol.
    As i said in my first post it's been a number of years... I don't see the electrical switch in you photo. The switch / sensor in the centre is in about the right location, but dosen't look like the "right" one. The one I referred to had a leaf spring off to one side ( like an alarm tamper switch). and the actuator operated it when water was turned on. I think it operated the pump(?). It was small black round and the main spindle on the "water on " valve. Maybe they've redesigned it . ( OOPS, and Sorry if they did)
    That 1/2 inch pipe (on the bottom left, un connected ) is the feed...Right??. You should have full flow here. loosen or remove this pipe. If no water here then it's turned off. Thats a stud wall behind the shower Right??. If there is a hot press here and I'm guessing there is, cause the pipe is copper through wall then the 1/2 inch gate valve is located here. They woul'd not have put it anywhere else. and it is turned off.

    Repeat If you have no water at that 1/2 " feed pipe you have a gate valve turned off (red or green round handle). If you find this and you find it "on"....you're wrong...try again it is off. Make sure you operate it fully one way and fully back....or I won't believe you.
    Hurry up and get back to us here with an answer to valve in hot press.
    t


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Just out of attic. There is a pipe from the water tank (in the attic) that seems to be coming directly down the stud wall that the shower is on, so I'm assuming this is the shower feed. There are 2 gate valves on this pipe - one is free and the other appears to be seized - I can manage quarter of a turn and no more, although it looks fairly new. If it seized off I'm not really sure how as I didn't do it although I did have a guy helping me to fit a kitchen and he did go up to the attic to turn off water so maybe that's it. I've tried loosening the grip nut and WD40 but is still won't shift. Any ideas?


  • Registered Users Posts: 448 ✭✭towbar


    Our T90 does exactly as you describe but its becuase I do not have enough of a head of water over it ie. the supply tank is at almost the same height as the shower. Reason is its in a dormer conversion. When it happens I put the shower head down low and the gravity flow helps pull through the water, once its running it continues to run fine.

    Symptons identical - squealing, no water and then runs smooth after 20 seconds or so...

    If this is your problem and you wanted to fix - the previous owners of our house had placed a criculating pump in line and used it to boost the flow to the shower, but we never bother using it as you need to remember to turn on and off the circulating pump.

    If height is not your problem then its almost certainly something to do with waterflow as the squealing is as result of the pump running dry.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭charlie@w.d


    1stly did u bleed the shower? as most cases in shwers its an air lock


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Charlie, didn't bleed it as when I disconnect the inlet pipe there is no water flowing from it - now think that the gate valve is buggered and am going to try and replace it. But may need to bleed it afterwards - would that be using the nozzle you were talking about?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 118 ✭✭charlie@w.d


    yea thats the nozzel
    its funny that the valve would get buggered in that short space of time, didnt the plumber use it to turn it off, get a big stilson lol the tap must be seized. maybe dont though u could unleash a tidal wave, im no plumber!


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    Just out of attic. There is a pipe from the water tank (in the attic) that seems to be coming directly down the stud wall that the shower is on, so I'm assuming this is the shower feed. There are 2 gate valves on this pipe - one is free and the other appears to be seized - I can manage quarter of a turn and no more, although it looks fairly new. If it seized off I'm not really sure how as I didn't do it although I did have a guy helping me to fit a kitchen and he did go up to the attic to turn off water so maybe that's it. I've tried loosening the grip nut and WD40 but is still won't shift. Any ideas?

    Hi Conleth
    is there a hot press there?? only curious
    I can see only one reason for two gate valves on pipe. And that is that the second gate valve is on a branch off the first pipe (this will be the one nearest shower and "seized". In other words the first valve turns water off from going "everywhere"( bad word to use...too tired to think) and second valve turns off water to shower only. This makes sense. Very little inside gate walve ( no washers like in stop cocks) If it's been off only a few weeks it is not seized , just locked. Use cloth over valve head and turn hard. If you're not strong enough...remove Red lever/head (small nut...and use a small adjusting spanner on top of spindle (there are four flats where the red lever sat)to open valve. Make sure that the entire body does not seperate or you'll flood the place. Support the pipe if need be.
    General note..All gate valves should be operated occasionally. Understandably when undoing pipework etc you need to tighten the valve "off". But when you open Valves they should never be locked open. Always "back off" a little after fully opening valve. This is to prevent valves seizing open. You have given youself the ability to "rock" the valve to and fro to release same
    t


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Tapest

    You'll be glad to hear that it is all sorted - good advice, worked a treat. And there is a hot press but it is not beside the bathroom.

    So now I can have a shower again and not be stinking the place out!


  • Registered Users Posts: 482 ✭✭tapest


    conleth wrote:
    Tapest

    You'll be glad to hear that it is all sorted - good advice, worked a treat. And there is a hot press but it is not beside the bathroom.

    So now I can have a shower again and not be stinking the place out!
    HI
    I was guessing that because the pipe was copper and the way it came through the wall that the hot press was directly behind that wall...Wrong again, that's twice since 1984 (lol).
    Was it a "locked" valve and how did you open it ?? Don't forget to "back off" slightly
    Glad to hear you're leaving the "great unwashed masses" lol
    t


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭conleth


    Hi Tapest, the valve was locked in the off position, so shifted it with grips after removing the head. And backed off a bit so that it doesn't happen again!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 deirdre hegazi


    Hope to find answer,
    Having problem with triton (T90si), although the water appears to feed into the unit there is no water flowing out, could this be a pump problem, and is it fixable? The motor seems to be running.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 fraggle23


    how long would you recommend to leave shower running before water comes tru again, wudn like to end up buning the motor out


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  • Registered Users Posts: 324 ✭✭magotch07


    sorry to drag this topic up again but my T90 shuts down after use most morning once you go in the shower for more than 5 min its shuts down and doesnt work for the next 40 min

    any1 had any similar issues


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