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Water is finally back except in shower (Triton t90si), possible airlock ?

  • 14-01-2010 12:33pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭


    Like a lot of people my water went last weekend but came back Tuesday night, everything now works except the shower. Tank in the attic is full so I'm suspecting an airlock maybe ?. I used to be an electrician 3 & a 1/2 years (never qualified but know how to do 99% of domestic electrical work) but unfortunately my plumbing knowledge is limited, so I asked an old work friend how to fix the lock, got a couple of problems though.

    First, I turned off the RCD/trip switch for the shower to isolate it and took the cover off, I was told to trace the pipe leading to the shower in my attic back to the tank and turn it off then remove the filter from the unit (Filter is number 15 in the guide).

    http://www.showerdoc.co.uk/shower-spares/triton/triton-t90si-pumped.html

    I have tried turning this with my hand but its too tight, I could use a pliers but its made of plastic and am afraid Ill break it. I was told if I do get it off to remove a small mesh inside, clean it if needs be, turn the water in the tank back on and water should flow eventually out the filter. Once done turn the tank off again, put the mesh back in and tighten the filter, then put the cover back on and turn back on the tank and RCD then it should work once powered up. I was also told I may need to put the shower on the cold and the lowest pressure setting, then gradually raise it, is this true ?.

    Anyway I have tried all of the above except removing the filter as I am afraid I may break it, is it safe to open with a pliers if I cant do it by hand ?. Also, a friend in work said he got his working by just leaving it on cold but the highest pressure for 2 hours, it worked but I don't want to blow out the motor (plus he's renting and I'm paying a mortgage so his landlord will end up paying if the motor fries unlike me).

    Help is appreciated, getting tired of washing myself with a kettle of water in the sink, thanks in advance :(


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 16 Mike2010


    Is your shower feed from the tank in the attic and your copper cylinder?
    If so, try turng on all taps up stairs (hot and cold, bath, sinks, en-suites and main bathroom) and then try to start the shower.
    When my water came back I had an air lock in the bath taps, and I freed it by doing the above.
    It should come back in less than a min. Otherwise turn off the taps again and save water :)
    If the shower is mains fed, then I dont know ... it should just work if the pressure is good enough ... (if there is pressure to fill the attic tank, then it should reach the shower too)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,710 ✭✭✭meercat


    between the earth connection and number 14 ,slightly to the right and just above the bottom left fixing screw is a thumbwheel.unscrew this.drop hose below shower unit. Make sure power is off


  • Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Johnick


    Thanks guys

    meercat: Sorry if I come accross a bit stupid but just so we are on the same level, by thumbwheel you mean one of these ?

    http://rocky.digikey.com/weblib/Panasonic/Web%20Photos/New%20Photos/THUMBWHEEL%20POT%20P4C,P4D.jpg

    If so, Im in work now so cant access the unit but dont remember anything like that being there ?.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,710 ✭✭✭meercat


    similar,white ,edge facing you,its in diagram,not marked,follow inlet pipe 14 through filter 15 into next chamber.The thumbwheel is to the left of this.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 382 ✭✭corkproducers


    I think he means the Filter Cap which is labelled 15,
    or "Filter Assembly" as its labelled in the picture.

    Had to do this myself today,
    had a shower when the water came back,
    but it was at low pressure so the tank emptied,
    and a lot of dirt at the bottom of the tank went down the pipe and into the filter.

    I was able to get ours off by hand by, its a Mira shower though.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,710 ✭✭✭meercat


    Thanks. The bleed valve is after the filter which the op is struggling to remove.
    It should be easier from here.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 672 ✭✭✭items


    I've brought on many air locked showers without even opening tool box, first thing anyone should do is, undo shower hose, let hose lie down on tray, turn temp setting to lowest possible setting, turn on shower. Suction occurs @ shower feed inlet, sometimes its enough to draw the air out, all depends on how much air in pipe, how far shower is from attic tank. By turning the setting to cold the heating element wont kick in, risk of burning out shower is reduced. Only run shower for 30 sec to a min max, and only repeat a few times, anymore might bring on some problems, depending on shower, some showers use the water as lubrication for moving parts.

    If shower wont come on that way, undo last shower supply fitting in attic, let it flow out into a basin, once a constant flow of water, re do fitting, run shower @ coldest setting until back to full flow.

    Sometimes the internal bleed is to small to remove air from air locked pipe, many times you can have it wide open, still no air or water.


  • Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Johnick


    Here's the insides, still having trouble getting that valve off

    http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr282/Johnick/1a.jpg

    and here's the right, just for the hell of it.

    http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr282/Johnick/1b.jpg

    Still no joy yet :(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 363 ✭✭dan de man


    meercat wrote: »
    between the earth connection and number 14 ,slightly to the right and just above the bottom left fixing screw is a thumbwheel.unscrew this.drop hose below shower unit. Make sure power is off

    it was that simple,many thanks


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Matamoros


    I have water in my attic tanks and hot water in the cylinder and coming from taps, my cold water taps except for the kitchen sink have little or no water coming out of them. Is this an air lock? Fingal Co Co's site mention needing a hose pipe, any help would be greatly appreciated.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭Johnick


    Yes!, finally workin, thanks a lot Meercat and Item's :)

    Had to do what both of ye said but its workin perfect now, though maybe its a coincidence but now the sink in my bathroom is blocked ? (waters flying out of the taps but nowhere to go).

    Oh well, hopefully a dose of cheap Tesco bleach will sort that.

    Thanks again lads ;-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 672 ✭✭✭items


    Matamoros wrote: »
    I have water in my attic tanks and hot water in the cylinder and coming from taps, my cold water taps except for the kitchen sink have little or no water coming out of them. Is this an air lock? Fingal Co Co's site mention needing a hose pipe, any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Could be an air lock, if your handy with spanners and hot press valves are in good shape give this a go,

    Find cold water storage valve in hot press, turn valve off, with a bucket close by, open bottom half of valve, lift valve off pipe underneath, hold closed valve over bucket, open valve into bucket until a good constant flow comes out, turn off valve, slip valve back on to pipe, tighten up nut, open valve, check for leaks.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Matamoros


    I will give that a go, can't do too much harm. I spoke to my Dad who said that my water pressure might be low as I am the last in line on a block of houses, would this be a factor? I am getting a small continuous driggle of water out of the cold tap in the bathroom but nowhere near the usual flow. Cheers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭kodak


    Matamoros wrote: »
    I will give that a go, can't do too much harm. I spoke to my Dad who said that my water pressure might be low as I am the last in line on a block of houses, would this be a factor? I am getting a small continuous driggle of water out of the cold tap in the bathroom but nowhere near the usual flow. Cheers.

    Similar happened to me,
    I have a mixer tap on the bath. Opened the cold tap and hot tap, pop your hand on where water comes out and a second later I had my full water again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,710 ✭✭✭meercat


    Matamoros sounds like airlock. Can you put hose on kitchen cold water pipe and connect other end to cold pipe downstairs sink. Open all cold taps to force trapped air out.Otherwise if you have shower hose turn hot and cold fully on. Remove showerhead. Place thumb over flow of water and force hot water back up cold pipe. Worth try.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,710 ✭✭✭meercat


    Kodak beat me to it


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Matamoros


    Thanks for the help, I have tried Kodak's suggestion and warm water started to come out of the cold tap in the bathroom wash handbasin, I turned that off and went to my en suite sink which I had left on and warm water came from there too. I will give your other suggestion a go as well Meercat.


  • Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭kodak


    Matamoros wrote: »
    Thanks for the help, I have tried Kodak's suggestion and warm water started to come out of the cold tap in the bathroom wash handbasin, I turned that off and went to my en suite sink which I had left on and warm water came from there too. I will give your other suggestion a go as well Meercat.

    Hi,

    Is the tap you tried a mixer tap? http://www.goldn.co.uk/images/samples/chrome_mixer_tap.jpg

    The cold water should be open, turn on hot water, put your hand over the bit where the water comes out. There should be a nice spray of water.
    The hot water is meant to go up through the cold water pipe forcing the air into the attic tank, bye bye air lock..


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 139 ✭✭Matamoros


    Thanks Kodak, my bath taps are similar to the one pictured. I will try it again and see how it goes.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 redron


    hi everyone, so i seem to be in the same boat as some of you.The water supply was shut off last week and then was turned back on a few days later. All the hot and cold water taps are now working again but there is no water flow in the electric shower(Triton T90si) upstairs. I tried turning it on with it set to low pressure and low temp for a minute or two but no joy. I repeated that a few times with no results. I also checked the filter inside and cleaned it but that didnt help either.
    Any other suggestions as to what could be wrong,and what could be done?
    Also worth mentioning that i have another elec shower(Triton t80xr) downstairs, but this is working fine.

    Cheers


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