Electric shower heating intermittently

daveharnett

Not sure if this belongs here or in electrical. Mods feel free to move, with my thanks if so.

Our electric shower (gainsborough 8.5kw from argos) has been on the fritx for a few months now. Worked fine from new for 6-8 months. Now when switched on, water will flow (pressure from the head seems to be pretty consistent - not great) but there is at best 50-50 chance that it will heat the water.

If it works, it will continue to work, even if restarted. If it doesn't work, it generally won't work unless left alone for an hour or two.

I'm a little baffled. Anybody got any ideas? 'Normal' pressure on the pipe very close to the safety cutoff?

Thanks

10-10-20

Have you isolated the power and had a look inside?
It sounds like a thermal trip or a bad connection, but typically bad connections on these units tend to lead to massive heat and smoke...
No harm in opening her up (if you're confident enough) and make a visual assesment.

Joey the lips

daveharnett wrote: »

Not sure if this belongs here or in electrical. Mods feel free to move, with my thanks if so.

Our electric shower (gainsborough 8.5kw from argos) has been on the fritx for a few months now. Worked fine from new for 6-8 months. Now when switched on, water will flow (pressure from the head seems to be pretty consistent - not great) but there is at best 50-50 chance that it will heat the water.

If it works, it will continue to work, even if restarted. If it doesn't work, it generally won't work unless left alone for an hour or two.

I'm a little baffled. Anybody got any ideas? 'Normal' pressure on the pipe very close to the safety cutoff?

Thanks

Gainsborough electric 8.5 is an electric shower which means it relies on the mains. Have you connected it to the mains. Do you live in Dublin. Mains pressure is not very good in ireland for showers thats why I stopped importing them.

Have you connected to a mains or the tank. If its connected to the tank you can buy a single impeller booster pump and this will increase the pressure.

Dont make the same mistake of trying to buy a cheap pump. It must be a single impeller. Most are duel.

This is why I never ever worried when people told me a shower was cheaper in argos. They would not believe me if i told them it would stop working and if they did they would not believe the price difference.

items

daveharnett wrote: »

Not sure if this belongs here or in electrical. Mods feel free to move, with my thanks if so.

Our electric shower (gainsborough 8.5kw from argos) has been on the fritx for a few months now. Worked fine from new for 6-8 months. Now when switched on, water will flow (pressure from the head seems to be pretty consistent - not great) but there is at best 50-50 chance that it will heat the water.

If it works, it will continue to work, even if restarted. If it doesn't work, it generally won't work unless left alone for an hour or two.

I'm a little baffled. Anybody got any ideas? 'Normal' pressure on the pipe very close to the safety cutoff?

Thanks

Shower seems new enough, most elec showers performance lessens the longer its in use if supplied by hard water. The effects are fairly noticeable, yours seems different due to being able to heat 100% on occasion and then not heat at all.

6 to 8 months should still come in under warranty so look into that, possible to have shower replaced?

Sounds like their is an elec fault, shower thermostats are fairly sensitive for safety reasons (scalding) so its possible your shower has a thermostat fault, either manufacturer faulty or some how some connections have become loose during transit. Not sure on gainsborough showers, some showers have a case connection, case connection must be made for shower to operate correctly, the lack of a good case connection could also be possible (if one fitted).

daveharnett

Cheers for the ideas lads. I've had a look, internals/wiring all looks fine to the untrained eye. It is plumbed to the tank, so I'm guessing that it's short of pressure.

Joey the lips

daveharnett wrote: »

Cheers for the ideas lads. I've had a look, internals/wiring all looks fine to the untrained eye. It is plumbed to the tank, so I'm guessing that it's short of pressure.

Plumbed to the tank... That is your problem. Its not a tank fed shower. You can buy a single impeller booster pump and fit it in line and bobs your uncle.

However you must have really thought you were getting a bargin when you consider the gainnsborough is about 150 and the T90 is 290

Now you know why.... Its not a pumped electric shower

Who plumbed it. Be careful to make sure that if you get it changed to a t90 that the wireing is checked if it needs to be upgraded.