Electric Shower Problem HELP!!

Milkmaid

Hi I have an old electric shower, about 15years old that gets lot of use.
Some months back the string switch thing wouldnt come on so I got someone to look at it and he taped the two wires together and shower worked fine, we weer careful to switch off the breaker at the fuse box every time we used shower.

Now the shower was in use after the thaw (the pipe to shower froze over Christmas) and all was grand. In recent days the mains has been off due to water rationing and I noticed the water was brownish the first few days when it came on for an hour or two. I never used the shower cos of the water colour but now the mains looks clean and I tried the shower today (so switched breaker on at fuse box)...it came on but the water is cold. The light came on for a minute then went off.
I have switched the breaker on and off but no joy
I don't want to go at the string switch as I am clueless.....I checked the attic tank and the water does look a little yellow but there is no problem with the water pressure from the shower itself...the light is just off and water cold.
The shower is a Mira Sport circa 1995.....it is the only shower.
It's just me and my kid so any help would be welcome!

Sparkpea

ok first things first

a mira sport electric shower shouldn't be piped off the tank, and its probably not (unless ur sure of this) and colour of that water in the tank doesnt really matter.

dirty water is probably coming through from the mains on the road - this can happen when its turned on from being off.

some of your options

a) turn the shower up to fully cold and then slowly back to your normal temp setting while shower is operational

b) filter in the shower is blocked

c) when you say no light is coming on is that on the shower box or on the pull cord? if its shower box then there may be a wiring problem at the pull cord or the wires may have melted at the shower box, the latter normally means new shower and the element has probably burnt out

Milkmaid

Thanks for the reply..I looked again up in attic and the shower pipe goes from a pipe the goes into the tank..and this pipe was frozen over Xmas.

The light does not come on in the shower box except for a few mins earlier today.
The pull cord is bypassed I think as the wires in it were taped together as the plastic spring inside the pull cord switch is broken..so I normally switch off the electrics at the fuse box.

The water pressure is good just freezing.I noticed that I had to turn up the temp setting way high earlier since Autumn..just assumed it was cos of colder water in the attic (I guess it was the mains after all!).

Thanks..guess it is a gonner

Sparkpea

no I would have someone check those 'taped wires' first, they could have lost contact. also get them to take the cover off the shower when its isolated and check that wires etc have not melted

Milkmaid

Thanks a mil..I had better get someone to look at the wires. Better to be on safe side.
Thanks and Happy New Year

Buford T Justice

Taping shower cable together is an extremely reckless thing to do. Get this sorted and have a new pullcord fitted before you go any further.

Milkmaid

Hi yes..I was embarrassed even to admit that:eek:

Anyhow..I am going to get an electrician to look at it. The shower is actually older than I thought..about 1992 apparently. The bathroom has always made me ill to look at...1970s and loads of cracks and limescale. I hate using it.

Think I will replace the shower and take out the bath as the bathroom is about 6ft x 6 ft.
Not sure how much it will cost me to do..is there a forum for advice?

Thanks to everyone

Buford T Justice

Milkmaid wrote: »

Hi yes..I was embarrassed even to admit that:eek:

Anyhow..I am going to get an electrician to look at it. The shower is actually older than I thought..about 1992 apparently. The bathroom has always made me ill to look at...1970s and loads of cracks and limescale. I hate using it.

Think I will replace the shower and take out the bath as the bathroom is about 6ft x 6 ft.
Not sure how much it will cost me to do..is there a forum for advice?

Thanks to everyone

DIY is good for that sort of thing, if you plan to do it yourself.

Joey the lips

I would bet its pressure problems. The water is back but not fully yet.

It will.

Mira sports are bullet proof. Brilliant shower.

As for the switch... Its a dangerous and deadly thing you do and the person that attached the wires is liable for prosecution under law.

if something happens.

Get it fixed.

Milkmaid

Hi Joey, would pressure stop the water from heating? There is water just cold. It is hard to know as I am on top of massive hill and the water pressure is always bad up here..and has been lower than usual as water was off for so many days.

It is a brilliant shower..really long life. I miss it and I have take baths now..like a baby LOL.

Really hate the bathroom..a really big girl would have to reverse in the doorway to use the toilet

Doom

I

Milkmaid wrote: »

Hi I have an old electric shower, about 15years old that gets lot of use.
Some months back the string switch thing wouldnt come on so I got someone to look at it and he taped the two wires together and shower worked fine, we weer careful to switch off the breaker at the fuse box every time we used shower.

Now the shower was in use after the thaw (the pipe to shower froze over Christmas) and all was grand. In recent days the mains has been off due to water rationing and I noticed the water was brownish the first few days when it came on for an hour or two. I never used the shower cos of the water colour but now the mains looks clean and I tried the shower today (so switched breaker on at fuse box)...it came on but the water is cold. The light came on for a minute then went off.
I have switched the breaker on and off but no joy
I don't want to go at the string switch as I am clueless.....I checked the attic tank and the water does look a little yellow but there is no problem with the water pressure from the shower itself...the light is just off and water cold.
The shower is a Mira Sport circa 1995.....it is the only shower.
It's just me and my kid so any help would be welcome!

messing with wiring like that could Start a fire or get someone killed. Get an electrician.

Joey the lips

Milkmaid wrote: »

Hi Joey, would pressure stop the water from heating? There is water just cold. It is hard to know as I am on top of massive hill and the water pressure is always bad up here..and has been lower than usual as water was off for so many days.

It is a brilliant shower..really long life. I miss it and I have take baths now..like a baby LOL.

Really hate the bathroom..a really big girl would have to reverse in the doorway to use the toilet

Yes it would..... One of the biggest killers with the T80 as well... Low pressure prevents the solenoid valve opening in the shower properly as well.