Electric Shower: Broken from non-use?

ampleforth

Dear all,

my new home has an electric shower (Triton) that worked well when I viewed it about 3 months ago. Now, I tried it again and it only dribbles, like there would be not enough water pressure.

Is it possible that the electric shower (or some of its parts) somehow breaks when not being used for a few months? Could there be another reason?

Looking forward to your experiences.

Thanks!

Davy

Could simply be airlocked if the water was drained in the house. May not be a fault with the shower at all.

If the shower is powering up and all lights look okay then plumber would be best to confirm water is getting to it correctly.

BailMeOut

air locked? Had the same issue and called a plumber who fixed in 5 mins. I think he just left it on with the hose dangling towards floor for a few mins after which it started to work.

Sleeper12

ampleforth wrote:

my new home has an electric shower (Triton) that worked well when I viewed it about 3 months ago. Now, I tried it again and it only dribbles, like there would be not enough water pressure.

Do you still hear the motor running? Motor can be seized. A Pumped electric shower should be turned on for 30 seconds or so every two weeks or so if its not being used.

As others have said it could be airlocked though it can't get airlocked when it's not in use. Take the shower head off and drop the hose into the bath or shower tray. Turn on the shower with the bottom dial all the way to blue. This might free up an airlock. If this doesn't work, turn off the power & remove the cover. There is a bleed screw on the side of the pump. Loosen this to purge any air. This is covered in the user manual. Is there is no air, check the filter. Last possibility is the rubber hose inside the shower hose can be damaged. Running the shower without the hose will tell you quickly enough if the hose is the issue

Troubleshooting an electric shower

You'll find the user manual to most electric showers on the above site too

Cerco

I know somebody who moved house and the shower “was not working”. They discovered that they had not switched on the pull cord switch, only trying the switch on shower. Probably not the same in your case but worth checking if there is an isolator switch not powered on.

Sleeper12

Cerco wrote:

I know somebody who moved house and the shower “was not workingâ€. They discovered that they had not switched on the pull cord switch, only trying the switch on shower. Probably not the same in your case but worth checking if there is an isolator switch not powered on.

I get several calls per year from people moving into new homes say that the electric shower isn't heating the water. On quizzing them about the make and model I get to tell them that they have a power shower rather than anything electric shower & it will work p if they turn on the immersion for half an hour be showering.

ampleforth

Thanks for the helpful comments so far. Thanks for the detailed tips and the link, @Sleeper12.

Just to clear up with previous comments, the pull switch was switched on and the shower is an electric shower.

Sleeper12

ampleforth wrote:

Just to clear up with previous comments, the pull switch was switched on and the shower is an electric shower.

Is it a Pumped electric shower? Do you hear the motor running if it is? What's the make and model of the shower?

ampleforth

Resolved.

Like many have advised and shared, simply running the shower for a 5-10 minutes and letting it dangle on the floor resolved the issue.

The electric shower is super strong to my surprise and the water more than hot --- it was not older than a few years at most, given the look, hence my concern at first. It just needs 10 minutes to wake up again. For sure it was not used for at least 3 months...

Thanks to all who replied!

Technique

I have a Mira Sport, about 15 years old, I can get sufficient cold water flow but when I turn the dial to hot it slows to a dribble.

Any ideas?

Rows Grower

Technique wrote: »

I have a Mira Sport, about 15 years old, I can get sufficient cold water flow but when I turn the dial to hot it slows to a dribble.

Any ideas?

Could be just that the filter needs to be cleaned or more likely that the thermal cut out switch needs to be replaced.

Check the filter first (be prepared to get wet).

The thermal cut out switch sounds very complicated but look up the shower doctor on Youtube and you can order one from them too as far as I remember for under 20 euro delivered.

Sleeper12

There are two elements in a sealed heating can. One of the elements has blown. New element is around 200 euros supplied & fitted as mira parts are very expensive. It's time to put in a new shower

If the Tco has blown you won't get any warm water at all. It will be stone cold.