Descaling an electric shower

taytobreath

Is it possible to descale the inside of an electric shower? My shower runs too hot in the summer time, but at winter it is fine.

I suspect it could be due to too much hard scale that has covered the element in the shower.

Triton t80

Sleeper12

taytobreath wrote:

Is it possible to descale the inside of an electric shower? My shower runs too hot in the summer time, but at winter it is fine.

The water is warmer entering the shower in the summer, therefore the end result is hotter water in summer than winter.

Turn top dial from full power to medium. This will cool down the water. Medium & full power used to be known as summer & winter setting

taytobreath

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The water is warmer entering the shower in the summer, therefore the end result is hotter water in summer than winter.

Turn top dial from full power to medium. This will cool down the water. Medium & full power used to be known as summer & winter setting

Thank you for that advice.

I have tried all settings and it still doesn't work. It only works when the weather turns cool.

John.G

taytobreath wrote: »

Thank you for that advice.

I have tried all settings and it still doesn't work. It only works when the weather turns cool.

My mains water temperature just now is 18C so if one accepts 42C as a reasonable showering temperature then a 9 kw shower has to flow 5.4 LPM to maintain this, changing to the summer setting which is slightly more than 1/2 power, say 5kw will only require a flow of 3 LPM, in the winter, assuming a min mains temperature of 5C (which is the lowest I have ever seen) these flow rates become 3.5 & 2.0 LPM resp.

Its surprising that changing from high to low power doesn't have a effect.

My very first suggestion is to turn the temperature setting to its lowest=highest flow and hold a dish under the shower head for exactly one minute, measure this into a measuring jug or even a 1 litre milk bottle and post back your result, that will soon narrow down the problem.

Re the post title here is a interesting thread but was geared up to cleaning the scale from a tank fed shower but something could be made up to clear yours out, if required.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=110438518

taytobreath

John.G wrote: »

My mains water temperature just now is 18C so if one accepts 42C as a reasonable showering temperature then a 9 kw shower has to flow 5.4 LPM to maintain this, changing to the summer setting which is slightly more than 1/2 power, say 5kw will only require a flow of 3 LPM, in the winter, assuming a min mains temperature of 5C (which is the lowest I have ever seen) these flow rates become 3.5 & 2.0 LPM resp.

Its surprising that changing from high to low power doesn't have a effect.

My very first suggestion is to turn the temperature setting to its lowest=highest flow and hold a dish under the shower head for exactly one minute, measure this into a measuring jug or even a 1 litre milk bottle and post back your result, that will soon narrow down the problem.

Re the post title here is a interesting thread but was geared up to cleaning the scale from a tank fed shower but something could be made up to clear yours out, if required.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=110438518

Hi

Thanks for your answer.

I filled 1.75 pints in 18 seconds.

I read the other threads you linked to. That will be my next plan of attack.

An ingenious method, but somewhat awkward as my tank is in a very tiny space in my attic.

Would injecting the toilet-duck up the output pipe of the shower do it damage.

Sleeper12

taytobreath wrote:

An ingenious method, but somewhat awkward as my tank is in a very tiny space in my attic.

Your T80 is a mains fed shower so won't be fed from the tank unless you have a pump connected

John.G

3.3 LPM will give a showering temperature of 40C from 18C but only with one element in use, if both elements then the TCO should be cutting in/out as the showering temp would be 57C.

Any chance Sleeper12 that an old (English) T80SI with two TCOs could conceivably operate on one element from a header tank if incorrectly installed?....or the T80 for that matter.

taytobreath

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Your T80 is a mains fed shower so won't be fed from the tank unless you have a pump connected

Ah ok. I thought it was coming off the tank.

Did you know that from the model number?

Sleeper12

John.G wrote:

Any chance Sleeper12 that an old (English) T80SI with two TCOs could conceivably operate on one element from a header tank if incorrectly installed?....or the T80 for that matter.

Mains fed shower needs 3/4 to 1 bar (depending on the model) minimum pressure to activate the pressure switch. The tank would need to be 3 or 4 floors above the shower to have enough pressure to activate the pressure switch. It wouldn't matter if you were using 1 or 2 elements as its the same pressure switch for both elements

John.G

I did notice a few years when they were installing water meters around the estate that on the very odd morning the low flow light would illuminate on my Mira Sport, and if I turned the temperature control up (and reduced the flow) until the low flow light extinguished that I could run on one element to avoid the TCO operating. I just wonder if one had borderline mains pressure would this also work on the Triton as I presume that the pressure/flow switches that toggle the micro switches are much the same design. That's the reason I asked was there a possibility of this with the shower incorrectly installed and even "upstairs" even though it obviously cannot give a 0.8 bar differential pressure.

Sleeper12

If he's getting hot water then the pressure is sufficient. Minimum flow rate is around 8 or 9 litres per minute. They will function below this but will struggle in the summer as the water will be too hot

John.G

taytobreath wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for your answer.

I filled 1.75 pints in 18 seconds.

I read the other threads you linked to. That will be my next plan of attack.

An ingenious method, but somewhat awkward as my tank is in a very tiny space in my attic.

Would injecting the toilet-duck up the output pipe of the shower do it damage.

If no already done so I would clean the inlet filter with a old tooth brush as it can make a significant difference even if it looks clean.

Also can't understand why changing from winter (high) power to summer (low) power doesn't make a difference and ditto with changing the temperature dial. At a flow rate of 3.3 LPM and on summer power setting the water should be going hot/cold due to TCO operation and at the winter setting the water temperature should be very pleasant at 40C and certainly not too hot.