Thermostatic Cartridge Replacement

WLSM

Hi, I'm struggling to find a replacement shower thermostatic cartridge online in Ireland. Found 1 place selling them in the UK. Any suggestions on where to get it? I'm based in Dublin.

Sleeper12

What make & model cartridge do you need? There are hundreds that look the same but are all different.

This is where the plumber earns his money. Replacing the cartridge takes minutes. Tracking down the correct cartridge can take hours upon hours.

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058320826/thermostatic-cartridge-replacement

I find this is a very cynical money grab from shower companies these days. I have a under 3 yr old Triton Vitino concentric shower that is dripping away and Triton dont supply a replacement cartridge so the shower is effectively scrap. This is the 2nd Tritino I will have to scrap, the 1st one only lasted 4 years.

I have another Triton and the on/off lever mechanism broke after 5 years. Triton no longer supplied this €25 odd part as redesigned the part 2 years after I buying the shower and couldnt be bothered maintaining a stock of the original design. So a new €800 shower had to be bought because of Tritons greed

Moral of the story for me is only buy showers if replacement cartridges are available and buy at least one replacement when purchasing the shower.

WLSM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121318455#Comment_121318455

Hi, there isn't a make or model printed on the one I have. The model number on the Di Vapor website in the UK is GF78935, but I don't know if that is just for their version or if it is a general model number.

cubix

You will find most crowds here will have to order in from the UK anyway as customer requests. So either order directly from Di Vapor or email Shower Doctor parkwest with Di Vapor link/ your pĥoto as they will sometimes keep stocks

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121318853#Comment_121318853

EU law states that parts must be available for at least seven years after an appliance goes out of production. If they don't have the parts then you are entitled to a replacement shower or a discounted one. Triton in Ireland do stock parts for seven years as required by law. I'm guessing the shower you had is a UK only model. Triton UK stopped suppling parts for seven years after Brexit. Triton Ireland only stock parts for Irish triton models. This is why most plumbers won't use Screwfix, B&Q Amazon etc for things like showers. Many showers bought from these companies are UK models and have no warranty here in Ireland

Edit: Not being familiar with the Triton Vitino I did a quick search online. It is indeed a UK only model and made exclusively for Screwfix.

If you buy an Irish model triton from an Irish trade counter you will get a full parts & labour warranty & they will have parts for at least seven years after the model goes out of production.

Lots of negative things about the EU but they give us fantastic consumer protection

earlyevening

I can recommend Di Vapor. Needed a cartridge a few years ago - sent them a photo and they sent it over to me. Think it was 70 pounds?

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121369517#Comment_121369517

The original Triton showers were purchased in B&Q Newry well before Brexit and both B&Q and Triton refused to honour the warranty even though the shower was damaged on delivery. Triton UK telling me to buzz off as shower installed outside UK while Triton IRL didnt want to know. I contacted Triton IRL later asking if they would suggest a like for like Irish model which could be purchased with a spare cartridge and the person I spoke with was most unhelpful basically telling me to go away and talk to a triton retailer. Not a fam of that brand.

In any case, despite the wonderful EU protections, Scewfix Ireland have no issue continuing to sell these showers that cant be repaired. Maybe I should threaten them with the ECJ to see their reaction.

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121372277#Comment_121372277

You bought a shower from a different country that originated from a company connected in no way to Earthridge here in Ireland. It had no Irish warranty. You did have the option to claim a free or reduced price shower from B&Q. Your contract was with them and not Triton UK. You should have pushed harder at the time.

You have to remember that Triton Ireland (Earthridge / Maynooth Shower Maintenance) are an Irish company. They have absolutely nothing to do with Triton UK. Not a sister company or anything like that. This is why they will never call themselves Triton. They will have absolutely no knowledge about UK only model showers so they will offer no advice on replacement models. This is information that your installer will provide.

I've been posting here for years warning of the difficulties & lack of warranty when showers and pumps are sourced from outside of ireland. A Stuart Turner or Salamander pump is cheaper from screwfix BUT it can come at the cost of the 5 years parts and labour warranty.

Anyway I can assure you that any Irish triton showers will have parts available for seven years after the model goes out of production

embracingLife

Sleeper10

It's good someone on here who's aware of the non existant Screwfix warranty that many people believe still apply when buying stuff from Screwfix!

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121372435#Comment_121372435

Thanks for info. Will try and source an Irish equivalent to the vitino with same footprint to avoid any need to redecorate.

Im still not clear why Triton IRL chooses to to use a brand name identical to a household UK brand and continue to be surprised why people get confused that they are completely unconnected brands.

By the way B&Q knowingly sold that shower to an Irish resident and first thing they advised about a warranry issue was when there was a problem and they flatly refused to honour it as box was opened in a diferent jurisdiction. We were all in the EU at that stage. Terrible company, never darkened their door again. May now have to add Screwfix to that list

Sleeper12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121383979#Comment_121383979

Earthridge / Maynooth Shower Maintenance don't use the name Triton in any shape or form. They are an import company. They do sell "some" Triton showers but they also Vado showers and half a dozen other brands. They never claim that they are Triton or related to Triton UK.

There is an expression "buyer beware". You'll often hear a solicitor handle the sale of a house use this expression. It basically means that you, as a consumer, must inform yourself about a sale /contract. Going to another country /jurisdiction and buying goods "assuming" the warranty offered in one country would be the same when you take goods out of that country is your fault (I respectfully say) & not B&Q. Reading the warranty information clearly states that the warranty is only offered in the UK.

Quite often you are better off paying the little bit extra & buying from an Irish trade counter. I can buy showers cheaper from Screwfix, B&Q etc but I never do. The Irish warranty is far more important to me

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121384047#Comment_121384047

Can I buy a triton shower in Ireland that rather uniquely has no connection with the exact same brand I can buy on the same island? Its pretty simple to reduce this confusion.

What I dont fully understand is that Screwfix is a bricks and mortar Irish based retailer that continues to sell a Triton shower for which a basic consumable part is unavailable. Is this compliant with EU legislation?

I agree with you though increasingly some retailers dont give a damn about their customers and then some wonder why people are moving away from traditional bricks and mortar retailers. On the other hand there are plenty really helpful retailers and they get and deserve loyalty.

Apologies to OP for derailing the thread

Sleeper12

I find many retailers don't care. Particularly Screwfix, B&Q. If you buy an Aqualisa Aquastream for example from Screwfix it has no Irish warranty. There is a 3 years parts and labour warranty if you buy from Heatmerchants, Chadwicks etc. If the motor fails on the Aqualisa Aquastream it will cost close to €400 to have the motor replaced. If it's less than 12 months old you need to pay someone to remove it from your bathroom. You need to bring it back to Screwfix. They send it off to be repaired. You then need to pay to have it installed again once repaired.

I also see the North as Ireland but it's a different jurisdiction so that is a bit different. I do believe that retailers selling goods here in Ireland that they import themselves (bypassing the official Irish agent) should have to disclose this fact to you. It is reasonable to expect, that something sold in an Irish store would have an Irish warranty.

Wearb

Remember that a warranty does not supercede irish/eu law and you can go after any company trading here using the sale of goods act.

Warranties are sometimes used to fob off customers. I had that recently with a well known chain. I was told that there was nothing they could as its 1 year warranty was up. I eventually spoke to the manager and stated consumer law and said that I'd take this as far as needed. She replaced the item as a once off. ----Not once off for me if it happens again.

Hopefully my experience will help someone fobbed off with a similar excuse.

Sleeper12

I find a lot of retailers, manufacturers plead ignorance of consumer law hoping you just go away.

Small claims court is your friend if retailer hides behind the manufacturer warranty and tries to pass the buck