D
DarrenTad
Cant get my shower working.
Originally, the plumber fitted a new bathroom suit (cost about £1200) with a
pump (under the bath) with cold mains on one side and hot-water feed (from
the tank) on the other side.
I've since found out that the pump should never have been attached to mains
water pressure, but it seemed to work alright for about 12 months before it
started to leak.
The plumber also fitted some new taps but the hot water pressure through
them was very very low making it almost impossible to run a hot bath
Got a new plumber in (couldn't find the old one!) who re-plumbed the system
(at a cost of £400)putting the pump in the airing cupboard(near the tank) -
this had the effect of increasing the hot water pressure to all the taps
(not just the shower) and looked much neater. Whilst they did this job, they
also swapped the hot & cold feeds to the shower because they said they had
been fitted wrong.
We now had a new problem which was, the shower wouldn't then mix properly -
it was either boiling hot or freezing cold with no in-between.
The new plumber said this was because the cold feed to the pump was mains
pressure and it needed to be fed from a cold water tank in the loft (which
we didn't have)
I asked why the shower had worked ok on mains cold before - they didn't
know!
They quoted me £400 to supply & fit the tank.
I had to wait several months to save for this job to be done (during which
time no showers were possible - only baths)
They fitted the cold water tank this Monday (20th April). Great job - all
connected as it should be (so they tell me) but the shower still wouldn't
mix properly! - Same problem either mad hot or freezing cold!
They said this was because the mixer was faulty! I couldn't do anything but
pay them the money and look at getting a new mixer!
After they'd gone I had a play with the shower and noted that when really
hot, the mixer was in the cold position, and when really cold the mixer was
in the hot position. This seemed to suggest to my simple brain that the
feeds were the wrong way round on the mixer. I remembered that the new
plumbers and switched these feeds the first time they came and wondered if
that was the problem! - After all the shower did mix properly before they
did this!
I rang them and told them my idea. They said no, and that the feeds were
right. I argued and said well why does it go hot when you turn it to cold &
vice-versa? They said its because the mixer has broken due to me using it
the wrong way for so long! They also said that it could be a faulty "mixer
cassette" which could possibly be replaced.
I argue some more and they said they would come back to have a look.
They came back on Tuesday (I got my Dad to sit-in & wait for them) they told
him that they could now see what the problem was!! - The said the hot & cold
feeds were on the wrong way round!! They said they would come back in the
morning to sort it out but they were sure that was the problem!! -
Hallelujah!!!
I got my Mum to sit in the next day. They turned up at 3:00pm - stayed for
10 mins during which time they explained that the feeds were actually not
wrong after all - they were the right way around and everything they had
done was correct! They said again, that it was the mixer that was at fault
and that it could possibly be fixed with a new 'cassette"
Bottom line is I've bunged these guys £800 and I still have no useable
shower!
I cant understand why this shower would have worked before they swapped the
feeds but now doesn't!
Can anyone shed any light?
Originally, the plumber fitted a new bathroom suit (cost about £1200) with a
pump (under the bath) with cold mains on one side and hot-water feed (from
the tank) on the other side.
I've since found out that the pump should never have been attached to mains
water pressure, but it seemed to work alright for about 12 months before it
started to leak.
The plumber also fitted some new taps but the hot water pressure through
them was very very low making it almost impossible to run a hot bath
Got a new plumber in (couldn't find the old one!) who re-plumbed the system
(at a cost of £400)putting the pump in the airing cupboard(near the tank) -
this had the effect of increasing the hot water pressure to all the taps
(not just the shower) and looked much neater. Whilst they did this job, they
also swapped the hot & cold feeds to the shower because they said they had
been fitted wrong.
We now had a new problem which was, the shower wouldn't then mix properly -
it was either boiling hot or freezing cold with no in-between.
The new plumber said this was because the cold feed to the pump was mains
pressure and it needed to be fed from a cold water tank in the loft (which
we didn't have)
I asked why the shower had worked ok on mains cold before - they didn't
know!
They quoted me £400 to supply & fit the tank.
I had to wait several months to save for this job to be done (during which
time no showers were possible - only baths)
They fitted the cold water tank this Monday (20th April). Great job - all
connected as it should be (so they tell me) but the shower still wouldn't
mix properly! - Same problem either mad hot or freezing cold!
They said this was because the mixer was faulty! I couldn't do anything but
pay them the money and look at getting a new mixer!
After they'd gone I had a play with the shower and noted that when really
hot, the mixer was in the cold position, and when really cold the mixer was
in the hot position. This seemed to suggest to my simple brain that the
feeds were the wrong way round on the mixer. I remembered that the new
plumbers and switched these feeds the first time they came and wondered if
that was the problem! - After all the shower did mix properly before they
did this!
I rang them and told them my idea. They said no, and that the feeds were
right. I argued and said well why does it go hot when you turn it to cold &
vice-versa? They said its because the mixer has broken due to me using it
the wrong way for so long! They also said that it could be a faulty "mixer
cassette" which could possibly be replaced.
I argue some more and they said they would come back to have a look.
They came back on Tuesday (I got my Dad to sit-in & wait for them) they told
him that they could now see what the problem was!! - The said the hot & cold
feeds were on the wrong way round!! They said they would come back in the
morning to sort it out but they were sure that was the problem!! -
Hallelujah!!!
I got my Mum to sit in the next day. They turned up at 3:00pm - stayed for
10 mins during which time they explained that the feeds were actually not
wrong after all - they were the right way around and everything they had
done was correct! They said again, that it was the mixer that was at fault
and that it could possibly be fixed with a new 'cassette"
Bottom line is I've bunged these guys £800 and I still have no useable
shower!
I cant understand why this shower would have worked before they swapped the
feeds but now doesn't!
Can anyone shed any light?
