Shower only hot when toilet flushes!

[coldshower]

Hi

I am a new member and new home owner who bought from a shoddy developer in West berks! The shower in the en-suite bathroom has a Bristan Fusion valve on it but has never managed to give me a hot shower, unlike the other wee shower room which is excellent. The only time it ever gets really hot is if I run the hot water on the sinks in there and the bath and/or flush the toilet which obvioulsy isnt particularly environmentally friendly or practical. The pipes do make a creaking noise from behind the walls when the shower is running but I am hopeful it isnt pipework as the shower does get hot when other pipes are running. The developers I am beyond arguing with over it and the coiuple of plumbers I have had out to look at it suggest "replacing the whole shower" which I didnt think was particularly helpful. From research I can see it might be the 'Thermostatic Valve" which is the problem and I see I can get one on-line for about £40.00 but I wondred if it mattered if it was a different brand from Bristan Fusion to replace it with as one of the plumbers who visited said it would have to be and of course I can see none of the Bristan Fusion valves anywhere. Any help and advice would be gratefully received! Many thanks

 

[sonray ltd]

Have you checked the basics first ie filters/check valves in the mixer ?

 

[coldshower]

Basic is the word for me but am keen to learn! The shower workings appear to be all tiled in and the only thing I can get to is the long silver bar with the on/off turn on the right and the temperature turn on the left and when I take this from the wall it I cant seem to open it/get into it so not sure what it is. Plumbing for idiots but I figure I cant do any worse than the 2 local plumbers who have just looked at it, pulled the silver bar off and gone "oh I dont really know".

 

[glenno1]

Cold water overpowering the hot supply at the shower,you may need a pressure reducer fitting

 

[coldshower]

thats very helpful thanks - I'll investigate this!

 

[coldshower]

meant to say there were no filters between the long thred fitting and the retainer but not sure that would make a difference if there is no blockage? I guess the tiles will need to come down to get a proper look:-(

 

[sonray ltd]

I doubt you have a pressure issue as this shower will work on uneven pressures.
you say you have the bar mixer off the wall, then look in the end of the two fittings that screw onto the wall you'll see the filters/check valves.

If you have no filters then all the scale etc is going to go through the check valves and to cartridge.

No need for the tiles to come off there won't be nothing behind the tiles all the workings are in the bar mixer.

 

[coldshower]

ok great thanks I'll peer inside when I go back. Many thanks for your help with this, very kind. Im very over having cool showers!

 

[glenno1]

You could try downloading instructions from bristan

 

[Skelly87]

ring bristan technical and they will talk you through what certain parts do and how to take apart. They will also offer you advice on what may be wrong (they might not be correct all the time, but they will have a better idea than you) and they will tell you where you can buy spare parts from