Went to try and help my elderly grandmother with her leaking shower the other day. The hose has split - so that was an easy fix but when I turned it one again the pump didnt start up and the flow was like a dribble.
She has an Aqualisa thermostatic mixer connected to a pump and usual hot water/cold water tanks. She lives on the ground floor of a block of flates and the pump is only a foot or so below the hot water tank and about 6 feet below the head of the shower.
She told me then that for the last few years she has has to shake the shower head in her hand about 20 times before the pump kicked-in and the water flowed sensibly. When I did the same, sure enough the water flowed and gave a nice shower flow.
Why is this - is it a case of the valve being lime-scaled-up or is it something less sinsiter. When I told her a new valve would be c. £175 plus the re-tiling etc etc she was very worried (I will pay as she doesn't have the cash - so now I;m worried)) plus the fact that the tiles were installed by the previous resident (approx 12 years ago) and there are no spares.
The valve is fitted in the void in between the airing cupboard and bathroom (adjoining rooms) so I can not see what's going on.
Can anyone suggest any remedial action or is it a case of ripping out and starting again???

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
alexbartman wrote:

Went to try and help my elderly grandmother with her leaking shower
the other day. The hose has split - so that was an easy fix but when
I turned it one again the pump didnt start up and the flow was like a
dribble.
She has an Aqualisa thermostatic mixer connected to a pump and usual
hot water/cold water tanks. She lives on the ground floor of a block
of flates and the pump is only a foot or so below the hot water tank
and about 6 feet below the head of the shower.
She told me then that for the last few years she has has to shake the
shower head in her hand about 20 times before the pump kicked-in and
the water flowed sensibly. When I did the same, sure enough the water
flowed and gave a nice shower flow.
Why is this - is it a case of the valve being lime-scaled-up or is it
something less sinsiter. When I told her a new valve would be c. £175
plus the re-tiling etc etc she was very worried (I will pay as she
doesn't have the cash - so now I;m worried)) plus the fact that the
tiles were installed by the previous resident (approx 12 years ago)
and there are no spares.
The valve is fitted in the void in between the airing cupboard and
bathroom (adjoining rooms) so I can not see what's going on.
Can anyone suggest any remedial action or is it a case of ripping out
and starting again???

The pump will have a flow switch which triggers when a small amount of
gravity flow occurs, thus turning on the pump to boost the shower. For
whatever reason, when the shower is first turned on, there isn't enough flow
to trigger the switch - which is why shaking the head sometimes helps.

It's quite possible that the head itself is furred up and restricting the
flow. What happens if you remove the head so that water just flows out of
the end of the hose? If the pump then works ok, you need to de-scale the
head. It's best if you can take it to bits, but if not, just soaking it in
vinegar over night may help.

If all else fails, wire a momentary switch* in parallel with the flow
switch. Open the shower valve and press this switch to start the pump. Once
the boosted flow starts, the flow switch will take over.

* If this additional switch is in the bathroom, it will need to be suitable
for the location - such as a pull switch in the ceiling. [Can you get
momentary pull switches?]
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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have checked the hose and head - its not them - so if it is the valve itself - is there any clever way to de-scale with it still in situ - removal is going to be a very majopr headache.....and not sure I like the idea of separate switches???

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
alexbartman wrote:


have checked the hose and head - its not them - so if it is the valve
itself - is there any clever way to de-scale with it still in situ -

Doubt it!

removal is going to be a very majopr headache.....and not sure I like
the idea of separate switches???

I wouldn't like the idea of a switch you could leave on. But what I was
suggesting was a momentary switch to get it going. This is only on for as
long as you press/pull it. But once the pump starts, its own flow switch
will keep it on until someone closes the mixer valve and physically stops
the flow.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
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Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.