We are having a problem with the power shower.
I have electrically disconnected both ends of the supply cable and
removed the control knobs, but the plumbing part of it has me beat.

The shower case is a push fit onto the hot and cold copper pipes and
then screwed onto the wall. I have removed the three screws that are
shown in the paperwork and I read that I should push back 2 grey collars
and the case should come off the pipes. No matter how I push the collars
I can't get the case off the pipes.
Is there a knack, or have the push fit connectors jammed up?

Dave

On Sep 21, 3:13*pm, Dave wrote:
We are having a problem with the power shower.
I have electrically disconnected both ends of the supply cable and
removed the control knobs, but the plumbing part of it has me beat.

The shower case is a push fit onto the hot and cold copper pipes and
then screwed onto the wall. I have removed the three screws that are
shown in the paperwork and I read that I should push back 2 grey collars
and the case should come off the pipes. No matter how I push the collars
I can't get the case off the pipes.
Is there a knack, or have the push fit connectors jammed up?

Dave

All the showers I have fitted like this came with a tool for
disengaging the collars. A piece of plastic with two Slots that go
over the pipes so that both collars can be pushed back *at the same
time*. It should be relatively simple.

MBQ

On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:13:44 +0100
Dave wrote:

We are having a problem with the power shower.
I have electrically disconnected both ends of the supply cable and
removed the control knobs, but the plumbing part of it has me beat.

The shower case is a push fit onto the hot and cold copper pipes and
then screwed onto the wall. I have removed the three screws that are
shown in the paperwork and I read that I should push back 2 grey collars
and the case should come off the pipes. No matter how I push the collars
I can't get the case off the pipes.
Is there a knack, or have the push fit connectors jammed up?

Dave

If they are like JG Speedfit then there is indeed a knack. The stainless
steel teeth in the fitting need to be disengaged, which is what pushing
the collars should do, but I've found you need to PUSH them further on,
against the o-ring to clear the teeth from the pipe. It's only a very
small push, but without it the teeth stick in the copper.

It's also vital to push the collar in all round at once. There is a
special tool for some pushfit fittings.

The pic at the bottom of this page is helpful.

http://www.johnguest.com/makeconnect.asp

R.

Man at B&Q wrote:
On Sep 21, 3:13 pm, Dave wrote:
We are having a problem with the power shower.
I have electrically disconnected both ends of the supply cable and
removed the control knobs, but the plumbing part of it has me beat.

The shower case is a push fit onto the hot and cold copper pipes and
then screwed onto the wall. I have removed the three screws that are
shown in the paperwork and I read that I should push back 2 grey collars
and the case should come off the pipes. No matter how I push the collars
I can't get the case off the pipes.
Is there a knack, or have the push fit connectors jammed up?

Dave

All the showers I have fitted like this came with a tool for
disengaging the collars. A piece of plastic with two Slots that go
over the pipes so that both collars can be pushed back *at the same
time*. It should be relatively simple.

Thanks
There is no mention of a tool, just to push the collars back away from
the direction the pipes come in from. I know it works, as I had to do
this when I fitted it some years ago.
I forgot to mention it is a Mirage Showerforce.

Dave

TheOldFellow wrote:
On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:13:44 +0100
Dave wrote:

We are having a problem with the power shower.
I have electrically disconnected both ends of the supply cable and
removed the control knobs, but the plumbing part of it has me beat.

The shower case is a push fit onto the hot and cold copper pipes and
then screwed onto the wall. I have removed the three screws that are
shown in the paperwork and I read that I should push back 2 grey collars
and the case should come off the pipes. No matter how I push the collars
I can't get the case off the pipes.
Is there a knack, or have the push fit connectors jammed up?

Dave

If they are like JG Speedfit then there is indeed a knack. The stainless
steel teeth in the fitting need to be disengaged, which is what pushing
the collars should do, but I've found you need to PUSH them further on,
against the o-ring to clear the teeth from the pipe. It's only a very
small push, but without it the teeth stick in the copper.

It's also vital to push the collar in all round at once. There is a
special tool for some pushfit fittings.

The pic at the bottom of this page is helpful.

http://www.johnguest.com/makeconnect.asp

Thanks for your reply.

I've given it a go, but the pipes are not budging. I'll try again after
we have eaten.

Dave

John Rumm wrote:

Dave wrote:
Thanks for your reply.

I've given it a go, but the pipes are not budging. I'll try again
after we have eaten.

Can you cut the pipe off below, and worry about getting the ends out of
the shower later?

I suspect that the fault might not be repairable, so that is an option
to look at.

Every time I am in that room and looking at the shower, I can see the
enormous amount of work to recover the job, if we have to get a new
shower pump :-(

Dave

John Rumm wrote:
Dave wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

Dave wrote:
Thanks for your reply.

I've given it a go, but the pipes are not budging. I'll try again
after we have eaten.

Can you cut the pipe off below, and worry about getting the ends out
of the shower later?

I suspect that the fault might not be repairable, so that is an option
to look at.

Every time I am in that room and looking at the shower, I can see the
enormous amount of work to recover the job, if we have to get a new
shower pump :-(

Chop off the pipes low enough and fit service valves to cap them. That
way you can reinstate quickly if needed ;-)

When we had the bathroom done, the plumber didn't like the gate valves I
had used to isolate the bathroom and he told me he was going to remove
them. I told him that I had to be able to isolate she shower when I
wanted to, so he put a pair of valves behind the bath panel (the shower
is over the tap end of the bath.)

I'll not be doing the job, so I'll have a word with the plumber about
options first.

Cheers

Dave

Dave wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
Dave wrote:
John Rumm wrote:

Dave wrote:
Thanks for your reply.

I've given it a go, but the pipes are not budging. I'll try again
after we have eaten.

Can you cut the pipe off below, and worry about getting the ends
out of the shower later?

I suspect that the fault might not be repairable, so that is an
option to look at.

Every time I am in that room and looking at the shower, I can see
the enormous amount of work to recover the job, if we have to get a
new shower pump :-(

Chop off the pipes low enough and fit service valves to cap them.
That way you can reinstate quickly if needed ;-)

When we had the bathroom done, the plumber didn't like the gate
valves I had used to isolate the bathroom and he told me he was going
to remove them. I told him that I had to be able to isolate she
shower when I wanted to, so he put a pair of valves behind the bath
panel (the shower is over the tap end of the bath.)

Your plumber was dead right, gate valves are the spawn of satan.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:

Dave wrote:
When we had the bathroom done, the plumber didn't like the gate
valves I had used to isolate the bathroom and he told me he was going
to remove them. I told him that I had to be able to isolate she
shower when I wanted to, so he put a pair of valves behind the bath
panel (the shower is over the tap end of the bath.)

Your plumber was dead right, gate valves are the spawn of satan.

I wasn't impressed with them at all the first time I had to close them,
but I found I could get a satisfactory water shut off to do the job in hand,

Dave

John Rumm wrote:

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Your plumber was dead right, gate valves are the spawn of satan.

While undoubtedly true, I would not go so far as to remove one and do
without a valve altogether! At least they usually turn off (mostly) at
least once.

I have just had a look and he definitely hasn't put any valves in for
the bath room, apart from the shower, but he has for the downstairs
toilet and wash hand basin.

Mind you, there are valves to shut the hot and cold feeds in the airing
cupboard which is along side the bathroom.

Latest on this, I have sourced a new power shower for quite a good price
and I will inform my tame plumber that I want him to come and look at
the job and price it up. I don't have the plumbing resources to cope
with soldering in confined places. I did the plumbing when I did our
kitchen, but that was all behind where the base units were to go.

Dave

John Rumm wrote:
Dave wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

Dave wrote:
When we had the bathroom done, the plumber didn't like the gate
valves I had used to isolate the bathroom and he told me he was
going to remove them. I told him that I had to be able to isolate
she shower when I wanted to, so he put a pair of valves behind the
bath panel (the shower is over the tap end of the bath.)

Your plumber was dead right, gate valves are the spawn of satan.

I wasn't impressed with them at all the first time I had to close
them, but I found I could get a satisfactory water shut off to do
the job in hand,

The most common failure mode IME, is they turn off ok, (with varying
levels of "off") but then the shaft break internally and allows you to
turn it back on without actually allowing any water through.


BTDTGTTS


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk