Shower dicking about, or is it the combi?F

[WaterTight]

Fitted a Bristan mixer shower for a customer (he supplied it but ran it past me first and I said it would work fine) on his combi.

Worked fine when testing it. Later he said it wasn't firing up the boiler, when turned on, all taps were. I went back and removed the pre-fitted flow restrictor in the hot as MI's said it may or be may not be needed on some combi's. Seemed to be working fine, didn't charge for return as perhaps not tested for long enough to see issue when first installed - plus took 5 mins. Flow rate increased but hadn't become excessive (if anything was better flow for showering)

Now he says it fires boiler up but then the boiler doesn't stay fired up. Taps all work. Although I noticed they took a little longer to get hot than distance from boiler would suggest they should.

What is likely going on? And should I tell him to get Bristan out to look at it? Or take back shower and try another (although this will cost him because he'd need to get me to do it..) He supplied shower and it's under guarantee.

I fitted to pre-existing pipework hidden in tiled wall. Previous shower had started dripping after 6 years and couldn't identify for spares.

Any thoughts? If I had supplied it I guess I'd try another shower but since he did I'm thinking maybe he should take it up with Bristan??

 

[Last Plumber]

Perhaps a slight imbalance of pressure caused by restriction/ pressure losses?

Plucking at straws here a bit but just to throw it out there and start the ball rolling !

Maybe a fault with boiler but have you tested pressure and flow of both DHW and Cold at the shower?

There are no pressure reducing govenors anywhere?

Could be boiler fault but this is on wrong Forum to discuss that.

 

[WaterTight]

Perhaps a slight imbalance of pressure caused by restriction/ pressure losses?

Plucking at straws here a bit but just to throw it out there and start the ball rolling !

Maybe a fault with boiler but have you tested pressure and flow of both DHW and Cold at the shower?

There are no pressure reducing govenors anywhere?

Could be boiler fault but this is on wrong Forum to discuss that.

Didn't test flow/pressure. Never have. I've always just presumed reasonable quality mixer showers by makes like Bristan, Mira etc will be fine on a combi. And so far I've installed hundreds without any issue.

The complicating factor is I didn't supply the shower and I don't want to start charging (or gving my time away for free without need) for something that maybe should be referred to Bristan?

The previous shower didn't have this problem (according to custard)...

 

[Last Plumber]

Didn't test flow/pressure. Never have. I've always just presumed reasonable quality mixer showers by makes like Bristan, Mira etc will be fine on a combi. And so far I've installed hundreds without any issue.

The complicating factor is I didn't supply the shower and I don't want to start charging (or gving my time away for free without need) for something that maybe should be referred to Bristan?

The previous shower didn't have this problem (according to custard)...

You Sir, have misunderstood my post but that will be my fault due to lack of clarity.

I was thinking more of the water pressure/flow issue causing a problem at the boiler end rather than the shower.

You are quite correct, the customer supplied the shower and I have no doubt you fitted it correctly, Therefore the issue is probably with the / installation pipework / boiler etc

It could be with the (mixer valve / shower) itself but that is still not your prob, He supplied it so he needs to get the MF's out.

All you need to do is be 100% sure it is not something you did.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

If the taps work then it's not the boiler. Have you checked the flow with the shower off the wall?

If this keeps the boiler lit when off then it's the shower.

 

[Last Plumber]

If the taps work then it's not the boiler. Have you checked the flow with the shower off the wall?

If this keeps the boiler lit when off then it's the shower.

I thought that too but he says the taps ain't what they used to be so I was thinking the boiler may have an issue materialising ( appearing slowly )

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I thought that too but he says the taps ain't what they used to be so I was thinking the boiler may have an issue materialising ( appearing slowly )

Could be but to eliminate the shower I think it's essential as it's a hunt at present. The custard wants it fixed but if it's not something he installed or provided he needs to charge.

If it is the shower that custard provided then it's chargeable to sort it if a new one is needed.

That's my thoughts.

 

[Chalked]

Sounds like higher pressure cold overcoming the hot.. Did he valve come with non returns as part of the flow restrictor ? And was a flow restrictor fitted to the cold supply?

 

[WaterTight]

I thought that too but he says the taps ain't what they used to be so I was thinking the boiler may have an issue materialising ( appearing slowly )

I actually just think I remembered something. Had slipped my mind but just came back.

On first turning on shower after first installing it wasn't getting hot after maybe 30-60 secs and so - I think - I presumed he'd turned his boiler off or something and went and asked. He hadn't so I went back and turned on the bath hot tap to see if it was shower and from memory it took a minute or so to get hot. Combi is just downstairs in kitchen, not far. Then when I tried shower it worked. So I put it down to it taking a while to kick in/heat water up for some reason.

Sounds like higher pressure cold overcoming the hot.. Did he valve come with non returns as part of the flow restrictor ? And was a flow restrictor fitted to the cold supply?

Flow restrictor was just little yellow bit of plastic with tiny holes in it, no non-return as part of it. There is a flow restrictor pre-fitted in cold.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Does the hot stay hot?

Does it go hot & cold?

 

[rocketmanbkk]

I'd tell him you'll go & take shower off & test hot.

If the boiler stays fired up it's the shower & chargeable

If the boiler doesn't stay lit but the hot flow is ok then it's the boiler & chargeable

You can't keep going back for free if it's not your fault

If it's something you've done then fair enough

It's either the shower or boiler

Both not your fault

 

[tomplumb83]

I have a new bar mixer on the van. If it was me I'd rig up my shower to the pipework. If it works fine, it isn't your problem.
That said, Ive fitted a Bristan shower within the last 6 months which was leaking. Good customer.
They sent a bloke out who changed all the parts which stopped the drip, but.....
The shower was now too hot and temp couldn't be turned down.
I had a right game with call backs and fitting the second hand mira which was also faulty.
I always recommend bar mixers and Tritons. Cheap and easy to swap

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Water - did you sort this one?

 

[mfgs]

Quite often the shower is the first thing to be affected when the plate heat exchanger starts to block. When testing the taps was it as a high flow rate? Try running the taps slowly and seeing if it also goes cold. Guessing its going hot, then cold, then hot etc?

 

[WaterTight]

Hi everyone, thanks for replies.

He says about 6 months ago he had to barely open bath taps in order that water would be hot enough to run bath. But then it started getting cold doing that and so he started using them normally again and recently they seem to be fine but he wonders if this is something to do with it.

Does that point more of a finger toward boiler?

 

[WaterTight]

As said I didn't supply shower (and I'm not gas safe) so at moment I'm thinking he should either call Bristan or a boiler person.

I suspect Bristan will just say shower is fine and then charge him and he'll still have to get a boiler guy out so maybe he should just lump straight for a boiler guy (who is also a plumber incase he wants to investigate boilets, tap, shower etc)