New brushes, new pump or new shower?

[HumanAstronomer3194]

I have a Mira Elite QT electric shower and while it's working fine there is noise coming from it that doesn't sound too healthy.

As you can hear from the below video there is a loud screech when the shower is turned on

ShowerNoise.mp4

• HumanAstronomer3194
• 28 Dec 2024

I had a look at the brushes and while there is a fair bit of use I don't think the sound is coming from having shorter brushes.

ShowerBrushes.mp4

• HumanAstronomer3194
• 28 Dec 2024

I think it might be the bearings rather than the brushes which would mean a new pump.

I'm debating on should I replace the brushes to see if it makes a difference or should I go for a new pump but if I'm replacing the pump should I just spend more to get a new shower which is like for like?

New brushes are €25
New pump is €150 https://theshowerdoctors.ie/product/mira-elite-qt-parts-and-spares/
New shower is €280 https://theshowerdoctors.ie/product/mira-elite-se/

However this shower doesn't have the best reviews on ScrewFix https://www.screwfix.ie/p/mira-elite-se-white-chrome-9-8kw-silent-pumped-electric-shower/222jx

Also trying to figure out if the new shower (SE) would be less powerful than the old one (QT).

 

[Wayners]

I think for £160 you can get it fixed plus 12 months warranty covering further breakdowns and parts.
You need to check that though.
Maybe another option

 

[trojanhawrs]

If not I don't think I'd risk spending that on a replacement pump for an old unit. You could get another pumped shower or install a standalone pump and standard electric shower, might not be much difference in price depending on pipe access.
I'll also mention that looks to be a 6mm supply cable which I'd almost guarantee is undersized for that size of shower

 

[Ratten]

HumanAstronomer, I have exactly the same noise coming from my Mira Event shower.
I've removed the brushes and they don't seem particularly worn down.

What (if anything) did you do with your shower? Did you get to the bottom of why it was making that noise?

 

[Johntheo5]

I have a Mira Elite QT electric shower and while it's working fine there is noise coming from it that doesn't sound too healthy.

As you can hear from the below video there is a loud screech when the shower is turned on

ShowerNoise.mp4

• HumanAstronomer3194
• 28 Dec 2024

I had a look at the brushes and while there is a fair bit of use I don't think the sound is coming from having shorter brushes.

ShowerBrushes.mp4

• HumanAstronomer3194
• 28 Dec 2024

I think it might be the bearings rather than the brushes which would mean a new pump.

I'm debating on should I replace the brushes to see if it makes a difference or should I go for a new pump but if I'm replacing the pump should I just spend more to get a new shower which is like for like?

New brushes are €25
New pump is €150 https://theshowerdoctors.ie/product/mira-elite-qt-parts-and-spares/
New shower is €280 https://theshowerdoctors.ie/product/mira-elite-se/

However this shower doesn't have the best reviews on ScrewFix https://www.screwfix.ie/p/mira-elite-se-white-chrome-9-8kw-silent-pumped-electric-shower/222jx

Also trying to figure out if the new shower (SE) would be less powerful than the old one (QT).

I thought the QT (quiet?) would have a brushless motor like the Triton T90 SR (silent running), sold here and called, I think the Triton T80 SR in the UK.
I know of one installer in Dublin whose company installs up to 1000 showers/year and will only install a Mira electric pumped shower if specifically requested by the customer, he said that despite a number of attempts to rectify the problem, a plastic elbow keeps cracking, he has also had to replace numerous pumps but none on the T90 SR.

 

[HumanAstronomer3194]

HumanAstronomer, I have exactly the same noise coming from my Mira Event shower.
I've removed the brushes and they don't seem particularly worn down.

What (if anything) did you do with your shower? Did you get to the bottom of why it was making that noise?

Unfortunately I didn't. I just replaced the shower with like for like and got a Mira Elite SE as it has exactly the same footprint as the QT.
I still have the old shower as I want to open up the motor to see if I was right about the noise was coming from the bearings inside the motor. I still haven't done that yet as I don't know how to remove an elbow clip without breaking it (though I guess at this point it doesn't matter). I might try it again at the weekend.

I thought the QT (quiet?) would have a brushless motor like the Triton T90 SR (silent running), sold here and called, I think the Triton T80 SR in the UK.
I know of one installer in Dublin whose company installs up to 1000 showers/year and will only install a Mira electric pumped shower if specifically requested by the customer, he said that despite a number of attempts to rectify the problem, a plastic elbow keeps cracking, he has also had to replace numerous pumps but none on the T90 SR.

Not sure if QT means quiet or not but it wasn't brushless. The SE version is brushless (see photo below) and is a lot quieter than the QT even before it started having an unhealthy sound. The QT I had was from 2016 so was only 8-9 years old which is still a good lifespan. I did have a debate about switching to Triton but as the layout is different I was afraid of the can of worms that it would open as I don't have a lot of room to play with and the current layout is covering broken tiles as you can see from below.

 

[Ratten]

Thanks HumanAstronomer.
I've ordered new brushes and will see whether they make the difference, but I don't hold out much hope. They only cost £6, so worth a try, I guess.
I'd be really interested to hear what you find when you investigate the bearings - even if it's academic for you now, it's always good to know these things! I've opened up loads of broken stuff just for the hell of it.....

 

[Ratten]

Well, some interesting developments. I received new brushes - they were 0.5 cm longer than the existing ones, so I suppose they had actually worn down quite a bit. I replaced them last night, and the shower sounded a lot quieter. I proudly showed my wife that yes, I COULD actually fix stuff. The proofs in the pudding, she said, saying she would try it today....

This afternoon, whilst at work, I got a text: "I had a shower. It blew up. We've got no electricity".

I wisely made sure that the first thing in my reply was querying her safety (I would never have heard the last of it had I not), and only then asked the details of what had happened. It hadn't, in fact, "blown up", but it had started making the loud noises again, this time accompanied by smoke coming from the top of the unit, followed by it coming to a sudden stop. Sensibly, she had got out of the shower pronto.

Looking at it tonight, apart from the burning smell, I can't see anything wrong. None of the wires looks burnt through, and there is no water in the case.

Obviously, it needs to be replaced. I'm loathe to get another Mira (this one only lasted 5 years), but I'm even more loathe to get one which won't easily fit with the existing plumbing and mains entry from the wall.

I know its a long shot, but does anyone know about compatibility between shower units?

 

[Ratten]

Anyone?

Must be a recurring problem, so I imagine a few people will have had to consider it....

 

[Johntheo5]

I know there is/was a Triton T80SR sold in the UK which is portrait with wiring on the left, here, its called a Triton T90SR, Landscape, the T80SR or equivalent may fit?.

 

[Ratten]

Thank you. I'll look into that.

Any other contenders?