New shower bar leaking (flow control end)

[tomos94]

Hi all,

I have a brand new thermostatic shower bar valve leaking from the flow control end. Victoria plumb sent a replacement when the first one fitted was leaking, but the replacement is leaking in the exact same spot.

My connection to the actual pipes seems sound with no dripping at all anywhere except the area circled below, where the flow control meets the body of the bar.

Surely the odds of two shower bars being faulty is incredibly low, so what could be wrong?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Deleted member 267285]

Did they send a replacement shower or just the control valve? Try having a look with the chrome cover off. Personally I’d be asking VP for a refund and get a branded decent shower.

 

[dilalio]

Knowing VP it'll be a complete faulty batch of unbranded imports.
Get a refund or ask them to send you a branded item for the inconvenience it's caused!

 

[tomos94]

Thanks both. They initially wanted to send just a flow cartridge but ended up sending the full shower eventually, so yes could be a faulty batch.

Any recommendations on branded alternatives, are Mira any good?

 

[dilalio]

Mira are fine.

 

[Madrab]

I'd pop off the cover and see where it's leaking from (end cap off and undo the screw) it could just be the valve just needs nipped up. I've seen them arive and when turned on, the valve was so loose it started to unscrew out the bar.

That being said as @dilalio mentions, anything from viccy plumb can be a gamble.

 

[Exedon]

Victoria plumb generally = crap
As above decent branded one mira - bristan hansgrohe - recently fitted several Triton bar showers that seem well made certain got some weight to them

 

[jeff the gasman]

I had the plastic bits from a Megaflo cause this recently. Embedded themselves around the O ring!

 

[tomos94]

Thanks all. I opened it up to have a look yesterday and the water is somehow bypassing the flow cartridge. I removed the flow cartridge and tightened it up as much as I could before fitting again but still seeing a trickle.

Have had a full refund from VP, so going to order a branded shower this weekend. I’m keen to retain the riser so I don’t have to find a shower that has holes in the exact same spot, so just want a replacement thermostatic bar.

Looks like I have a 3/4 inch top outlet and a 1/2 inch bottom outlet. Can anyone recommend a decent alternative?

Thanks

 

[tomos94]

Quick update for anyone with the same issue; ended up buying a Mira and just replacing the thermostatic bar itself, no issues at all now so it was just a dodgy batch from VP!