Shower running cold only

[ISP]

Hello,

Hope someone can help with this.

I have a shower installed in a loft conversion. This is the first time we have tried to use it after it was installed just over a year ago.

Its a SOL (Italian made) thermostatic shower valve with hot & cold inputs and the water is pumped via a Stuart Turner 3 Bar pump.

The problem is that no hot water comes out. I've turned the temperature controller up to the maximum value and still only cold water comes out.

Hot water is coming into the loft because there is a sink in the bathroom also running off the same pump and the water from the hot tap is OK.

Any ideas anyone?

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Sounds to me like the thermostat has jammed through not being operated for a long time. Are there any signs of huge screw heads for servicing it? (I have one that does, but would hesitate to open one without a maker's manual).

 

[ISP]

Thanks John,

I got the thermostat out OK and had a look at the filters around it which are OK. Any ideas on how to check if its jammed?

Thanks

ISP

 

[JohnD]

Not really. You could try putting it in a saucepan of hot water and seeing how it moves.

If you can put up a digital photo somone may recognise it.

Presumably the hot and cold water gushes out now you've got it apart? No scale that could be jamming it?

(no stopvalve anywhere that's been forgotten?)

 

[ISP]

Thanks for the suggestions John.

I shut the isolator valves off and then removed the thermostat. Water comes out both sides BUT the plumber connected the hot and cold the wrong way around. According to the instructions its hot on the left and cold on the right. With the thermostat removed I opened the isolator valve on the right and hot water came out.

With the thermostat in and the left isolator closed and the right one fully open no water comes out. I guess the internal workings of the valve are not expecting the hot on the wrong side.

So now its back to the builder to get someone (not the original plumber) to come and sort this out. The main problem is access to the pipes is very tight.

Thanks for your help.

ISP

 

[JohnD]

You might be able to cross the pipes over, by the pump or under the floor? Doesn't have to be at the mixer.

with some mixers (I have a round MIRA as well as an Italian "bar" mixer) you can take the mixer off the wall, turn it upside down, and then the left is at the right... if you see what i mean.

You can get a braided flexible connector that might make it an easier job.

But if you can get it rectified for free as a warranty claim... go for it!