Triton T80 Electric shower

[Kircough]

Hi, just joined here hoping to get some suggestion on an issue I'm having.

Triton T80 electric shower. When first switched on it will only trickle water from the showerhead, if left for anywhere from 2 -10 minutes it will eventually kick into life.

If I remove the showerhead and put my thumb over the end of the hose to cause the pressure to build up it will make it come on properly but this is obviously not ideal.

I'm sure it's a matter of knowing which part to replace (I have already changed the solenoid coil) but no idea where to start.

Thanks

 

[blup]

It may be another faulty solenoid, but seems supply/pressure related if it works when pressure is built up as you describe.

 

[Johntheo5]

Hi, just joined here hoping to get some suggestion on an issue I'm having.

Triton T80 electric shower. When first switched on it will only trickle water from the showerhead, if left for anywhere from 2 -10 minutes it will eventually kick into life.

If I remove the showerhead and put my thumb over the end of the hose to cause the pressure to build up it will make it come on properly but this is obviously not ideal.

I'm sure it's a matter of knowing which part to replace (I have already changed the solenoid coil) but no idea where to start.

Thanks

This shower requires a flowrate of ~ 4.5/5.0LPM to get power to the heating element(s), can you measure the flowrate with the temperature control turned to fully cold, if its only marginally ~ 5 LPM then turning the temperature slowly towards the hot will generally allow operation on at least one heating element.
Have you cleaned the inlet filter?.

My T80 flows 7.8LPM when turned to fully cold.

If its allways behaved this way check or get checked that the cover is installed properly.

 

[Kircough]

Thanks for the replies. This has only started happening recently, in the last few weeks. Pressure is fine, I've checked the inlet filter and it is clear, no sign of debris at all. The cover is fitted correctly with the dials in the correct place, once it does get going it works correctly, temperature is correct and flow is fine. I've also removed the hose to rule out any issues with that.

It seems that when you start the shower there is just a low hum, and a trickle of water, and then it just suddenly 'kicks in' which leads me to suspect it's some component that is not working correctly but don't know what it might be.

 

[Alec_t]

Sounds like the water inlet valve is sticking and initially not opening fully. Are you in a hard water area?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It seems that when you start the shower there is just a low hum, and a trickle of water, and then it just suddenly 'kicks in' which leads me to suspect it's some component that is not working correctly but don't know what it might be.

It sounds like the solenoid valve, the actual valve, is sticking. Often due to build-up of limescale. Long ago, I fixed our ancient electric shower solenoid valve, by removing the valve, and soaking it overnight, in citric-acid/ lemon juice.

 

[Johntheo5]

Could be the solenoid, on my old Mira Sport a diaphragm operated "pressure" switch pused on two levers, one for each micro switch, one of which, when you turned the power selector switch to I or eco or something like that did not engage its micro switch, it also had a low pressure LED if the other (main) micro switch didn't get pushed up. My fast fit has a "semaphore" type red flag that appears in the cover if pressure/flow problems, I presume the micro switches are operated similarly but the spares shows a separate pressure switch, item 5, not sure what this does, maybe pushes on the micro switches or just operates the semaphore?.

 

[Kircough]

Thanks all, I'm going to try a replacement solenoid valve

 

[Johntheo5]

You might then (also) see if the old one opens immediately when you energise it with 230V.

 

[ebee]

Yep might be the solenoid.
As an aside dont mix the thoughts regarding pressure and flow.
Pressure is decided by "system head" or a special kind of valve, some folk say "turn the pressure down" when the actually mean reduce the flow , say by turning the stoptap. Check your stoptap has not been turned down before replacing the solenoid.

 

[Kircough]

Happy to report that after a bit of a false start with a knock off Amazon part that didn’t fit, a proper solenoid valve was ordered, fitted and works like a charm.

Oh what a day, what a glorious day!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Happy to report that after a bit of a false start with a knock off Amazon part that didn’t fit, a proper solenoid valve was ordered, fitted and works like a charm.

Now you can give the old one, a good long soak in citric acid, to get the limescale off - you can then put it to one side, as a future spare for when it next happens.

 

[Johntheo5]

Happy to report that after a bit of a false start with a knock off Amazon part that didn’t fit, a proper solenoid valve was ordered, fitted and works like a charm.

Oh what a day, what a glorious day!

Is there a build up of limescale on the removed one?.