looking for a new thermostatic shower - checking technical info online everyone I've considered so far (4 or 5) either don't have a flow control lever/knob or those that do state it's "not to be used to control flow"......
Can I have a thermostatic shower that allows control of both flow and temp independently? or I am missing something?
Any thermostatic shower reccomendations also gratefully received (built in valve, chrome, usual telephone handset on a hose on a slider rail....)
TIA JimK
In message , jim writes
AOL for a combi please:-)
regards
From the detail on their website, the Aqualisa thermo range still uses the same control cartridge as my 18 year old model. It has a knob for flow and a ring lever for temperature, and there is no problem using both, nor am I aware of any warnings against doing so. The cartridge is designed for quick reaction to high temperature, and copes with fluctuation in other use/pressure in hot/cold water supply. You might experience temperature variation as it adjusts when a whole lot else is going on the house but it won't scald.
Well when I looked at Aqualisa Opto Thermo install & operation notes
Concealed valve operation
1 Turn the front on/off knob FULLY anticlockwise into the open position to turn the shower on. Turn the on/off knob fully clockwise into the closed position after use. Please note the on/off control knob MUSTNOT be used as a method of flow control . "is that the same cartridge as your shower has? if so why do they state that when it would appear yours will do as I want?
JimK
Could it be that it's because that is specifically a high-pressure model which specifies "Flow control at the core of Opto Thermo High Pressure rather than via the shower's hose or handset"?
I'm not sure if the same restriction applies to their other models - they don't all seem to have an install pdf download to consult. Can't find any user guide for my ancient device. Whilst I usually turn it full on, I use it at other pressures with no problems and the whole scald technology should (I hope) cope with that the same as for flow variation from other use water in house. Perhaps a call to their technical support is the answer.
Toom
The instructions for the Mira Excel which I fitted in our old house (so about 10 years ago). Adjusting the flow was fine BUT Said that when used with a fully modulating combi or multipoint water heater it should be turned up to full as the boiler requires enough flow to keep it alight, if the flow is too low it can go out, which would cause the HW temp to fluctuate.
FWWIW I found the Excel very good. Clear installation instructions, and good reliable performance
Quick search shows mine is of the type of cartridge shown in
Toom
Yes, should have qualified what I said - mine does now run off a combi, and, in that case, you do need a moderate flow to keep the hot water going. Presumably, even at full pressure, it could have the same effect if you limit fed HW input by turning the temperature ring too far towards cold.
Toom
suppose it could be but I had assumed that was just a snub at other makes using a flow reducing washer in the end of the shower hose to reduce water usage....
also those install notes cover all of the Opto Thermo range (including gravity, combi as well as high pressure versions) - I wonder if this could just be legalise arse-covering or just crap editing...
indeed - I'll give em a try
cheers JimK
they finally replied today:-
"Thank you for your e-mail. I can confirm that the Opto Thermo valve must be operated in the fully open position otherwise the water temp may fluctuate due the on/off control & thermostatic cartridge being combined, as a safety feature once you start to close the on/off control it closes down the hot water before the cold, we never describe the front control as a flow control."
so there we are for the Aqualisa Opto Thermo range - no variable flow regulation, On or Off only.
Anyone know of any other thermostatic showers that offers variable flow rates?
ta JimK
Triton Tyne bar mixer I have (wax capsule) plus a pressure balancing valve in the inlets. Temp control on one end, flow on the other. A crap combi will never perform well - I have fully modulating combi which is fine. Combination of mixer and balancing valve copes with all eventualities. However, most people want the shower on maximum flow ! Simon.
I have the same - or something very similar from Triton. The flow control works a treat.
As did we until I fitted a 1.8 bar ST pump... Now we *need* the flow control and it works very well.
Gordon
precisement! we have a 3bar whole house booster setup - (hot and cold)
- whilst invigorating (almost painful on some settings) a non-flow- controlling shower would, I expect, use one helluva lot of precious hot water......
Was rather hoping for a built in concealed type - mira excel or discovery seem OK from a quick read of theinstall & operation notes - anyone got one? any other recommendations please?
cheers JimK
We've got a 10 year old Mira Excel here and the flow can be controlled. The instruction booklet confirms this where it says - "Turn the flow knob (outer knob) anticlockwise until the desired force of water is obtained". But it does go on to warn that combi boilers might not manage to continue to burn on low flows in which case the flow knob should be fully open. Our former Worcester Bosch 350 could manage down to about halfway closed, after which the boiler shut down and the water went cold, the new 42CDi boiler has no problem right down to minimum flow.
I did have a problem with the shower control a few months ago when it refused to turn off the flow - turning the knob fully off had no effect at all and water still flowed at full force. Mira tech support were of the opinion the cartridge had reached the end of it's useful life and should be replaced. This would have been quite expensive but our local friendly plumber, working on the theory that we couldn't make it any worse, dismantled the cartridge, cleaned everything and re-assembled it. Since then it's been working fine. Re-assembly was quite fiddly though with small parts which were reluctant to stay in position.
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