Thermostatic Shower advice please

In article , Les Desser scribeth thus

Simple.. Avoid instant heat electric ones. Run a power shower off the hot and cold water supplies that feed such as your bath.

Mira is a good make with spares available. We had an "Event" one for some 10 years, just replaced the motor and pump unit and as good as new:))..

Not odd at all, As Screwfix is part of B&Q they have enough purchasing power to have models made for them. Just like they do with Karcher and pressure washers. This also neatly avoids them ever having to pay out on their find it cheaper elsewhere and they'll refund the difference, as you *can't* find it elsewhere...

Running from hot & cold is prolly best but we've always had instant leccy ones. When (if) the combi HW fails we still have some form of a warmish wash.

Mains pressure HW cylinders?

You can locate them anywhere, you get decent pressure out of them, no pump noise, but I think they are relatively limited widths if you are space restricted. Not noticed a 450mm width unit (with insulation).

Not really. They're different companies, although they're both owned by Kingfisher...

I meant HW direct from the combi, no cylinder.

Do you mean a thermostatic mixing valve to connect to existing high- pressure hot and cold water supplies? If so I'd suggest any type of bar mixer valve, because *when* it packs up (and any valve will eventually) you can replace it cheaply and readily from any of the dozens of different makes on the market which share the same simple fixings (3/4" BSP threads at 150mm spacing). Or go for a Mira or Aqualisa or other reputable but expensive make for which you're likely still to be able to get spares from in years to come, although replacement cartridges for these are over £100 which is about double what you can get a new bar mixer valve for.

Nevertheless, SF still sell Triton showers with model names which can't be found on the Triton website. But they are almost certainly the same as some which *can* - but just have different names for marketing/avoidance of price-match reasons.

If you ring up Triton, they can probably give you model equivalence information.

In article , YAPH Sun, 10 Oct 2010 08:06:18 writes

I accept that logic. I have always felt that the built-in units were just asking for trouble (high costs) if ever they needed replacing. I once had a Mira surface mounted unit (not a bar) and had to do a fair bit of butchery to replace it with a Pegler bar mixer from Screwfix but they no longer stock it.

Can anyone comment on the quality of Triton v. Grohe?

I have found a reasonably priced Grohe Grohtherm 1000 at

for £130 inc VAT.

In article , brass monkey scribeth thus

Well change then and you'll wonder why you put up with the leccy ones;!..

Yes we have a backup immersion heather just in case!..

Unless the conditions of the agreement they they have with Kingfisher prevent them...

IMO Grohe are to shower mixers what Miele are to washing machines - well worth paying a bit extra for.

In article , pcb1962 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:18:20 writes

And it seems that the premium is not so great if one sticks to the "not so fashionable" models.

Looking at the spec sheets and comparing a mixer for £130 with one for £350 I can find no real significant difference other than fancy design.