Aqualise Aquarian E96 SHower - not getting hot, no pressure

[Jon Parker]

I'm looking for a diagnosis:

Aqualisa Aquarian E96 mixer shower (hot and cold supply). Here: http://www.aqualisa.co.uk/parts-store/Controls/Aquarian-exposed-thermostatic-and-manual-mixer-valve/

Symptoms:
Won't get hot at all.
Turn up to full hot = very slow shower, more of a dribble, only slightly warm.
Turn down to cold - pressure goes up to normal, but stone cold.

I still have very hot running water at normal pressure.
I still have functioning central heating.
Heating has been off for about 3 months due to the weather.
Hot water comes on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening.
Tank set to max (90 degrees).
Nothing has changed in the house, plumbing wise. We don't appear to have any leaks.
I've bled all of the radiators - no effect.
This problem occurred instantly, not a gradual degradation. One morning I had a lovely hot, high pressure shower, with the temperate control set to around 2 out of 15 (1 being cold, 15 being hot). The next day, with teh cotnrol on 15 out of 15, i.e. max hot I get a lukwarm dribble.

Aqualisa support say the cartridge is screwed. £142 for a new one, and probably a plumber to fit it.

Thoughts? Other than "buy a new cartridge"!

Cheers!
Jon

[newshound]

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, it's broken. Personally I
would start by taking it apart, because you then might find something
obvious, like that the control knob no longer turns the bits inside,
perhaps because they have seized up with limescale.

[Tim Lamb]

In message <25f13611-ee16-4f28...@googlegroups.com>, Jon
Parker <jonbo...@googlemail.com> writes

Try the shower doctor site.

On my Aqualisa no cold= no hot. Check the cold supply as well.

>www.showerdoc.com/

regards




--
Tim Lamb

[David WE Roberts]

"Jon Parker" <jonbo...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:25f13611-ee16-4f28...@googlegroups.com...

I'm looking for a diagnosis:

Aqualisa Aquarian E96 mixer shower (hot and cold supply). Here:
http://www.aqualisa.co.uk/parts-store/Controls/Aquarian-exposed-thermostatic-and-manual-mixer-valve/

Symptoms:
Won't get hot at all.
Turn up to full hot = very slow shower, more of a dribble, only slightly
warm.
Turn down to cold - pressure goes up to normal, but stone cold.

I still have very hot running water at normal pressure.

** So the problem is not in the hot water system or the boiler **
*********************************************************

I still have functioning central heating.
Heating has been off for about 3 months due to the weather.
Hot water comes on for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening.
Tank set to max (90 degrees).
Nothing has changed in the house, plumbing wise. We don't appear to have any
leaks.
I've bled all of the radiators - no effect.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
All the above seems like a vain attempt to find magic which will avoid
paying for a shower repair.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

This problem occurred instantly, not a gradual degradation. One morning I
had a lovely hot, high pressure shower, with the temperate control set to
around 2 out of 15 (1 being cold, 15 being hot). The next day, with teh
cotnrol on 15 out of 15, i.e. max hot I get a lukwarm dribble.

Aqualisa support say the cartridge is screwed. £142 for a new one, and
probably a plumber to fit it.

Thoughts? Other than "buy a new cartridge"!

***********************************
Happened with my Aqualisa shower.
Cartridges don't last forever.
The link you posted shows 1996-99 so the shower is up to 16 years old.
You can fit a new cartridge yourself but it can be very fiddly so you have
to be a confident and competent DIYer (or think you are) to have a go at
this.
You also have to be careful to get the right cartridge, as the shower body
sometimes coms with different cartridges for high and low pressure, for
example.


The manufacturer has told you exactly what is wrong and what is required to
fix it.
Presumably the cost has you searching for an alternative cheaper
explanation.
By all means check (as suggested) that something hasn't broken/come loose
but I would take a deep breath and prepare to spend some money.
The only cheaper alternative could be to buy a budget thermostatic shower
valve which fits onto the same connectors. - you might be able to get a unit
for less than the £142 for the cartridge.
However it is possible that replacing the cartridge could give you another
15 years service from the shower.
How much do you like the shower?
If it meets all your needs a repair may be the best long term option.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

[Jon Parker]

> All the above seems like a vain attempt to find magic which will avoid
> paying for a shower repair.

Yep! That's it exactly! I'm not going to lie!

Thanks for your replies group, new cartridge it is then.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <25f13611-ee16-4f28...@googlegroups.com>,

Jon Parker <jonbo...@googlemail.com> wrote:
> Aqualisa support say the cartridge is screwed. £142 for a new one, and
> probably a plumber to fit it.

> Thoughts? Other than "buy a new cartridge"!

Having spent ages trying to cure a dripping one by stripping it and
fitting lots of new O rings etc without success, no. They seem to defy
repair.

They are easy enough to fit, though, once you've turned the water off.

--
*Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[curious]

I replaced one a few years back and found that the new one although the approved replacement required shorter pipe feeds and I had to trim 5mm off the pipework.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <bc8fdb8b-c5e6-47d9...@googlegroups.com>,

curious <bria...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Thanks for your replies group, new cartridge it is then.

> I replaced one a few years back and found that the new one although the
> approved replacement required shorter pipe feeds and I had to trim 5mm
> off the pipework.

The cartridge fits in the existing housing.

--
*On the seventh day He brewed beer *

[Jon Parker]

On Sunday, August 12, 2012 2:41:01 PM UTC+1, Jon Parker wrote:

> Thanks for your replies group, new cartridge it is then.

Well, riddle me this then folks.

Just took the cover off, disconnected the shower hose. Everything inside looked okay, the knobs still turned the cartridge insides etc.

I ran it for a few seconds with the outlet hose off and it was coming out piping hot. Put it all back together and it's still coming out piping hot and at normal pressure!

Could it have been something as simple as blockage in the outlet hose? Some sort of air-lock? I'm glad it's working but I want to understand what's happened?

[newshound]

Apparently my old GP used to write GOK in the notes to cover things like
this. Glad you got the result; I reckon it is usually worth dismantling
mechanical things to try to see what is going on. When there are moving
parts it may just be a bit of grit or sticky residue that's stopping
something moving correctly.