Replacing a mixer shower

Soldato
Joined
29 Jun 2004
Posts
2,587
Hi all.
Moved into a new house. I have a Combi high pressure system but the mixer shower is scolding hot. Appears there is no cold but all plumbed in so could this be the cartridge?
Might just be worth buying a new shower for £100 ish?
Take it this is a fairly simple job?
Can't get a plumber so looks like a DIY job!
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
10,042
Sometimes it's not even the cartridge.. Often if you take off the end cap you'll find a screw head. Turn this to make the mixture colder. It's likely got loose or turned itself from use.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2003
Posts
14,059
Replacing can turn into a right pig of a job, I’d consider it as a last resort not first. Strip it and clean it all down first and see where it gets you.

It’s likely secured using a compression fitting and there is a fair chance the olive will be crushed onto or at worst fused to the pipe meaning you’ll not get the nut off.

Your then in the realms of is it compatible/will it seal or potentially ripping off tiles to replace pipe work buried in walls.
 
Associate
Joined
8 May 2013
Posts
300
Location
London
As mentioned it’s most likely the mixer cap has turned slightly allowing more hot than cold, undo the grub screw and turn it round a little and see what that does, usually it’s like scale in the cartridge, dusky to get the correct replacement and hard to find but simple enough job, replacing the whole mixer is on the other hand very destructive especially as the cold and hot feeds are always in differ places meaning changes to pipe work.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2019
Posts
3,307
we had to do this ^ (turn the cartridge dial) in our place. Couldn't get a cold shower, now we can. Only weird thing is the pump not kicking in if you turn it on with it set right down to cold. So long as you turn it on and then turn to cold it works fine. Must be a HW pressure thing or something
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
29 Jun 2004
Posts
2,587
Thanks for thr advice all so far. I have not got to this point and the end bit turns all the way both ways with no cold which ever way it's turned.
https://ibb.co/p2pMFZx

Heres a picture. I think as mentioned the cartridge is a goner but unsure how to whip this out. May well get a plumber in it seems.
 
Soldato
Joined
9 Mar 2003
Posts
14,059
Some mixer showers also have little filters on the inlets, it might be worth taking it off and checking they are clear if the descale of the cartridge doesn’t work.
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2013
Posts
6,597
Location
Shropshire
My mixer shower is like that - undo the two big nut's and unit pulls off - I know I did it not long ago - If you need a new one just measure the pipe centres and buy another - I will just buy another mixer to match the pipe outlets.
I did put a isolator valve on each pipe just up in the loft so it's not a hard job.
 
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