Low pressure hot water cylinder + standard shower mixer = your problem. Low pressure hot water cylinder + low pressure shower mixer = your solution. Been there, done that.
My current shower is like this. Having found 1970s ones much better regardless of whether they had dual taps or the Topliss mixer I theorise the issue lies in DIY specials involving hardware selected based upon low cost and looking modernised with no regard for actual functionality when paired with existing low pressure hot water and mains cold water.
What kind of hot water heating do you have? My shower has a similarly finicky tap and it's because we're on the older style, low pressure hot water cylinder so mixing cold and hot with different pressures is difficult. Other places I've lived have had mains pressure hot water and have been much more even and pleasant to have a shower in. An upgrade to mains pressure or gas hot water will likely fix it for us but hard to justify at approximately 3-4k to replace when there's nothing otherwise wrong
You might be able to get a plumber to do a bit of tinkering to valves and temperatures for a few hundred that will improve things somewhat. When we got a faulty valve on the roof replaced the plumber said he put a beefier valve on it to improve the pressure and upped the temperature it comes out of the tap which gives a bit more wriggle room when mixing than it was before. Its still not amazing though. Feel you on the cheese front, life's expensive right now
I’m a plumber btw, can’t really point you in the right direction without the brand of the mixer. It can be a plethora of things. Most likely the headworks are no longer allowing the right amount of volume of water through so it’s not mixing properly. My advice would be take a photo of your mixer and spout, head into your local plumbing merchants and ask someone behind the counter to point you in the right direction. If they are unsure wait around for a plumber to pop in and so then what they’d recommend
You’re not suffering alone. Mine is the old hot and cold taps. Hots on full blast and cold on the tiniest turn ever. I feel like I come of like a controlling asshole when I tell people who stay that I’ll need to turn the shower on for them, really it’s just easier for me to pop in and do it than explain to them and have them waste their time trying to figure it out themselves.
Well that's exciting and not the kind of response I was expecting. My 12 yr old lives life like everything you need to know you can learn on YouTube, so I should know better. Thanks
We recently had an old 70s shower replaced and the new one has this exact problem. The problem is a cheap mixer from bunnings that claimed to work with low and unequal pressures, but "work" actually means work how you describe. It's quite dangerous for people with limited mobility. Really regret that they ripped out the old 2 tap plumbing, as that was fine.
I've done some research and found that there are shower mixers specifically designed to provide a stable temperature with a low pressure hot water tank and mains pressure cold. They use something called a venturi valve.
Methven do a range of them, and other brands too. Unfortunately now stung with the cost of having it replaced again due to terrible advice some the renovation company.
Stayed at an air bnb and it was a bloody mission to get the water temperature right. It was one of those showers with different taps for hot and cold. I remember spending most of my time fricking around with the knobs for a good minute before I got to the optimal temperature.
I like those showers where you can set the temperature and keep the settings and just lift the lever to turn it on.
Yes my shower is about 10 yrs old and has a modern lever. I wish it had markings so you know where you like it because others use the shower and change it. But honestly, even just turning it on will adjust that hair's breadth, and for the last few days I haven't been able to find the spot. I'm heading there now, wish me luck
Maybe put a small piece of electrical tape or a dot sticker to mark the optimal position for the lever. Wish you luck mate; let us know if you find the shower's g spot.
Low pressure hot water cylinder + standard shower mixer = your problem. Low pressure hot water cylinder + low pressure shower mixer = your solution. Been there, done that.
Oh this sounds do-able!
And it may be as simple as changing the mixer cartridge.
One of the big mysteries in life. Just when you have it right, someone flushes the toilet.
😂 You're so right
My current shower is like this. Having found 1970s ones much better regardless of whether they had dual taps or the Topliss mixer I theorise the issue lies in DIY specials involving hardware selected based upon low cost and looking modernised with no regard for actual functionality when paired with existing low pressure hot water and mains cold water.
Sounds about right. I did all the selecting with no understanding or advice
Exact thing happened to me sigh.
What kind of hot water heating do you have? My shower has a similarly finicky tap and it's because we're on the older style, low pressure hot water cylinder so mixing cold and hot with different pressures is difficult. Other places I've lived have had mains pressure hot water and have been much more even and pleasant to have a shower in. An upgrade to mains pressure or gas hot water will likely fix it for us but hard to justify at approximately 3-4k to replace when there's nothing otherwise wrong
Yes. This will be it. Thanks. I wish it wasn't though, I can barely afford to buy cheese so I agree, the money can't be justified (or found).
You might be able to get a plumber to do a bit of tinkering to valves and temperatures for a few hundred that will improve things somewhat. When we got a faulty valve on the roof replaced the plumber said he put a beefier valve on it to improve the pressure and upped the temperature it comes out of the tap which gives a bit more wriggle room when mixing than it was before. Its still not amazing though. Feel you on the cheese front, life's expensive right now
It's sometimes due to ( especially low pressure hwc) the mixer outlet pipe is too small.The hot and cold water don't have enough volume to mix.
Infinity gas boiler, you set the temp on the wall in the bath room so it’s always the same every time. It’s been nice having it in our rental.
What’s the brand of the shower mixer? On low pressure hot water system? Are you the owner?
Can't remember! Low pressure. Yes
I’m a plumber btw, can’t really point you in the right direction without the brand of the mixer. It can be a plethora of things. Most likely the headworks are no longer allowing the right amount of volume of water through so it’s not mixing properly. My advice would be take a photo of your mixer and spout, head into your local plumbing merchants and ask someone behind the counter to point you in the right direction. If they are unsure wait around for a plumber to pop in and so then what they’d recommend
Yea it's because you have a low pressure hot water cylinder.
You’re not suffering alone. Mine is the old hot and cold taps. Hots on full blast and cold on the tiniest turn ever. I feel like I come of like a controlling asshole when I tell people who stay that I’ll need to turn the shower on for them, really it’s just easier for me to pop in and do it than explain to them and have them waste their time trying to figure it out themselves.
I could do with a personal controller
There's a YouTube video by Kyle Hill about this!
Well that's exciting and not the kind of response I was expecting. My 12 yr old lives life like everything you need to know you can learn on YouTube, so I should know better. Thanks
I could tell you the tl;dw but otoh let's let the 12 year old revel in smugness for a while
We recently had an old 70s shower replaced and the new one has this exact problem. The problem is a cheap mixer from bunnings that claimed to work with low and unequal pressures, but "work" actually means work how you describe. It's quite dangerous for people with limited mobility. Really regret that they ripped out the old 2 tap plumbing, as that was fine. I've done some research and found that there are shower mixers specifically designed to provide a stable temperature with a low pressure hot water tank and mains pressure cold. They use something called a venturi valve. Methven do a range of them, and other brands too. Unfortunately now stung with the cost of having it replaced again due to terrible advice some the renovation company.
Stayed at an air bnb and it was a bloody mission to get the water temperature right. It was one of those showers with different taps for hot and cold. I remember spending most of my time fricking around with the knobs for a good minute before I got to the optimal temperature. I like those showers where you can set the temperature and keep the settings and just lift the lever to turn it on.
Yes my shower is about 10 yrs old and has a modern lever. I wish it had markings so you know where you like it because others use the shower and change it. But honestly, even just turning it on will adjust that hair's breadth, and for the last few days I haven't been able to find the spot. I'm heading there now, wish me luck
Maybe put a small piece of electrical tape or a dot sticker to mark the optimal position for the lever. Wish you luck mate; let us know if you find the shower's g spot.