Friday, 26 February 2021

Visual Diagnostic Guide: How to Spot Faulty vs. Good Electric Shower Parts

⚠️ SAFETY FIRST: READ BEFORE STARTING

Working on electric showers is dangerous. You are dealing with a high-voltage appliance (240V) and water.

  • ISOLATE POWER: Always turn off the electricity at the main consumer unit (fuse box) and pull the isolation cord before removing the shower cover.

  • VERIFY DEAD: Use a voltage tester to ensure no power is reaching the unit.

  • LEGALS: In the UK, major electrical work in bathrooms is "Part P" regulated. If you are not a competent person or are unsure of these tests, stop and consult a Part P qualified electrician.

  • DISCLAIMER: You follow these guides at your own risk. This site and its authors are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage caused by your repairs.


In this post ill show you the difference between the good parts and the faulty parts as a comparison so you can easily tell , not that its hard but i had them lying about and if it helps then its worth doing.




Burnt electric shower solenoid

tco failure difference

Buy electric shower parts on Ebay UK here


Need a Multimeter for testing try on Ebay UK here


Difference between faulty and good inlet solenoids and thermal cut offs. 

Please see video below where i test both components one damaged and the other good.


Common Visual Red Flags

  1. Solenoid Coils: * Good: Clean plastic housing, no smell.

    • Faulty: Swelling of the plastic, "bubbling," or a distinct acrid electrical burning smell.

  2. Thermal Cut-Outs (TCO):

    • Good: Shiny copper terminals and a flat black or white plastic top.

    • Faulty: Charring (black marks) on the screw terminals or a "bulge" in the center where it has overheated.

  3. Microswitches:

    • Good: Clear, crisp "click" when pressed.





Testing electric shower heater elements - good one and bad compared

A part might look good but still be faulty. Always confirm a visual diagnosis with a multimeter test (e.g., a TCO must show continuity/beep).







Ensure you choose the parts as desinged for you electric shower mira and triton can have different specs






Buy triton solenoids on Ebay UK here 








Mira solenoid on Ebay UK here

No comments:

Post a Comment