HOW AN ELECTRIC SHOWER WORKS AND COMMON ELECTRIC SHOWER FAULTS

How an Electric Shower Works and Common Electric Shower Faults

Electric Shower Problems | Electric Shower Fault Finding | Electric Shower Diagnostics | Electric Shower Repair

This article explains how an electric shower works and lists some of the most common electric shower faults
along with their symptoms. It is a diagnostic guide and cannot cover every make of electric shower.

It can be a daunting task to engage in fault-finding an appliance if you know nothing about it. Knowledge is
everything. Familiarize yourself with the information here and obtain a diagram of your showers internals. You
should be able to identify where your fault lies quite quickly with all this information.

And it goes without saying: Electricity can kill. Always ensure that you are working safely by isolating your
shower electrically before commencing any type of work on it. If in doubt, contact a competent electrician.

Typical Electric Shower Components

Shown below, is a schematic of a typical electric shower and a photograph that illustrates what the parts of a
shower look like.

Schematic: Typical Electric Shower Components Labelled: Electric Shower Internal Parts
How an Electric Shower Works
Schematic: How an Electric Shower Works

When the user starts the shower by pressing the

stop/start button, the flow control valve lets in the water.
If there is sufficient water pressure, the pressure switch
will turn on the heating element(s).
The element(s) in the heat exchanger will start to heat the
water as the water passes through it.
By controlling the flow rate of water over the heating
element, the output temperature of the water can be
controlled. Reducing water flow rate increases water
temperature since the water is in contact with the heating
element for longer. Increasing water flow rate will reduce
water temperature accordingly. The graph below
Electric Shower Wiring illustrates the relationship between water flow rate and
the rise in cold water temperature for a typical electric
Diagram (Typical) shower with a heat output of ~9.5KW.

The Relationship of Water Flow Rate to The Rise in Water

Temperature in a Typical Electric Shower

It should be noted that the temperature of the incoming

water supply varies throughout the year. It can be as low
as 5C in winter and as high as 20C in the summer. This
affects the output temperature of the shower on a
seasonal basis. You may find that during the winter
months, you have to turn your heat selector dial further
into the red; slowing the water flow to achieve a water
temperature you have become accustomed to.
Some electric showers have high and low settings to give
further control over water temperature. This is often
achieved by operating just one heating element instead
of two.
Schematic: Typical Electrical Shower Wiring Diagram

This is the typical wiring of an electric shower. And its invaluable for fault-finding.
Essentially, there are two separate circuits:
A low power circuit (small diameter wires) that operates a solenoid valve to start the flow of water into the unit.
A high power circuit (large diameter wires) that controls the heating elements in the heat exchanger and is switched on
when water pressure is detected.
It is recommended that you seek the wiring diagram for your particular electric shower model to assist in fault-finding.

1. Electric Shower Low Power Circuit: Stop/Start Water Flow

Stop/Start Switch

Pressing the stop/start switch operates the solenoid valve (see below) that lets mains water enter the shower
unit. It also supplies power to the neon lights. When power is switched off, the solenoid valve closes and
prevents the flow of water through the unit.

Common Faults with Electric Shower Stop/Start Switches

This wiring diagram illustrates that the Start/Stop neon will illuminate when the Stop/start switch is switched on.
If your electric shower will not start and this neon does not illuminate, potential causes could be:

1. No electricity supply to your electric shower. Check the obvious; fuses, a MCB trip, isolation pull-cord
switched off.
2. The front cover of the shower may not have been fitted properly or it may have come away from the
showers back plate so that there is no decent contact between the push button and the micro-switch
inside. Take off the front cover and replace, ensuring switch operation is good.
3. The micro-switch is faulty. Replace the micro-switch.

How an Electric Shower Solenoid Valve Works

There are many different designs of solenoid valve assemblies, yet they all look very similar and usually have a
detachable solenoid coil.
Solenoid Valve Assembly Solenoid Coil

The solenoid coil is the part that generates magnetism when an electrical current is passed through it. The
magnetism attracts the metal pin inside the valve assembly to allow mains water into the shower unit. It is very
easy to detach it from the valve assembly. Insert a flat-bladed screw driver between the valve housing and the top
of the solenoid coil and lever the two apart.

Common Faults with Electric Shower Solenoid Valves:

1. Sufficient mains water pressure is required to keep this valve closed. If mains water pressure is
inadequate, water may pass through the valve and cause the shower head to drip. Ensure that your stop-
cock is fully open and that you have full mains water pressure.
2. A damaged diaphragm will allow the constant passage of water through the valve. Even though the
shower is switched off, cold water will continue to flow through the shower head. Replace the solenoid
valve assembly.
3. A failure of the solenoid coil will not activate the valves piston and water will not flow into the shower
unit. Replace the solenoid coil or the solenoid valve assembly as a complete unit.

2. Electric Shower High Power Circuit: Heating Element Electrical Circuit

The wiring diagram (above) shows that this heat exchanger has two heating elements. Each heating element
electrical circuit contains at least two switches in series, which means that they all need to be on for the circuit
to be made and for the elements to generate heat.

In circuit order, the following switches must be on for the relevant heating elements to operate.

Heating Element #1: Thermal Cut Out (TCO) + Pressure Switch LH

Heating Element #2: Thermal Cut Out (TCO) + Pressure Switch RH + Power Setting Switch

This means that:

A failure of the TCO will prevent both heating elements from working.
A failure of BOTH pressure switches will prevent both heating elements from working.
A failure of one pressure switch or the power setting switch will cause one of the heating elements to stop working.

Electric Shower: Thermal Cut Out (TCO) Switch

Shown on top of the heat exchanger is an electrical switch known as a Thermal Cut Out switch, or TCO for short. This device
senses the temperature of the water inside the heat exchanger and if it detects that the water is too hot then it shuts off the
electricity supply to the heating elements. It is there to prevent the bather from being scalded.

Common Faults with Electric Shower Thermal Cut Out (TCO) Switches:

1.
2.
A Thermal Cut Out Switch (TCO)
Electric Shower: Pressure
Switches / Micro Switches
Under normal circumstances, a TCO may switch off and on repeatedly if the
incoming water temperature and selected heat setting is too high. Theres
nothing wrong here. Its actually doing its job and protecting you from being
burnt. Turn down the heat setting.
A TCO can malfunction in a number of ways. It can fail completely and
consequently fail to complete the circuit for the heating elements, resulting
in no hot water. It could also fail by switching off then on at random,
resulting in repeated bouts of hot and cold water. If you suspect the TCO in
your electric shower, you should test it with a multi-meter. If you dont have
a muti-meter, consider by-passing the TCO by disconnecting the live input
terminal (the wire from the terminal block) and connecting it securely to the
output terminal of the TCO. Dont use the shower like this as the scalding
protection is lost. You can run it briefly however to see if the shower
produces constant hot water. If it does, you know that the TCO is faulty.

Electric shower pressure switches are essentially micro switches that are able to handle high current. They are
switched on by mechanical means when water pressure is detected in the shower system. Shown below is an
example of a micro switch with the on/off button in white:

Generally, electric showers contain two of these micro switches to

govern power to two heating elements in the showers heat exchanger.
The mechanism that actually operates these switches is mounted
behind them. In the photograph below, the micro switches can be seen
with the thick brown wires going to and from them. Above them is the
dial that selects one or both heating elements in the heat exchanger. It
is labelled as HOT, MEDIUM & COLD on my showers face plate. It has 3
selectable positions and should not be confused with the primary dial
that controls water temperature by altering water flow rate.
Electric Shower Micro Switch
(Pressure Switch)

Micro Switches (Front)

It can be seen that there is another plastic disc beneath this dial, and it is
larger in diameter. This disc is pushed towards the micro switches when
water pressure is detected in the shower. That movement activates the
buttons on the micro switches to allow electrical current to pass to the
heating elements.
 Operation of Micro Switches When Water Pressure is detected

Note that there is a gap in the larger diameter disc and that the three-
position temperature selector dial is connected to it. In the photographs,
the dial is currently selected HOT and it can be seen that the larger
diameter disc will operate both micro switches when water pressure is
detected and the disc is shunted forwards towards them, when the
selector dial is turned anti clockwise to MEDIUM, the gap in the larger disc
prevents the second micro switch from operating.

Common Faults with

Electric Shower Pressure Switches:

1. Look for signs of burning or melting around these switches. If any of these signs are observed, replace.
2. Check the operation of the mechanical pressure device. Make sure it is free to move when electrical
power is off. Observe its operation with the showers front cover off and taking all necessary precautions.
If it fails to operate, change it.
3. Ensure that the coarse temperature selector dial is set to HOT and that the corresponding mechanical
device will operate both micro switches. Check movement of the selector in conjunction with the
pressure switch and its orientation with respect to the micro switches.
4. Remove the pressure switches from their mountings and depress the micro switches in the back a few
times, then re-mount. This procedure fixed the fault on my shower.

Electric Shower: Power Setting Switch

Power setting switches are electrical switches that can be selected manually to operate a second heating
element in the heat exchanger.

Common Faults with Electric Shower Power Setting Switches:

1. Check the terminal connections to the switch. Use a multi-meter to check switch integrity.

Electric Shower: Heating Elements

If youve concluded that the TCO and pressure switches are working properly; the neon lights are functioning
and you still have no hot water, then the likelihood is that the heating elements have failed. The only way to
know for sure is to test the elements with a multi-meter.

The heating element is an expensive item and rather than

replace it, it may be easier and more cost effective to
simply purchase a replacement shower. Use the link below
to see if your electric shower model is still available.

Electric Shower Heating Elements & TCO