Gainsborough shower

[gilby]

I have a Gainsborough 10.5kw electric shower. I bought it in oct 2004. In May 2005 it broke and as i had a 12 month guarantee, they came and changed it for a new one. Now I am getting concerned as slowly i am having to turn it up more and more for it to be hot. It used to be set to number 3 but now im up to about number 6 for the same temp. My guarantee has run out and i dont want to pay through the nose to fix it. Does it sound like a simple problem to anyone or does it look like i will have to get someone out to fix it??

[snook]

I'm not a heating engineer, but I did have a problem with a Gainsborough recently (see here for the thread:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden/Question174563.html

I ended up having to replace it completely. The guy who helped me out (who is very knowledgable with electrics) said right away it was the heater that had blown, and explained that that was why the shower was still working, though much cooler, even after the problem occurred.

He said it had two elements in it (which accounts for having a high and a low setting, quite apart from the numbered dial), and that one of them was still operating.

It wasn't fixable, and impossible to replace for less than about �60, which wasn't much less the shower had cost. I decided to bite the bullet and replace it, and got a Gainsborough again for two reasons: 1) I hoped the new one would be so similar that I wouldn't have to drill more holes in the wall and thru the tiles, since every time you drill you potentially weaken the wall, and 2) After the shower failing in just about 2 years, and being so expensive to repair, I thought maybe it's worth regarding them as more or less disposable, and therefore why buy a dearer one (which might be no more dependable)?

Actually, the new one lasted only a fortnight! My mate checked it out and found that a plastic terminal had melted! I had to get that one replaced too (obviously still under g'tee)! After a month or so, it's working okay, which is great - after all, two weeks in and it was already going for a Personal Best!

Gilby, save yourself some time - you won't find anyone to replace the heater at a decent price (assuming that's the problem, and it sounds like). Just steel yourself to the idea you'll have to get a new one.

[alphamale]

This is not exactly the answer that you are after, but I had eactly the same problem with the same unit, twice, both times just outside the guarantee period.

It must be down to a rather poor design. Your post has convinced me that is just not worthwile buying a Gainsborough again.