TCO failure

The TCO on my T100si has gone open circuit so needs replacing.

Why would the shower overheat? When the showerhead was blocked the PRD failed so presumably this has failed due to a lack of water.

I have cleaned the showerhead and the scale trap and water flows but just doesn't seem as strong as before.

Will just replacing the TCo be enough or will it blow again straightaway?
Asked 11 years ago by Anonymous

Yes the lack of water could have caused the shower to overheat and  TCO to activate however it could also be a sticking switch or relay see below

 

I think you may have a faulty Thermal Cut Out


A faulty TCO will have no continuity across the two terminals (The black thing on top of the heating tank)

Therefore a good TCO will have power at both connections and a faulty TCO will have power at only one.

(The function of the TCO is, if the water over heats it cuts the power off to the elements until the water cools, this can take up to 15mins)

See Video.

http://www.youtube.com/user/showerdoc#p/u/2/_zi8JbEMYMs

 

After fitting a new TCO

 

When fitting a new TCO listen to the shower, after it has completed its first on/off cycle, if when it is switched off you hear it continuing to heat (Noise like a kettle starting to boil) this will mean that there is a switch or a relay that is stuck in the on position, this is keeping an element energised and this is probably what caused the original TCO to fail.

If this is the case replace the faulty switch or relay and make sure that you switch the shower off at the isolating switch when the shower is not in use because this may cause the new TCO to fail.

 

The other thing to check is the elements a faulty element when it “blows” can cause the TCO or the PRD to fail also if there is only one element working then this could give you reduced flow.

 

It may be a faulty element in the heating tank (there are two, three in most 10kw showers) you can check them with a multi meter you should have a reading of around 12>18 ohms.

If you have power to the elements and no heat it's probably the elements, no power to the elements then it's probably a micro switch.

 

If you don’t have a multimeter  we sell them at £10 each with a guide on how to use them for checking and testing the various parts of your shower.

 

Apart from helping to fix your shower, they are really useful for checking you have a power supply to appliances, for checking fuses, letting you know much power you have left in batteries

(so you know if they are dud or not)  and lots of other jobs, in short they are well  worth the £10.

 

http://www.showerdoc.com/installation/electrical-products/SKYTRO-600-005-Digital-Multi-Tester

 

 

There a few things to check, however if you work your way through them you should get to the bottom of the problem.

 

 

 

Answered 11 years ago by The Shower Doctor

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