Power shower assembly

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LolaBeltran
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Power shower assembly

Post by LolaBeltran »

I want to change from an old Panasonic electric shower to a new rainshower. I bought the kit and have the new pieces more or less sorted out but I have come across something I cant figure out. Putting up the shower assembly ( hand held and rainshower) will be easy enough .. its the connecting it where I see problems.

The old Panasonic heater still works but when I try to disconnect the old hand held shower hose I see that there is a small plastic tube running the length of it and fastened firmly to the heater base. So the shower head and hose come right off but the little plastic tube that was inside stays attached.
What the heck is it for?
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Nereus
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

Are you sure it is a tube, not a solid piece of round plastic? Has the heater got a model number on it?
It may be a replacement hose than somebody has fitted and not a Panasonic part. When you say it is fastened to the base of the heater does it appear to be attached to a purpose built part of the base, or just fastened under a convenient screw or mounting fastener?
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Bristolian
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Bristolian »

A photo would really be useful in helping you.
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Geko »

Get a good electrician, don't listen to anyones advice, electrics and water don't mix.
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Nereus
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

Geko wrote:Get a good electrician, don't listen to anyones advice, electrics and water don't mix.
Is that right. Well, it just so happens that this "anyone" IS an electrician. AND, if you believe that any Thai "electrician" would have ANY idea about a water hose, you have a lot to learn!
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LolaBeltran
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by LolaBeltran »

Thanks so much Nereus! I really appreciate you jumping in here.

We bought the Panasonic new so the "tube" I see is original equipment. Not sure I can manage a picture. I will try.
Model # DH 3BD1

The plastic tube is a hollow tube about 1/8th inch diameter. The water comes out around this little tube. I took the shower hose off and I can see that. The clear plastic tube runs from the box to the shower head and is tightly fastened in to the box which I have not opened. The shower hose came off entirely with a simple unscrewing of the nut.

I am not touching anything electric. Haven't opened the heater box. If I have to replace the water heater . . then I will have to find an electrician.
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

Hmm, that's a weird one! I suspect that it some type of safety device that is sensing either the water flow, the temperature, or both at the shower head. It is probably connected to a cutout switch or a thermostat inside the box.
Any info for that model number on the internet is written in Thai, so it is probably a model that is only sold here, and there is no technical description.

Is it possible to slip the hose going to the shower head off the small tube, or is it attached inside the hose or the head somehow?

You may have to replace the heater if you are wanting to use it with a rain shower. Also be aware that the system may not have enough pressure to provide much of a shower. There was another thread about this subject recently.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=33440&p=427054&hil ... er#p427054

You must of peed off the water god at some stage, as water problems seem to be attracted to you! :laugh:
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by PeteC »

If it's not electrical, could it simply be a different type of water restrictor in the line rather than in the head? It's stated that it's 1/8" diameter and the water flows around it so it seems to be acting as some kind of restrictor. Pete :cheers:

EDIT: I think a key step is to open the box and see what it's attached to, or if it ends at the base of the hose.
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by LolaBeltran »

I am thinking that it might be some sort of sensor for temperature or water pressure. The heater appears to deliver good pressure but I am prepared to replace it if it doesnt work well with the rain shower. The old hose and showerhead came off easily. What is still there is this long thin plastic tube and I see no way to disconnect it. Certainly not electrical in nature. I will open the box to see what it is attached to.
Yeah . .I seem to be plagued by water problems. Maybe I had better pray harder the next time Wan Loy Krathong comes around!
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

I doubt very much it is a restrictor, Pete. A 1/8" whatever inside a 1/2'" hose is neither here nor there.

If it is a sensor, as I have posted, then it MAY be filled with an inert gas to operate a safety cutout, OR a thermostat.

Did you read the other thread that I posted a link to? Replacing the heater will not make any difference to the water pressure available to the shower head.

As it appears that the small "tube" is free to slide inside the shower hose can you not just put it back into the existing hose? You will need a tee piece on the outlet of the heater to connect the rain shower plumbing, assuming the existing is direct off the heater.
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by PeteC »

I was looking on-line at some of the Panasonic heater specs, although not the op's, and some indicated a "pump" inside the machine. I assume that has something to do with increasing flow force? Pete :cheers:
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

Yes, I noticed that Pete. Never seen one but I assume it is to do with their super deluxe and expensive units that provide a "pulsing" burst to the shower head. :cheers:
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by huahin4ever »

Could it be a function in the original shower where you could change the flow/pressure, like a massage function where water will need to flow through the smaller white hose?
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by HHTel »

Nereus wrote:Yes, I noticed that Pete. Never seen one but I assume it is to do with their super deluxe and expensive units that provide a "pulsing" burst to the shower head. :cheers:
I'm not a plumber but isn't it a function of a 'Power Shower' which has been around for years in the UK. They have an integral pump and work well for a house with low pressure.
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Re: A puzzle for a plumber

Post by Nereus »

HHTel wrote:
Nereus wrote:Yes, I noticed that Pete. Never seen one but I assume it is to do with their super deluxe and expensive units that provide a "pulsing" burst to the shower head. :cheers:
I'm not a plumber but isn't it a function of a 'Power Shower' which has been around for years in the UK. They have an integral pump and work well for a house with low pressure.
Yes, it probably is. But those are designed to run on a "mixer" system where the hot water is supplied from a storage tank separate from the cold water. The most common type of "instantaneous" heaters used here would not work with a "pulsing" pump, as the flow switch would continually turn on and off because of the need for a check valve to prevent the water feeding back to the supply side.

I assume that a unit made for that type of use would have the required components already fitted.
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