Mixer shower replacement

[CAMRAMan]

Our external Mira Combiflow mixer shower is borked. The metal shower hose fitting has fused with the nipple that screws into the mixer unit and no amount of persuasion will part the two. The part in question is discontinued, so replacement is not an option. There are no old units on eBay to cannibalise either.



Looks like we need to replace the whole mixer unit. Anyway, the question is whether the pipes coming out from the wall that attach to the mixer unit are spaced to an industry standard or whether there are different spacings per manufacturer?* If standard, I can probably do the job, but if pipework is needed then I need to get someone in. The difference in prices for the mixer units is vast; ranging from £40 up to hundreds that seem to do the same job.


The reason I ask is that the part that is knackered has a non-standard thread unique to Mira, so I'm hoping that the same doesn't apply to the pipe spacings.

[Thor]

I just measured the spacing for our (Bristan) unit at about 155mm, centre to centre, so you can compare. 

IIRC, there was a small amount of adjustment possible in the inlet elbows during installation, which was just as well, since whoever installed the pipes had not got the spacing exactly right, to say nothing of getting hot/cold the wrong way around  .   Fortunately, the Bristan replacement allowed for the latter possibility.

[Feanor]

When I last installed a bar mixer shower, I discovered that most shower valves have pipework at 150mm centres.
So you might be in luck.

Price differences will include basic non-thermostatic mixers at the cheap end, up to high quality thermostatic units at the expensive end.

[jsabine]

Assuming that the Combiflow installation instructions at https://www.taps4less.com/pdf/Mira%20Combiflow.pdf are for the right model, do the diagrams on p7 give you enough detail to check dimensions against other models you're considering? (It says it's designed for 153mm centres.)

Assuming (again!) that the part you'd choose to replace is the outlet nipple, 459.10, it seems to still be available at http://www.northwestspares.co.uk/mira-combiflow-outlet-nipple-chrome--45910-4591-10471-p.asp - or at any rate it let me add it to the shopping basket.

[CAMRAMan]

Ooh, thanks! I've just left a voicemail with Northwest Spares to see if they actually have one. That would be an almighty expense spared!

[CAMRAMan]

Part duly purchased from Northwest Spares & PayPal refund duly received without explanation 15 minutes later! Harrumph. Back to square one, but I think the pipe spacing issue has been solved, as the replacement I have in mind allows for 130-170mm spacing.

[jsabine]

And that parts page is now 404 ...

They don't hold any stock, do they, relying on calling it off from the manufacturer when needed ...

[CAMRAMan]

Someone, somewhere must have one, but it's finding it. Anyway, I've bitten the bullet and gone for a thermostatic one to replace the Mira.

[CAMRAMan]

Back to square one!

Anyway, all this dimensions lark really confuses me! The dimensions for the knackered Mira are: inlet 15mm, pipe centres 150, protrusion 18mm. My plumber isn't exactly being proactive in telling me if this: http://www.tritonshowers.co.uk/media/custom/upload/File-1518455763.pdf will fit. I suspect that the protrusion is too large, but what do I know?! Anybody?

[rr]

This is why I replaced the valves on ours, despite we each one being 2/3 the price of the shower.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[CAMRAMan]

Sadly Mira don't make the valve I have any more & their suggested replacements are £££! I can see loads of valves from very cheap to very dear, but I just don't know which one will fit. I tried joining a plumber forum, but the bloody ID verification system won't load, so I can't join!

[Brucey]

suggestion; could the seized part be attacked using

- chemicals to dissolve corrosion/limescale
- heat
- hammer massage...?

(basically if you can get something up the middle of the fitting, to support it, tapping the collar part radially will often release it.)

cheers

[CAMRAMan]

Right, I seem to have found a replacement. A Bristan Sonique 2. I had the choice of principles or penny-pinching. Amazon had it at £105, so £58 cheaper than the other place I looked. Sadly, my impoverished state saw my money go to Amazon. Now I just hope it fits.

[rr]

Sadly Mira don't make the valve I have any more & their suggested replacements are £££! I can see loads of valves from very cheap to very dear, but I just don't know which one will fit. I tried joining a plumber forum, but the bloody ID verification system won't load, so I can't join!

For future reference, shower doctor are very good at pointing you at the right parts.

[CAMRAMan]

And finally, the new shower is fitted and ready...

My guilt at using Amazon was somewhat assuaged by the fact that the difference in prices paid for the man to fit it.