Triton Shower Low Pressure? Here's Why

Okay folks, this is gonna be a quick one. There aren't too many reasons that your shower (electric or not) should have low pressure. Luckily, most of them are pretty quick, cheap, and easy fixes... with one exception. If your Triton shower has low pressure, you've come to the right place. We'll get your shower nice and strong in no time - so stay tuned for all of the fixes.

The most common causes for a Triton shower with low pressure are the solenoid valve/coil, mineral buildup, and restrictor valves.

While there are other things that could cause low pressure (like a plumbing leak) those are less likely, so we'll save those for the end of the article. Now - onto troubleshooting!

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Troubleshooting Triton Shower Low Pressure

This is gonna be a fun little adventure for you. You'll have to perform a bit of detective work before you get to the root of the issue, so let's get going. There's no time to waste - you have a toasty, high-pressure shower to take!

Mineral Buildup

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While the location may vary, this is by far the most common issue that causes low water pressure. Luckily, it's also a super easy fix.

In short, mineral and sediment buildup is entirely normal to happen in showers. The water flowing through your tap isn't distilled, meaning it has some trace amounts of sediment and minerals leftover in it. When it flows through your plumbing, these bits will settle and solidify on your plumbing. Sometimes this results in corrosion (rust), other times it's just a bit of gross buildup. Either way, we want it gone - here's how:

1. Remove your showerhead.
2. Place it in a bowl of vinegar for ~30 minutes (white vinegar works best here as it's cheap).
3. Once it's sat, give your showerhead a scrub with a toothbrush. If you've got bits that are refusing to come off, I've found that a bobby pin or paperclip can be used to push pesky bits out.
4. Repeat the process until the showerhead is clean as a whistle, and then test it out! If it works, great! If not, try the next steps. You may need to replace your showerhead, but let's see if the issue isn't elsewhere first.

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Restrictor Valves

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Otherwise known as a flow control valve, restrictor valves do exactly what their name implies - restrict water flow. It's designed to help reduce your water usage and restrict flow when it gets to be too much for the system. But if your restrictor valve fails, it could be misreading the situation, for lack of a better explanation.

In other words, the restrictor valve, when broken, can think that the standard amount of water is "too much" and do its job a bit too vigorously. The first step in replacing this device (obviously) will be acquiring a new one. You'll want to find the specific restrictor valve for your device , as they change slightly with make and model.

Now - the fix:

1. Turn off the water supply to your shower at the main in your home.
2. Using a pipe wrench or pliers, loosen the old control valve, the connections between it and the plumbing, and the shower head. Take a picture of how it was all set up to make this a bit easier.
   • Be careful with this – you don’t want to accidentally break something by putting too much muscle into it.
   • Allow the water to drain out of the pipes before continuing.
3. Affix the new valve in place, being careful to put everything back as it was, and connect it all together.
4. Use plumbing (silicone-based) adhesive to seal everything into place.
5. Success! Test your shower’s new restrictor valve with a well-deserved shower.

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Solenoid Valve & Coil

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Now, this is the most complicated part to replace. One thing to note is that while it's generally best to replace the whole valve - it's easily 6 times more expensive than replacing just the coil. The valve is generally over £100, while the coil itself can be found for as little as £10-15.

Because we've covered this process before, I'm going to point you to our Triton Shower Problems post . It'll walk you through everything that needs to be done to replace your solenoid valve.

Before we move on, however, I do want to give a warning. This is complicated because you'll have to do a bit of electrical work. If you're uncomfortable or inexperienced with electrical work - leave this to the professionals. They'll get it done quickly and for less than it would cost to replace the whole shower. This is important because while parts and labour can be expensive, redoing a part replacement is far more expensive (and embarrassing if you did it yourself).

Other Potential Causes

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There are a couple of other things that could be causing issues, but they're a bit less likely. In short order, here's what else could be wrong, should none of the other sources prove fruitful:

1. Plumbing leak
   • This is worst case, but worth mentioning. If all of your taps as well as your shower have lost water pressure, it’s likely that you have a leak. Trace your plumbing, looking for wet or dark spots, pools of water, and other signs of a leak. If you find one, cut your water at the main immediately and call a plumber to diagnose and fix the issue.
   • Water damage is no joke – seriously. If you suspect you have a leak, it’s vital that you act quickly and decisively.
2. Leaking or faulty stopcock
   • This is the part of your boiler/main that allows you to shut off water in the event of an emergency. Should it fail, it could result in your water pressure dropping drastically or even stopping altogether.
   • Stopcocks can generally be found beneath your kitchen sink, and again outside under a cover, near your water meter. Should the former leak, it’s your job to fix. Should the latter break, it’s usually on the water company to fix. Either way, contact a plumber for further advice.
3. An air lock
   • Check out this article for more details

Final Thoughts

Should your Triton shower have low pressure, it's likely that the fix is easier than you think. Always begin by examining your shower head. If the hose is kinked, or the head is dirty, those are the most likely (and easiest) fixes. Clean off the showerhead and unkink the hose and see if the problem persists.

Should the problem not be resolved by cleaning/unkinking your showerhead, the next most likely stop is either your solenoid or restrictor valves. Start with the restrictor valve, and should that not be the source, move onto the solenoid. Keep in mind that a solenoid valve replacement can be both dangerous and difficult, so replace it with caution. If you still can't locate the source of your problem, it's time to call a professional. They'll pinpoint the issue quickly and do a better job than you likely can in replacing the part(s) in question.