Shower Head

How Many Parts Make A Shower Head?

How Many Parts?

You may be surprised to learn that the shower head that came with my Mira Sport Thermostatic Shower is made from 22 separate parts. If you count them in the featured image above you will see 21 but take note that the main body of the shower head, on the right, is made from two inseparable parts of plastic.

I can also tell you that the main body of the shower head retains water after use. Some drops can be removed by shaking it in various ways but some always remains inside. If the shower isn’t used regularly this water will become stagnant and may hold dangerous bacteria. I would recommend turning the shower on at least once per week to refresh the water in the shower head.

This all came to light when I wanted to do a good job of cleaning mould and calcium off the shower head. I felt the best job would be done by dismantling it and cleaning all the parts individually since some mould looked as if it had penetrated inside.

Disconnecting The Shower Head From The Hose

It’s easiest to work on the shower head after disconnecting it from the hose. All the shower heads I have worked on have had the same universal screw connection to the hose. This allows for easy replacement of either the shower head or the hose. This shower head was no different.

An externally threaded spigot projects from the bottom of the shower head, and the end of the hose has an internally threaded collar which screws onto the shower head’s spigot and pulls a flange up tight against the spigot. The collar is free to rotate on the end of the hose until it is up tight. See pictures below:

To seal the connection a soft synthetic rubber washer/gasket is placed in the collar to sit up against the flange before the shower head is screwed into it. See pictures above. The washer/gasket often sticks to the flange in time. The two should be screwed together by hand. Tools, like mole-grips, will only damage the surface of the collar.

Dismantling The Shower Head

Dismantling was initially difficult. There are no visible screws and the shower rose that rotates into three positions appears to be fixed onto the main body in a way that makes them inseparable.

I resorted to the Internet for help and found an assembly diagram that suggested to me that the outer ring, which one grips to turn the shower head to its three positions, is the last part to be assembled and just clicks into position. See Mira Sport Electric Shower Manual. I managed to force it off using a pen-knife blade slotted in around the back without damage, but I was lucky. Once removed the disc containing the rubber holes can be unscrewed (anticlockwise helpfulcolin.com) to reveal two ‘O’ rings and the one and only screw that holds the rest of the parts together.

Observe very carefully how it comes apart so that you can reassemble it. Make notes and take photos. There is one small coil spring like the one in a ballpoint pen. The spring puts the force behind the pawl that clicks into place when the shower head is rotated through its three positions. There are two larger coil springs that sit behind the two black rubber tubes with oval holes through which water passes.

Cleaning The Shower Head

Parts can be cleaned with a toothbrush and strong bleach, such as HG Mould Spray, then rinsed under a tap. Remove limescale, after bleach is rinsed off, with limescale Descaler.

The outer rubber jets can be poked out from the front for further cleaning. The inner ring of jets has its own plastic retainer, pressed in from the back, with keyways that engage keys in the plastic cover as shown below:

Central Rubber Jet Keeper - Shower Head

The keys and keyways syncronise the holes in the retainer with the rubber jets or the retainer might turn in operation and block the jets.

Reassembling The Shower Head

Reassembly is the reverse of dismantling. Below are some pictures depicting five stages of assembly:

STAGE 1

Apply the rubber seals shown above and the central rubber washer in the selector disc.

Shower Head
Reassembly Stage 1

STAGE 2

Attach the selector disc with a central screw. This determines which ring of holes the water comes out of.

Shower Head
Reassembly Stage 2

STAGE 3

Put the ‘O’ rings in place.

Shower Head
Reassembly Stage 3

STAGE 4

Put on the cover (Spray Plate) with the outlet holes in it. With some models this screws on.

Shower Head
Reassembly Stage 4

STAGE 5

Finally clip on the Outer Ring. . . .

Shower Head
Reassembly Stage 5

. . . Be careful to align the Outer Ring with the teeth on the grey ring as shown below:


END OF POST


Comments

14 responses to “How Many Parts Make A Shower Head?”

  1. kenneth young avatar
    kenneth young

    The three sets of tooth sockets on the outer ring are not set at 120 degrees apart. No mention of the plastic keeper of the middle rubber jets which also is located using three lugs that are not set a 120 degrees.

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Kenneth,

      Thank you for pointing this out. I obviously wasn’t paying attention to the angles here. I was more fascinated by the abundance of parts. I have now taken measurements.

      Regarding The Toothed Ring
      The acute angle subtended by the two groups of teeth which are close together is 70° and the obtuse angles these teeth subtend with the other set of teeth are both 145°.

      Regarding The Plastic Keeper of The Middle Rubber Jets
      The two keyways which are furthest apart subtend an obtuse angle of 180° (i.e. they are diametrically oposite), and the two keyways which are closest together subtend an acute angle of 60°.

      I will edit the article in due course.

      Kind regards, Colin.

      1. Alan avatar
        Alan

        Hi I am having trouble getting the spray plate back on my Mira shower. Does it screw on or push on. It seems too small to go on. I have bought a new adjuster ring that fits but I cannot get the thing back together. Can you please help thanks

        1. Helpful Colin avatar

          Hi Alan,
          I don’t posess this shower head any longer. I don’t remember how it was put together in detail, but, as luck would have it I came across an instruction manual Which says it screws on but I’m not sure it is exactly the same model. The booklet is dated February 2007.
          Here are the two relevant pages (15 & 16):
          Maintenance Page15,
          Maintenance Page16.
          Regards, Colin.

        2. Helpful Colin avatar

          Hi Alan,
          The more I think about this I don’t remember mine screwing together and with yours appearing smaller I suspect you have a part for a different model. I remember putting a lot of effort into dismantling mine by prising it apart while trying not to break it. Iwas only doing it to find out how it was assembled.
          Regards, Colin.

    2. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Kenneth,

      I have edited this article. I hope I have improved it enough. Thanks again for your input.

      Regards, Colin.

  2. Liam avatar

    Exactly what I was looking for. When I was cleaning it out,
    I lost the tiny spring that
    makes it click but it’s still working fine.
    Thanks Colin.

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Liam,

      Try replacing the spring with one out of a retractable ballpoint pen. Cut it to size with wire cutters. It needs to be stainless steel of course.

  3. Daz avatar
    Daz

    Thank you for taking the time to put this information together. It has been extremely useful in resolving an issue I had with the exact same shower head which was leaking water from holes other than those selected and also dripping heavily during use. Turned out it just needed a good strip down and clean up of the deposit build up in the jet holes – I hadn’t realised the head unscrewed until I read your article.
    Thanks again – much appreciated.

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Daz,
      I’m pleased I was able to assist you.
      Kind regards, Colin.

  4. Harvey Beeston avatar

    Thanks for the tips of how to dismantle the shower head I found them of great help.Thanks again

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Thanks for the comment Harvey.

  5. Ian Jones avatar
    Ian Jones

    Very helpful and clear. Helped me to reassemble our Mira shower head which had been dropped and had come apart

  6. Home Plix avatar
    Home Plix

    You have published an amazing post about shower head parts. You have done great job. Thanks for sharing your helpful post.

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