Codeigniter database connection error and db_select

I will try to be brief and precise.

• I am using Codeigniter 3.1.4. with HMVC
• Works well on localhost with 'pconnect' = FALSE;
  
  
• The problem is on a real server via shared hosting.
• max_user_connections = 10
  
  ... Installed by the hosting company.
• Also added mysql.allow_persistent = Off
  
  to php.ini file.
• Gives an error Message: mysqli::real_connect(): (42000/1203): User <user> already has more than 'max_user_connections' active connections Filename:mysqli/mysqli_driver.php Line Number: 201
  
  
• Line 201
  
  calls mysqli::real_connect
  
  in db_connect function mysqli_driver
• The official CI expression is "... CodeIgniter intelligently takes care of closing database connections."

With pconnect = FALSE;

and CI smartly closing database connections, I can't see what should be causing the problem.

EDIT

• Previously, a group of databases was loaded via $this->load->database('group', TRUE);
  
  in each model (only one such call per model).
• Tried to resolve the above error by autoloading the database library and setting $this->db->db_select('dbName');
  
  to the appropriate controllers + models, but not always selecting the correct database when loading the controller model +.
• Does anyone know how it works db->db_select()
  
  ?

Any ideas would be a great help. Thank.