Pump location recommendations...

[matt-miles]

Hi all,

Our upstairs en-suite bathroom has a recently replaced thermostatic mixer valve in the shower, and it's barely useable... If I'm honest, (and if I was into that sort of thing...) I could pee harder... So I was thinking I could do with a pump.

The problem is, I can't seem to get my head around where to fit it or what type I need... Would I be best to have the pump act on all the hot taps in the house? Or would I be best to have it just work on the shower itself?

The shower is fed by a vented hot water cylinder on the same floor as the shower and a Cold water storage tank (which is already on about 1 metre of stilts) in the loft.

The airing cupboard (which is where I would think the pump would go?) is next to our 11 month old son's bedroom - so noise is a potential issue...

I realise without seeing the house, its probably difficult to say anything, but can anyone offer some advice?

• What sort of pump would you recommend?
• Where in the system should it be fitted?
• Do I even need a pump - Is there anything else I can do to help the flow of the shower?

Thanks in advance!

Matt

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

If the cwsc is 1m off the floor in your loft you could fit a negative head shower pump up their but they cost a lot more money and there will always be associated noise with the pump because it has moving parts.

 

[Riley]

As CH4 says a negative head pump might be the way to go.

I have had success with the Stuart Turner QT range of pumps. They still produce a little noise but nothing like some of the other models out there. Have fitted these for two people in the same block of flats where a third neighbour complained about noise

 

[joni os]

Wrong shower unit. A gravity system needs to function at 0.1 bar. Many units require 0.5 or 1 bar to perform. 1 bar would require feed tank to be 10 metres above shower head.

 

[gassafe]

This are the quietest shower pump I have ever come across... It's centrifugal & not regenerative like others which really does make it very quiet in operation.


Salamander Pumps RSP50 Positive Head Shower Pump 1.5bar | Shower Pumps | NoLinkingToThis

 

[matt-miles]

Thanks for all the replies...

Joni os, can you elaborate?

Do you mean I've got the wrong mixer valve fitted? Or that a mixer valve is incompatible for this setup? If thats the case - what would you recommend?

I've checked the instructions, and the valve we have fitted works within a range of 0.5 to 5.0 bar pressure. The basin next to the shower has really good pressure, and there are no blockages etc.

Surely our tank setup is relatively common?

Does this mean a pump will do no good at all?

M

 

[Riley]

I think what Joni meant is perhaps you should've gone for a valve with 0.1 bar operation as to get a 0.5 one to work your cwsc would need to be raised to at least 5 metres. A pump will sort your issue though

 

[Reg Man]

The problem is probably with the shower mixer fitting. Check the specification with the Manufacturer about operational pressure. A shower pump will obviously give you better performance, but do expect some noise.

 

[joni os]

0.5 bar operating pressure requires cold water feed tank to be 5 metres above shower head.
A shower mixer that works at 0.1 bar is required.
Turn off your cold water at stopcock and determine which taps other than kitchen are feed direct from rising main. If all other cold water taps are on rising main and shower has dedicated cold water tank supply then you may consider the thermostatic part of the mixer unnecessary as opening tap elsewhere will not effect cold supply to shower.
For this to be safe cold supply to shower should exit tank lower than supply to DHW cylinder and cisterns should also be on rising main.