how to fit a shower pump

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i have a gravity fed balanced system & want to fit a shower pump.
1. can i fit the pump in the loft next to the cold water tank as there is no space next to the hot water cylinder.
2. can i just cut into the hot & cold pipes in the loft that feed direct to the shower & fit the pump there?
3. Do i need a negative head pump & if i want to feed 2 showers what would i need then??
Thanks in advance for any replies
my storage tank is 225ltrs & is about a foot off the loft floor.
cheers
 
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1. Really not advisable - All sorts of problems can occur with airlocks and the like. If you do it requires special pipe installation but even then most pumps require at least 1/2 mtr of cold water head to feed the pump effectively. It could be sited under the bath tho if it's less than say 4-5 meters from the hot cylinder.
2. No, it requires a dedicated feed from the hot cylinder and cold tank. The hot is to remove the likely-hood of air bubbles being drawn into the pump (Surrey or Essex flange)
3. Negative pump only required if shower head at maximum height is say 300mm rising anywhere above the level of the cold water level in the tank.
 
cheers Rob.
problem is its an en suite. no bath. no room in cylinder cupboard.no space in adjoining rooms. loft space was only option really. it's just that i'd seen one in a loft piped as i said so thought it would be easy. how wrong was i.
any other ideas or is that it..
cheers
 
Would there be space in the cylinder cupboard to mount the pump on shelf, say above the tank or something like that? Or could the cold water cistern in the loft be raised at all? You don't need much head above the pump - as Rob says about 500mm (for the Monsoon pumps, Stuart turner say 500mm from bottom of tank to bottom of pump. Salmander 600mm to the pump inlet. Raising your tank a foot or so would probably give you that.

There are some extra plumbing considerations - have a look in the installation manuals on the pump makers sites.

As to feeding the pump. how much of a risk are you willing to run? there are the various requirements either to ensure there is enough water for the pump (enough flow, damage from water starvation), or to reduce the problems caused by air in the water (damage to the pump from cavitation, more noise) If you don't follow all these things you risk invalidating the warranty. But I've done things the 'wrong' way before, and just accepted that if it goes wrong, I'm on my own.

Well cold is easy enough, you can put in another cold feed from the CWSC. Though if for example the cold just feeds the en suite then in reality it's fine to use that if no one else is going to be using it.

Hot, well Tee-ing off the hot the pipe near the tank is one of the recognised ways of doing it, if maybe not optimal - there are diagrams in the stuart tunrer installation manual. - though should be arranged so air doesn't go up the pump pipe. doing it elsewhere you might get away with it it depending on how the piping is arranged, other draw off, the shower flowrate etc.. There are probably loads of pumps out there working fine not installed in the right way, because manufacturers instructions are always goign to err on the side of caution

But really, it';s not that hard to put in new feeds - assuming that the ensuite is under the loft with the tank in.
 
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If you're in Yorkshire you will need a warix flange.
Contact me I just took one out that I only fitted 5 months ago and the guy still has the shower pump there with hardly a spec of dust on it. I'm in Middlesbrough BTW if you're anywhere nearby.
 
Cheers for all replies. Gives me alot to think about. Guess raising the tank & putting pump in loft is my only option. I'll let you know what happens.
Thanks again.
 

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