Shower pressure

[jtheobald]

I know many questions have been asked about shower pressure, but here's mine. Hope somebody can help.

My Mother lives in a bungalow and her shower pressure has got worse over time. I have replaced the shower mixer but it's made no difference. I have also tried removing the head and installing a wider bore hose - nothing seems to work.

To get the shower working you have to place the head in the bath and run the taps.

I have thought about a shower pump but wondered if anybody can suggest anything before, I go to that upheaval as I understand I will need to run two additional 22mm pipes from the cold-water tank/hot water cylinder.

I attach a diagram, apologises for the drawing.

Thanks.

 

[Madrab]

Is the bathroom in the first floor or the ground floor? Basically the shower isn't getting enough pressure and that's usually to do with how high the Cold Water Cistern (CWSC)is above the head of the shower, proven by the fact it will run when the shower head is dropped. Is the shower fed from the HW cylinder and the cold mains? If so that can be an issue as the cold mains will be overpowering the unbalanced hot supply.

 

[jtheobald]

Is the bathroom in the first floor or the ground floor? Basically the shower isn't getting enough pressure and that's usually to do with how high the Cold Water Cistern (CWSC)is above the head of the shower, proven by the fact it will run when the shower head is dropped. Is the shower fed from the HW cylinder and the cold mains? If so that can be an issue as the cold mains will be overpowering the unbalanced hot supply.

Hi, I appreciate you responding. The bathroom is on the ground floor, tanks are on the first floor. I'd estimate the tank is approx. 2m above the shower. I don't believe the shower is fed from both the cistern and mains, but I do know that I need to isolate the cistern feed and mains feed to stop water getting to the bath.

 

[Madrab]

If the shower head is 2m below the CWSC then that should be enough to feed a shower, though it will be poorly, that being said what kind of shower is it? Bar shower? Some showers are only really designed to take mains hot and cold and will struggle with gravity feeds no matter what they say.

So you need to isolate the valve to the cylinder to stop the Hot Water and the cold mains to stop the cold? When looking at your diagram, that's what it suggests.

 

[fixitflav]

The bathroom is on the ground floor, tanks are on the first floor.

You said it's a bungalow!

I don't believe the shower is fed from both the cistern and mains,

Your sketch shows mains to the shower cold input. I believe (unless I'm corrected) that that's against the rules, as if the mains goes off, somebody can get scalded. Should be from a separate connection on the CW storage tank.

I'd estimate the tank is approx. 2m above the shower.

That should give a decent shower. Mine is less than that and while not blistering it's perfectly adequate. If it's worked better in the past sounds like it's getting fouled. I'd start by making sure the shower rose is clear of scale build-up.

 

[jtheobald]

Hi, thanks when I say first floor it's more an attic. Interesting point thanks, I have tried the head but as the pipes are old I do wonder about scale elsewhere. Not the best plumbing I've ever seen either.

 

[jtheobald]

It's a Devo bar shower. The hot has a valve just before the shower inlet. The cold has a valve on the cistern pipe just before its tee'd to the shower. But this doesn't stop the flow, I had to also stop the mains! Which seems bizaar.

 

[Madrab]

Devo bar shower

Can I presume you mean a Deva, not Devo?