shower water pressure

tmnelson · 20 Jul 2006

In summer when water pressure is low, the water temperature is scalding!! We have a gainsborough energy 2000x shower with a cold water feed[shower heats the water itself] from a combi boiler situated on ground floor. Can we install a pump to improve the flow ?? will be grateful for any helpful replies- Thanks.

Softus · 20 Jul 2006

tmnelson said:
In summer when water pressure is low, the water temperature is scalding!! We have a gainsborough energy 2000x shower with a cold water feed[shower heats the water itself] from a combi boiler situated on ground floor.

What?! Cold water doesn't come out of combi boilers.

And if you have an electric shower then you shouldn't feed it from the combi!

Can we install a pump to improve the flow ??

Not unless you have some stored water somewhere....

tmnelson · 20 Jul 2006

sorry I assumed that the water supply came via the combi boiler, not from a main feed. We don't have a tank in the loft though it was removed when the combi boiler was installed. the shower was installed at a later date, is this type not compatible ?

Spark123 · 20 Jul 2006

I think what softus is meaning that you wouldn't feed an electric shower from a combi boiler as the shower heats the water itself. A normal electric shower requires a mains water feed, not from a header tank although it is possible to buy an electric shower which has an internal pump which must be fed from a header tank. These can be installed where there is a water pressure problem.
IIRC there is a rule which prohibits pumping water from the mains, our plumbing friends will likely know better.

Softus · 20 Jul 2006

The Water Regulations prohibit pumping from the mains at anything above a tiny tate (0.5 l/minute or something - I forget the precise figure). This is to prevent a low pressure condition in the mains that could drag in impurities and/or create a syphon elsewhere.

Are you saying that you can't reduce the temperature on the shower, to be below "scalding"? If not then the shower is faulty and needs to be fixed.

tmnelson · 22 Jul 2006

Usually when the weather is 'normal', the temperature/ flow rate is ok but in the summer even with the shower set to low and the gauge turned to cold, the water is still far too hot.

chrishutt · 22 Jul 2006

Sounds like a fault with the shower. Could it just be that the shower head is blocked? Remove the head from the hose and see if the water temperature is OK then.

tmnelson · 23 Jul 2006

Dear chrishutt, thanks for your suggestion, descaled the showerhead, but its made no difference, water still scalding !!, anyone else out there have any ideas

ChrisR · 23 Jul 2006

CHeck the input pipe to the shower - it should be COLD and not from the combi.
Then check the flow rate from the shower, whcih should go to something above 4 litres/minute. T hat rate you would get water at about the right temperature, assuming it's 10 kW or so.

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shower water pressure

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