Salamander pumps

[Naz1977]

Hello All

I am wondering if someone can offer some advice as regards to the Salamander pumps:

I live in a converted bungallow and suffering from poor water pressure. note I don't think this is a flow issue.

I have had the feed to the house replaced to blue and have replaced all internal pipe work to 22mm from feed and then branch off to 15mm at the drops to the appliances.

Have had the flow measured at the property inlet and it had measured about 25lt per min.

I have a small combi boiler fitted ( Worcester 30Si) , and an electric shower.

The pressure from electric shower is not great.

So am thinking about installing a Salamander pump as someone has suggested it to my partner when she was talking to them.

Having looked, I can see that there are 2 versions that could help my case:

Homeboost or Accuboost.

But I get a feeling the homeboost doesn't actually increase the pressure but only the flow to 12lt/min?

So I am thinking if I am already getting 12lt per min in the house but pressure is low, then that will not help ?

So need to look at the Accuboost instead?

But the price difference is a lot! Accuboost 60lt is £700 vs Homeboost at £250.

Any thought/suggestions/advice on where to go to try and rectify the situation so it is better?

Thanks all and a happy new year to you all.

 

[ianmcd]

There used to be a poster on here @SalamanderPumps not sure if he is still around but he would be the best to advise you or possibly @Madrab might know happy new year

 

[oldbuffer]

1. Electric showers generally don't provide much in the way of flow. They heat mains cold water to provide the hot, and there is a physical limit to the amount of water they can heat for a given electrical power.
2. The more cold water you push through an electric shower, the cooler the hot water will be.
3. What is the make, model and kW rating of the shower?

 

[Naz1977]

HI

it is a 10.8 kw Mira Sport.

 

[Naz1977]

sorry, wrong. It is the 9.8Kw Mira Azora and not the 10.8

 

[HERTS P&D]

Why not use the combi for the shower?

Andy

 

[Naz1977]

It is only a 30Si and that combi is only best for one hot tap at a time.

If more than 1 hot tap is open at a time it is really poor.

Looked at chaging the combi to something a lot bigger, and probably will do in about 12 months time, but looking at something for the time being.

 

[flameport]

Any thought/suggestions/advice on where to go to try and rectify the situation so it is better?

What exactly is the problem you are attempting to fix?
25 litres/minute is far more than would be required for any electric shower or combi boiler.

Electric showers are feeble by design - even the most powerful 10.5kW electric shower will only deliver about 5 litres/minute, assuming an outlet temperature of 40C and inlet of 10C. Flow will be less in the winter when the incoming water is colder.

 

[Madrab]

You need to perform a proper static & dynamic pressure and flow test. You need that to give you (us) a starting point. Connect a pressure gauge (cheap to buy from SF/TS) to a point closest to the mains (appliance valve/outside tap) and run 2 of the highest flowing outlets at the same time and check the pressure reading. Then perform a flow test under the same conditions and report back with those figures. If you are getting 25L/Min then you may find your pressure isn't as bad as you think but we need to know the dynamic readings.

The accuboost is a much more expensive solution, as they are pumped accumulators, the accumulator is a tank that is filled under pressure and the pumped version is again used where flow is low, it then releases that water into the system when an outlet is opened. They allow a higher flow rate and pressure than is possible when pumping direct from the mains, though there can be a drop off once the boosted accumulated water is used up so that's all down to the size of the tank. They are bulky though and need space to be installed.

Homeboost is a pumped mains solution that will top out @12L/Min, as that is the maximum that is allowed pumping the mains directly, the homeboost will deliver around 12L/Min @ approx 1.5bar, if you have a flow of 25L/Min even with low pressure, it may just sit at idle and won't be a suitable solution for you as that would then potentially limit the flow to 12l/min. You can check that with Salamander to be sure.

 

[Gasguru]

You've got a 30kW combi...3 x the power of your electric shower. Plumb in a cheap bar thermostatic shower valve and run it from the combi. I'd keep the electric shower as backup when the combi packs up.

 

[Naz1977]

Thanks for the replies.

I have ordered a pressure tester from TS and will get that tested tomorrow and post results. Don't have a flow gauge and don't want to spend £30 on one, so will do a rough times flow measure and also post that up.

Thanks all

 

[Madrab]

Indeed, have 2 full flow taps running and then throw a bucket under one and time it for a minute. Measure what you have, it'll be close enough.

 

[Naz1977]

I must say the flow that was tested was at the meter outside the property by Yorkshire water as this is where they are measured from by them to prove it is not a supply issue. there is about 20m of blue between the mains outside the property and the stopcock inside.

When they tested last year, it was only about 14-16lt per min and they said the guarantee by them is 25lt/minute minimum. But at the time I had old lead supply to the meter and then lead from meter to the house.

4 months ago, I put a new blue down from house to the meter and got Yorkshire water out again and they replaced the feed to the meter also to blue and reconnected it to the meter. Measured at the meter and it was showing about 30lt per minute. So their job was done as it was above the minimum flow. They don't do pressure testing by the sounds of it as this was never performed, only a flow. I have replaced the stopcock and put a new one made for blue , also replaced the isolation valves to full bore all around the house.

I know couple of my taps are not the best taps and they limit the flow when full. I had a cheap one which was rubish. Replaced it with one a bit more expensive and the flow is a bit better in the kitchen tap, but this is right next to the boiler and the main feed.

The bathroom is in the middle of the house and some distance away from the mains and boiler. Also the taps there are supposed to be good ones as they costed me quite a lot from a very famous bathroom store( not Victorian or Victoria plumb).

 

[ianmcd]

if your new taps are installed using flexible hoses these can be very restrictive

 

[Naz1977]

ok, so have done the test,

Currently we have only 1 kitchen and one bathroom, so 2 taps and a bath with electric shower. But will be having a 2nd bathroom with another tap and a shower but no bath.

Pressure:
No tap open: 4bar
1 tap open: 3Bar
2 taps open: 2bar





Flow:
about 6.5lt per min and this is from the best tap.


The taps are connected using the flexi hoses ( rubber with metal braiding).

Is there another option for those?

Any thoughts?