Anyone got any ideas why my shower pressure is rubbish?

[monkeybird]

I posted this separately in another message so apologies for cross-posting (just realised my title wasn't pulling in any answers )

I've just had a new mixer shower fitted. In theory (according to my installer) it is for low pressure systems (we have a vented system with conventional boiler and cylinder)

The cylinder is in the bathroom airing cupboard, the header tank is in the loft, a few feet above the shower head.

Very hot water comes thrashing out of the bath tap (less than a metre from the shower head), filling my 2 litre jug in 5 seconds (at about 47 degrees).

The water coming from the shower (on the thermostatic 38 degree setting) feels lukewarm to me (but that might be just because there's not enough of it) seems to actually vary between 33 and 38 degrees, and is about as powerful as mosquito **** (fills about 200mls of my jug in 5 seconds...)

The installer explained this with reference to the pipe size differences between bath tap and shower fitting (22ml to 15ml), height difference and various filters, mechanisms inside the shower mixer.

Is this really right? Someone else mentioned checking for shower inhhibitors inside the connectors? I'd have no idea where to start and they've gone now: is this something me (or the husband more likely ) could do?

Thanks

 

[seco services]

if the showerhead is only about 2 ft below the cold water storage in the loft and run in 15mm pipe it will be hopeless flow.
useally they fit a pump on this type of install.

what is the shower you have installed ?

 

[monkeybird]

I dunno which shower fitting it is!

I know they went to get a mixer valve and head specifically for a low pressure system. It's a bar valve with a limiter on the temperature bit.

Sounds like an additional pump is the way to go?

My only worry is, although I asked the fitter to put in a larger cylinder (there are 5 of us living here) it doesn't look noticeably larger than the previous one. It says on it 114 L hot capacity.... So if we have a pump fitted, are we really going to have enough hot water to have two hot showers in the morning (which was what having the new cylinder and shower fitted was all about...)?

Sorry to keep asking dumb questions.

 

[Goldspoon]

http://www.salamanderpumps.co.uk/Download/instructions.pdf

Gives good advice on fitting pumps so is worth a read - even as a non plumber.

 

[Chri5]

A 2 bar twin pump will run at approx 30 litres of water a minute (subject to a modest head height.

On a vague assumption that ratio of hot to cold mix is 3-2 that's about 18 litres of hw a minute.

Even with a 1 minute wet / wash then 1 minute rinse each shower will devour 36 litres of water.

Add shaving, washing the dishes etc and your tank is well undersized.

200 litre would be better, and there's a half arguement to say going for a pressure based hw storage system would 'save' on the pump requirement.

A decent pump would be £250 odd, a megaflow HW storage system £900 odd.

An alternative would be to consider getting a decent 10kw electric shower, which would make no demands on the stored hw tank and give decent pressure via CW mains. About £250 + plumbing, electric cable and fitting costs.

 

[monkeybird]

Thanks! I thought it was too small...

oh bugger. He seems to have done a decent job with the boiler (but only based on the fact that everything is working)

What do I do now? I've already given him the cheque. I asked him to put a bigger cylinder in, and he hasn't. Can I ask him to do it again?

Erk.

 

[simond]

Can't comment on the cylinder size because you haven't told us what capacity the old one had.

What flow rate do you get out of the shower with the head held near bath tap level? If it is below around 5-6 litres per min or has temp problems then there is an installation defect.

This could be airlock or HP shower, you haven't given us much to go on here.

PS: On a more positive note, the new cylinder will have a shorter recovery time than the old pattern, so if you have HW on it may only take 20mins to recover, from the boiler.

 

[monkeybird]

jesus simond! I've just done my experiment again and in 30 seconds (with head at tap level and the shower tube thingy disconnected from the holder so it goes no higher than the bath taps) I get only 1300 mls exactly (I did it twice) and at 33 degrees (while on the 38 degree setting). I know there is enough hot water in the tank because it is coming out of the bath tap at 50 degrees.

They said it was a low pressure shower (having changed it from a previous one which they said WAS a high pressure one)

Am I being fleeced and flanneled again here?!

I thought I was doing so well.

Please advise how to resolve this situation. Do I go back to him and ask him to resolve the situation (and stop the cheque until he does?) or do I cut my losses assuming he's an idiot?

So, could you also advise how to find out what the fault might be?

 

[spacethegas]

its never a good idea to stop a cheque. there can be serious implications both legal & otherwise. much better to discuss the matter calmly with him monday when you hopefully have a better understanding of the situation you have been left in.

 

[monkeybird]

Thanks spacethegas,

I just don't know what to say to him to be honest. I'm posting on here because I'm not a DIYer but I've had some brilliant advice from people (professional and amateur) who do know what they're talking about. I really thought I had a good guy... Me and the husband are utterly peed off with being taken for a ride by people who are paid to know this kind of stuff. I don't want to stop the cheque at all, but having put my trust in him, it's really galling that he took the money when he must have known there was a real problem. I guess I'll just have to ask him how much or how little my recommendation is worth.

And I raised the issue with him already: him and his colleague both told me this was normal in our situation and all we can do is fit a pump... But now simond suggests there might actually be an installation fault...

I'm completely humiliated by it, and now have to go back to him and try to argue there is a fault.

Any information anyone can give to help arm me with the (right) facts would be great...

I don't really know what else you need to know. I don't know enough to know what to look for. I've just paid him thousands and am very upset. i'm a girl, I'm allowed to cry.

 

[spacethegas]

Untitled

• spacethegas
• 4 Oct 2008
• 1

cheer up.

someone will be along to help.

 

[TracyTaz]

I think I've got airlock in my mixer shower. Is there anything I can do to get rid of it? (I'm only getting hot water coming through.)

Thanks.

 

[spacethegas]

I think I've got airlock in my mixer shower. Is there anything I can do to get rid of it? (I'm only getting hot water coming through.)

Thanks.

its best that you start a new thread & give more information.

 

[monkeybird]

Have calmed down a bit. Would still be grateful for any further advice about how we could find out what the problem is before speaking to the fitter tomorrow.

Thanks

 

[monkeybird]

PS space the gas, love the pic

Who'd have thought you'd have a van like that?