Fitting a Manual Shower Mixer/Salamander Pump at the weekend

[poolebybirth]

Hi

I am learning plumbing and have done some small jobs for family and friends already.

I have been asked to fit a manual mixer shower at the weekend for my friend with a saalamander pump. I can bend/cut/solder/join copper pipe no problems and know that to fit a anual mixer shower I need to take a cold feed from the tank and use a surrey flange at the top of the hot water storage cylinder.

Are there any things/tips I should know before starting? I know that the pump comes with 4 flexy hose and that I will positon it underneath the bath/next to his hot water storage cylinder. I will use a holesaw to cut through the plasterboard/tiles to fit the mixer also. Anything I have missed? And last minute tips/advice I would be very thankful for!!

Cheers!

 

[Rico99]

pooley,

have it the airing cupboard as close to bottom of cylinder as possible.

What are you doing about the leccy connection, Need to be Part P to do it.

Rico

 

[poolebybirth]

yep the leccy seems straightforward enough. i'm not part p yet! technically you need to bepart p to install a new circulating pump/motorized vale/immersion heaterhough and ti have done that before as have many people ! ... any pumps available that don't need a leccy connectin then?!!

 

[Rico99]

Pooley,

No, all pumps need leccy.

As another option, if you can get a cold mains feed to shower and gravity hot feed, then you could fit a venturi shower valve.

This uses the pressure of the cold to "pull" the hot thru quicker. Not as powerfull as a pump but much better than gravity only shower.

Rico

 

[poolebybirth]

i think he has enouhg head to not need a pump anyway actually-at least 1 metre from the shower rose to the level of water in the CWSC.

How to shower pumps conne to the electric then? WHat size cable/fuse do they need? Could they be wired up via the juction box/immersion heater connection unit?

 

[Rico99]

Pooley,

Head is measured from bottom of cwsc not water level.

If height to bottom of cwsc was 1m this would give 0.1bar (carp)

Power supply ideally should be of its own switch spur supply in airing cupbpard. Another way round would be if there is an accesable socket outside the airingin cupboard you could drill though wall and fit a 13amp plug to lead from pump and plug into socket.

Rico

 

[Redhotferrari]

Unless you have already bought the items, would agree 100% with Rico on this one, If the bathroom is mains cold fed, go for a Venturi......Really do not understand why these are not a lot more popular, they give a really good shower, easy to fit, without the added hassle of electrics, or changing the shower pump every few years.........................

Have always wondered why all shower manufacturers do not develop and sell these, anyone know of a reason why?

 

[poolebybirth]

fitted the shower without a pump and the pressure is fine. i swear there is more than 0.1 bar pressure in the bathroom-even though the bottom of the cwst is about 1 metre from the shower rose!

by the way are these venturi shower valves actually built into the showers or are they separate valvs installed in the pipework before?

 

[Redhotferrari]

Venturi is a principle, where by the pressure of the cold water through the shower pulls the hot water through at a higher rate than the gravity would give, giving near enough a power shower.

Have a look at theTrevi http://www.trevishowers.co.uk/trevi_products/mixer_showers/trevi_boost.html

 

[TicklyT]

Measuring the head to the base of the CWSC gives a pessimistic answer, and allows a bit for friction losses in the pipework, so you are happy with the result afterwards.

Measuring from the water level is a bit optimistic as the level will drop when in use, and you have no allowance for friction losses, which may lead to disappointing results