yes it's about 1 metre. i'm going to raise the tank, but can only get an extra 400 to 500mm but i guess every little helps. I want a pump to be last resort if i can. Cheers again at least i feel like i'm getting somewhere now
gravity fed shower problems
- Thread starter neilinbal
- Start date
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Where exactly did you tee off for your hot supply ?
I'm wondering if it's a bit high, and under certain conditions (someone runs the kitchen tap downstairs ?) the level in the vent is dropping enough to allow air into your shower feed.
You now have some air in the pipework, and the limited head you have available has to push that air downhill. Or put another way, where you should have a column of water pushing down through the shower, you have some air that isn't as heavy by a long way.
Lowering the shower head gives a bit more head, creates some flow, and I'm guessing you get a bit of air out as well as water. Once you've cleared the air, it runs normally.
Had a similar problem working in my mates bungalow. The hot supply for the kitchen tap came down from the loft to floor level, then back up to the tap. Having drained the pipework to do some work, there wasn;t enough head to push the air downhill while pushing the water up the pipe to the tap. I had to suck on the tap to get it going again !
That was one of the things I altered - lifted the pipework up a bit ! Then he went and ignored my advice (yet again) and bought a tap that looks nice but it totally unsuitable for the low pressure - so he's having a pump in the cupboard under the sink to make the tap work
I'm wondering if it's a bit high, and under certain conditions (someone runs the kitchen tap downstairs ?) the level in the vent is dropping enough to allow air into your shower feed.
You now have some air in the pipework, and the limited head you have available has to push that air downhill. Or put another way, where you should have a column of water pushing down through the shower, you have some air that isn't as heavy by a long way.
Lowering the shower head gives a bit more head, creates some flow, and I'm guessing you get a bit of air out as well as water. Once you've cleared the air, it runs normally.
Had a similar problem working in my mates bungalow. The hot supply for the kitchen tap came down from the loft to floor level, then back up to the tap. Having drained the pipework to do some work, there wasn;t enough head to push the air downhill while pushing the water up the pipe to the tap. I had to suck on the tap to get it going again !
That was one of the things I altered - lifted the pipework up a bit ! Then he went and ignored my advice (yet again) and bought a tap that looks nice but it totally unsuitable for the low pressure - so he's having a pump in the cupboard under the sink to make the tap work
A gravity shower with that sort of head does work - I use one all the time. The key thing is (as you've already done) to make sure you select suitable appliances and fittings - not forgetting to get a large-bore hose when it needs replacing.
Usual advice is to take a shower off it's own outlet on the cylinder - that minimises the effects of other drawoffs. Either add an extra tapping with an essex flange, or there are fittings which provide two takeoffs via a standard 22mm connection - in effect a 15mm pipe down the middle for one and an annular space round it for the other. I suspect that with modern thermostatic showers it's much less of a problem than it used to be - I recall many years ago (as a mischievous young lad) that I could get some interesting sounds from the shower room by turning the hot tap on in the kitchen
Next best thing is to tee off as close to the cylinder outlet as possible.
Usual advice is to take a shower off it's own outlet on the cylinder - that minimises the effects of other drawoffs. Either add an extra tapping with an essex flange, or there are fittings which provide two takeoffs via a standard 22mm connection - in effect a 15mm pipe down the middle for one and an annular space round it for the other. I suspect that with modern thermostatic showers it's much less of a problem than it used to be - I recall many years ago (as a mischievous young lad) that I could get some interesting sounds from the shower room by turning the hot tap on in the kitchen
Next best thing is to tee off as close to the cylinder outlet as possible.
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Remove the filters & non return valves from the shower this should help, also is the flex a small bore one like the ones on electric showers if it is change it for one with a larger bore, fit a shower head with larger dia holes as you will get more flow.
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