increase flow to garage tap?

[alan333]

Hi,

I have a tap in my garage which I use for washing the car etc, but the flow/pressure is rubbish and can easily be stopped by holding a finger over the end. I also use a light Karcher and sometimes I can hear it running dry. Is there any way to increase the flow, ie fit a simple cheap pump etc? I think it would need to be 'smart' tho, ie cut off when you release the Karcher trigger.

The tap is gravity fed from a cold water tank in the attic, in 15mm plastic pipe with JG Speedfit push fit connections.

Thanks

 

[Newboy]

Instead why don't you convert it to mains fed.

The mains supply is already feeding the loft tank so you should be able to tee off and connect to your 15 mm stopcock supply (don't forget to fit an in-line isolator)

 

[alan333]

Instead why don't you convert it to mains fed.

The mains supply is already feeding the loft tank so you should be able to tee off and connect to your 15 mm stopcock supply (don't forget to fit an in-line isolator)

Thanks for the reply.

The house is mainly plumbed in Speedfit push-fit fittings on plastic pipe, but I've came across two different places where the push-fit was connected to copper one end, and the copper pipe could easily be pulled straight out without pressing the ring on the push-fit. I'm hesitant to put mains pressure through all the pipework in case there are other 'dodgy' connections elsewhere which would then leak (or blow off completely). Unless connecting push-fit straight onto copper is acceptable and reliable?

I have two big pipes out the loft tank: one feeds the hot water cylinder in the upstairs airing cupboard and the other passes down behind the hot water cylinder and disappears under the floor. One of these also tee's off (and reduces) to feed the central heating F&E tank. The bath is the other side of the airing cupboard wall and it's floor-fed in big pipe. My guess is that the big pipe branches off to smaller pipes under the floor for the various outlets around the house (which are all 15mm). The garage tap is through the wall from the downstairs toilet, and tee'd off it's 15mm supply to the cystern and tap.

Would you suggest I decommision the loft tank and connect mains to both feed pipes, or does the cylinder one need to be from the tank?

 

[Burnerman]

Is your kitchen somewhere near your garage, Alan? There has to be mains cold water there.
John

 

[alan333]

Is your kitchen somewhere near your garage, Alan? There has to be mains cold water there.
John

Unfortunately not mate, the mains enters under the kitchen sink at the back of the house, then the pipe heads straight vertical to the loft tank. The garage is at the front. Downstairs floors are concrete.

 

[Newboy]

Would you suggest I decommision the loft tank and connect mains to both feed pipes, or does the cylinder one need to be from the tank?

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you connect the mains water supply to your cylinder.

I'd avoid connecting anything to mains if the installation isn't up to scratch - one blown connection and you've got significant water damage before you know it. If you connect the cold side of your current cistern fed pipework to the main then you may have issues with unbalanced feeds to mixer taps & showers and need to change the fill valves on your WCs.

For the upheaval involved I'd be inclined to go with Burnerman's suggestion - out through the back wall and use a hosepipe.

 

[bernardgreen]

A header tank in the garage filled from the tap could then supply water to the Karcher. Doesn't need to be high up as the Karcher will ( should ) run OK with just a few feet of head.

 

[AGAS]

have you got the new karcher ( it a long shot ) modern ones you can supply from butt or big bucket . just a suggestion

 

[TCCHeating]

A header tank in the garage filled from the tap could then supply water to the Karcher. Doesn't need to be high up as the Karcher will ( should ) run OK with just a few feet of head.

Did you not read the op mr green?

 

[alan333]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you connect the mains water supply to your cylinder.

I'd avoid connecting anything to mains if the installation isn't up to scratch - one blown connection and you've got significant water damage before you know it. If you connect the cold side of your current cistern fed pipework to the main then you may have issues with unbalanced feeds to mixer taps & showers and need to change the fill valves on your WCs.

For the upheaval involved I'd be inclined to go with Burnerman's suggestion - out through the back wall and use a hosepipe.

I was pretty sure the cylinder needed to be from the tank, thanks for confirming. I also understand the potential problems with unbalanced feeds, so thanks again there.
We have a hose out the back but it's a bit an inconvenience rolling it out etc, hence I wondered whether there was a simple pump solution.

 

[alan333]

Thanks Bernard and AGAS, the Karcher is about 6 years old but I'm doubtful if it'll run from a bucket since it struggles from the tap.