Low pressure... Homeboost or Flomate?

[richie1575]

Hi!
I would like to improve the flow rate of my showers! There are 2 Mira Magna showers (non pumped version).
I have a 210 litre un-vented tank and the incoming main is new!
There is plenty of flow; the bath fills at a rate of 20litres per minute (it took 3s to fill a litre jug).
The showers are both upstairs and I'm getting around 6litres per minute (10s to fill the jug).
I'm looking at fitting a whole house pump in the garage where the rising main comes in. The units available are the Salamander Homeboost or Stuart Turner Flomate. I can see the Homeboost claims to be intelligent (encoders and variable speed) plus some marketing which appears to poke fun at the Stuart Turner unit.

Anybody have any experience of either of these units?

If I spend big money, the ST unit can be fitted with accumulators of up to 300litres! "Flomate mains boost EXTRA" I'm wondering if one of these would be beneficial; the rationale being if the loo is flushed/washing machine fills, this would maintain the shower flow... Am I right in thinking a pump on its own would stop if the incoming flow exceeds 12litres/min?
Your thoughts and advice would be appreciated!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Think you'll find you have other issues if you have 20l/min going to the bath and only 6 at the showers.

 

[richie1575]

Think you'll find you have other issues if you have 20l/min going to the bath and only 6 at the showers.

Thanks for your input!
Could you elaborate on what those issues might be? Water availability doesn't seem to be the problem; it flows quite happily out of the bath tap (2x22mm pipes) just a lack of pressure to achieve a decent shower. The showers are generally plumbed 15mm from what I can make out.

Thanks!

Richie

 

[Dan Robinson]

Undersized pipes, blocked filters, stooopid ball-o-fix service valves, dodgy non return valves.

All sorts really.

 

[richie1575]

Thanks again for the input! I appreciate there are a number of factors, but my background is in maintenance so I've checked much of the obvious. I can access all the pipe work. There is a 22mm feed to the bathroom (basin/bath/wc). There is a separate 22mm feed from the hot water tank to the shower mixers; that "tee's" to 2x15mm hot and colds for the 2 mixing units. Length of run is around 6m. Only one pair of full bore isolators for the mixer inlets. The install is around 5 years old and shower performance varies- some days are better than others, but never been brilliant. This has led me to think it's pressure.
I'd like to try a pump, as I feel I'm out of options- my original query was "which unit?" ST or Salamander.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Stuart turner is my preferred option of the two. Much better build quality.

 

[simond]

Both have a max flow of 12 litres per minute. Since you have at least 20, they will both do nothing significant. So it doesn't really matter which you buy.

As Dan says, you are looking to replace one problem with another.

 

[Phill Peck]

I started writing almost exactly that earlier but didn't bother to post it.

Of the 2 I would fit the flomate. But don't expect any improvement

 

[flameport]

This has led me to think it's pressure.
I'd like to try a pump, as I feel I'm out of options

Have you actually measured the pressure? At the incoming main, at various outlets both with and without water flowing?

 

[richie1575]

Hmmm! You have given me food for thought! I'll have a deeper dive before I spend any money. Thanks for the input everyone!
Richie