Mains Cold, Tank Hot To Bath Mixer Shower

[eglons]

I've installled a bath mixer tap with one of those shower attachments where you pull up a knob to switch to the shower. There is about 5 metres head on the hot and the cold is mains fed. When I tested this with hot only it was acceptible, but when I turn on the higher pressure cold the shower slows??? I am wondering if the cold is fighting the hot?

I considered a PEV (which seem to be around £70 so not something to buy on a whim), but worried that the shower pressure might be too low then... can you use a PEV and feed to a shower pump and them to the bath mixer perhaps?

Any thoughts/help appreciated

 

[keego]

Fit an adjustable pressure reducing valve on the cold supply & ramp the pressure down untill you get an acceptable balance.

 

[eglons]

Fit an adjustable pressure reducing valve on the cold supply & ramp the pressure down untill you get an acceptable balance.

Do you have any suggestions on one... they seem to range all over the place?

 

[keego]

Try your local Plumb Center, ask for the Center Brand one it should be about £20 +vat

 

[eglons]

Cheers, do you know if I could them put this through a shower pump to increase the pressure if it's not good enough with the mixed hot tank and reduced pressure mains cold?

 

[kvsalamander]

and this is where i step in....


You could pump the hot only to give you a balanced pressure with a single negative head pump that matches your cold mains pressure as close as you can. The reason for the negative head pump is so that the flow switches (in a positive head pump) are not closed back down with the mains pressure.


PEV would more likely be less expensive but i you still have problems this is the way to go.

cheers

 

[eglons]

Cheers, single negative head pumps seem to be incredibly expensive compared to the twin head versions?... am I missing the cheaper ones!

 

[kvsalamander]

negative head pumps tend to come in more expensive than the positive head pumps but the singles should be less expensive than the twins.