New member! Can someone identify pipes in my airing cupboard?

[jamiem1987]

Hi guys, very basic plumber here (not my day job)! I'm looking to install an inline shower pump booster as my gravity fed shower is absolutely terrible.

I'm struggling to identify which pipe to install it, i've attached 2 pics, it looks like an open vented system so i'm thinking the pump installs on the downward of the pipe that splits coming from the top of the tank, but i'm then confused as there is a straight pipe with no connection in the airing cupboard that is red hot also, can anyone identify what this one could be? And confirm i'm going to install in the correct position identified!
Thanks in advance

 

[sxturbo]

Is it just the shower to want to pump to, or do you want the whole house pumped?

 

[jamiem1987]

Is it just the shower to want to pump to, or do you want the whole house pumped?

Just the shower for now, though there is no other place to fit the pump other than in the airing cupboard, i'm guessing the pipe that is hot on the right hand side could be the one that goes over to the shower

 

[Madrab]

You have to take a separate HW supply from the cylinder, usually using a Surrey or Warwix flange that fits into the top of the cylinder.

2 reason for this, one to ensure there are no air bubbles entering the pump and the 2nd is so that the pump doesn't get starved if anyone else runs another hot tap.

Then you need to find the HW supply to the bathroom, separate that out and then connect the output of the pump to that.

You will also have to do the same for the cold (from the loft cistern, if it's large enough) to ensure the supplies are balanced.

Not as simple as just cutting a pipe and banging a pump in I'm afraid.

 

[terryplumb]

Can't see enough of your pipework to determine what the right hand pipe is. If you fit it on the left hand pipe you indicate ,that will boost all hot taps

 

[jamiem1987]

Ah thanks for that! It was just one of these I was looking at which is an inline pump

 

[terryplumb]

You have to take a separate HW supply from the cylinder, usually using a Surrey or Warwix flange that fits into the top of the cylinder.

2 reason for this, one to ensure there are no air bubbles entering the pump and the 2nd is so that the pump doesn't get starved if anyone else runs another hot tap.

Then you need to find the HW supply to the bathroom, separate that out and then connect the output of the pump to that.

You will also have to do the same for the cold (from the loft cistern, if it's large enough) to ensure the supplies are balanced.

Not as simple as just cutting a pipe and banging a pump in I'm afraid.

Not quite so with a showerbooster micro pump Madrab.

 

[jamiem1987]

Can't see enough of your pipework to determine what the right hand pipe is. If you fit it on the left hand pipe you indicate ,that will boost all hot taps

Thanks bud, it's just a straight pipe up into the roof space, coming up from below the airing cupboard, i suspect it goes directly to the shower given where the shower is

 

[terryplumb]

Thanks bud, it's just a straight pipe up into the roof space, coming up from below the airing cupboard, i suspect it goes directly to the shower given where the shower is

I very much doubt it Jamie ,that's highly unlikely. Run your shower and see if that pipe gets hot.

 

[jamiem1987]

I very much doubt it Jamie ,that's highly unlikely. Run your shower and see if that pipe gets hot.

You are correct, this is for the heating system by the looks as theres a ball valve above. So I guess the only place i can install the pump is on the down pipe out of the hot water cylinder which is fine. Thanks all for the help.

 

[BlueLoo]

You have to take a separate HW supply from the cylinder, usually using a Surrey or Warwix flange that fits into the top of the cylinder.

2 reason for this, one to ensure there are no air bubbles entering the pump and the 2nd is so that the pump doesn't get starved if anyone else runs another hot tap.

Then you need to find the HW supply to the bathroom, separate that out and then connect the output of the pump to that.

You will also have to do the same for the cold (from the loft cistern, if it's large enough) to ensure the supplies are balanced.

Not as simple as just cutting a pipe and banging a pump in I'm afraid.

My new (ideal) SS tank has a 3/4" shower take off near the top of the tank
Dunno if this tank has one but maybe worth a check by the OP.

I hope the OP doesn't like long or frequent showers....

 

[Madrab]

Not quite so with a showerbooster micro pump Madrab

Only ever tried them once, on a customers request terry, didn't work very well, didn't like being run longer than 10-15mins (which should be plenty but the client was using it back to back and it didn't like it too much. With me the jury's still out and so couldn't recommend them. I have heard they are great to boost electric showers tho but again it's a time thing it seems.

Not sure if they would be any good as a whole house pump as well, which would be the case if cutting into that single pipe in the cupboard and dropping the pump in.

 

[terryplumb]

It's what the OP is fitting Rob ,cheap,simple and do work. I have fitted a few ,the first one was customers idea,he supplied it as his brother had one. I was sceptical ,but it took me about twenty minutes to fit ,and it made a big difference to their pizz poor gravity fed mixer. Don't get me wrong ,they are not in the same league as the conventional stuff ,boosting to around 7 litres pm. As for longevity ,that was around ten years ago and it's still going.
It's useless as a whole house pump ,as multiple outlets in use simultaneously justs splits the flow .
Never fitted one to an instantaneous electric shower ,so not sure how that would go !!

 

[Madrab]

Yeah, missed the inline bit Terry .... It certainly was easy to fit, it just didn't seem to perform as the client expected and how it was sold to them by SPB

If it's going inline on that main HW supply then I guess it's going to act as a whole house pump. It'll be interesting to see what happens when in the shower and someone uses another hot tap. That and I guess it'll need another one on the cold to balance the supplies, if the shower is a mixer.

 

[sxturbo]

really it needs to be fitted close to the shower, i presume these pipes will be located in the loft before dropping down into the bathroom.

the power will be taken from the light ring circuit