Pipework for a new shower.

[moby_wan]

I am just about to put in all the pipework for my new shower. The shower will be on a gravity fed system. I will be making a connection to the cold water tank in the attic for the cold and I am going to use a surrey flange connection to the hotwater tank for the hot. My instruction manual for the shower says that the pipework should be 22mm outside diameter, to reduce pressure loss, and to insert reducers as close to the shower valve as possible, as it will only accept 15mm pipes.

Does anyone see a problem with me just making the whole pipe run from start to finish for both the hot and cold from 15mm pipework instead of changing diameters in the run????

 

[Expertboy]

If this is gravity fed (not pumped or mains pressure) then you need to make sure you have plenty of head (distance from cold water tank to shower) as possible or recommended in the shower literature. This type of shower isn't much good if your cold water tank is in the bathroom, if however feeding from loft i would pipe 22mm across loft and drop down the wall in 15mm.

Possibly could do with more info on shower.

 

[moby_wan]

The shower is a Gainsborough Ambassador Thermostatic Shower (Recessed Model).

The valve has plastic inlet elbows (push fit type) and accept 15mm pipe. The valve outlet 1/2" BSP.

The instruction says a minimum of 1m and maximum of 70m head. The cold water tank is in the attic and is about 1.3m (approx.) above where the shower head will be. So I know the flow probably will not be as great as it could be unless I install a pump, but dont really want to pay out for one for the moment.

I thought by reducing the diameter of all the piping it would increase the performance of the shower, any good suggestions how I can increase the performance without paying out for a pump? The instructions recommend using swept bends instead of 90 degree joints.

 

[Nige F]

The shower is a Gainsborough Ambassador Thermostatic Shower (Recessed Model).

The valve has plastic inlet elbows (push fit type) and accept 15mm pipe. The valve outlet 1/2" BSP.

.

I thought by reducing the diameter of all the piping it would increase the performance of the shower, .

You`ve been over on the Dark Side again Obi

 

[kevplumb]

My instruction manual for the shower says that the pipework should be 22mm outside diameter, to reduce pressure loss, and to insert reducers as close to the shower valve as possible, as it will only accept 15mm pipes.

well they only write the instructions to pad the box out

don't they

 

[Expertboy]

You can add a pump to this shower but you must not add a pump to combi boiler or pressurised systems, so you should be ok to do so. The unit is also temperature controlled which keeps constant pressure regardless of other water draw-offs in the house, so i would recommend you fit a pump. With only 1.3m of head pressure, i believe you will be dissapointed with the water flow unless you do.

 

[moby_wan]

ye!

my question was if they are saying 22mm pipework instead of a bigger diameter pipe will reduce the pressure loss, would putting 15mm pipework in instead for the whole run reduce the pressure loss even more(increasing the performance of the shower a little bit more).

 

[moby_wan]

Thanks expertboy! My last post must have crossed with your last, I was replying to the one before yours.

Thanks