We knew we were deailng with a salesman, now we know we're dealing with a poor one.
Without an accumulator, . . . , as you reach the max flow rate the working pressure falls off significantly.
This is a double concealed lie.
It pretends
1) that the working pressure doesn't fall off as you reach maximum flow, if you have an accumulator. Of course it does,
any supply will do that. Some do it less than an accumulator system.
2) it forgets that the pressure and therefore flow from an accumulator system drops off as you use it.
Because the accumulator has such a large volume, showers etc, even three running simultaneously, will still be invigourating to say the least.
The "large volume" of the accumulator is one of its main drawbacks - it's a pretty inefficient way of storing water, as only about half the volume is usable. Assuming you need to store any water at all, that is.
The "invigourating" (sic) qualities of the showers are not due to their being sourced by an accumulator per se. Any low resistance supply will be exactly the same. But any other method of delivering the same pressure and flow doesn't collapse it as you use it like an accumulator does.
Even at 1.5bar, the working pressure is impressive
Only if you want to call 1.5 bar impressive. Many if not most "designer" showers are designed for around 3 bar and look very sad at 1.5.
So it doesn't boost pressure per se, just makes better use of what you have.
Yes it does that. But only "better" in one respect, flow, not pressure (as required by those showers). And at huge cost. There are other, arguably better, and certainly more popular methods of achieving the same, and improvements over that.
Try increasing the size of the mains supply. Whatever flow you want, and not
a lot of storage space required.
Now we get the real nonsense. Presumably there's a QVC style set of varnished nails to go with it.
The comparison between pumps and accumulators is a good one, and one we regularly discuss with customers. Accumulators negate negative and positive pressure pumps, are completely silent in operation, store potable water, continue to work in a power cut, and do not wake everyone else up in the house. My company does not specify shower pumps .
Accumulators do not, slightly, in any sense, "negate" pumps.
Pump noise is not even noticed in many installations. I was at a FLAT two days ago which had a 3 bar ESP pump. The occupants didn't even KNOW they had a pump. There would have been nowhere to put an accumulator. In houses big enough to accommodate huge accumulators there's usually somewhere to put a pump(s) so that noise simply isn't an issue. The bath taps make more noticeable noise.
Any plumber who thinks pumps need "wake everyone else up in the house" is an ignorant one. Or a dishonest one.
Any plumbing company which doesn't offer pumps is a remarkably incomplete plumbing company. "Because of the potential call backs" - try learning how to install pumps properly. You must be very afraid of seeing your customers ? Why would that be I wonder.
Accumulators have been around a long time and can be suitable in some situations, but they're a one trick pony.
Anyone who promotes them as the best solution, and excludes the other options, is deluding his customers and probably himself. We can't put it down to ignorance, which leaves dishonesty, incompetence, or both.
Just the sort of tiresome hobby-horse jockey nobody wants.
