Shower pump orientation

[Paul Saxelby]

Hi all

I suspect that when you know the answer this is a silly question to ask, but here goes...

I'm going to be fitting a shower pump to feed a corner shower cabin.
There is room for it underneath the bath type base of the cabin, but I suspect it'll be a bit noisy when inside.
There's no room at all in the airing cupboard due to the mahoosive tank that's in there, and I've been trying to think of where else I could put it (it's a positive head Aura 45).

The only other place I can think of is under the floor on the landing.
It's a straight run to the shower between the joists & passing under the water cylinder. Also it'll be nice & accessible when it needs repair or replacement.

The problem is it would only go in there on its side. Both outlets are on the same side of the body, so they would still be at the top as it were, but I'd imagine they're built the way they are for a reason, probably to do with air rising away from the impellers.

With the outlets at the top, and an upward slope to the hoses, would it being on its side cause problems?

Fire away...

 

[Madrab]

They're made like that due to the way the impellers work.

Having never tried it I couldn't say if it would work or not but I don't think I would ever consider that as a place I'd want to put one. If for no other reason other than being under the floor will act like a resonance chamber and ventilation may be an issue.

 

[Newboy]

Only a check with the MIs will tell you but it will require ventilation and, if mounted in the void between ceiling and floorboards, is likely to get hot. The noise level in the room below will be very high. You will have to find a way of stopping the vibrations or the ceiling will be damaged very quickly. The pump needs to be accessible for it's (recommended) 6 monthly inspection. Page 2 of the installation instructions should give you a starting point.

 

[Paul Saxelby]

Was thinking of strapping it to a bit of ply resting on a layer of foam to try & alleviate the noise as far as possible.
Could create a vent up into the airing cupboard I suppose to allow the heat to escape? The tank's so well insulated the cupboard barely gets warm.

Accessibility is also why I was thinking of under the floor. Chipboard flooring so having cut & lifted a square I'd make it into a screw-fixed access hatch under the end of the landing carpet .
In the corner under the shower would be virtually inaccessible after sealing around the frame.

Unfortunately it's a second-hand pump so I don't have the manual.
I don't think I can stick it in the loft as the top of the pump'd be about level with the bottom of the tank so there wouldn't be enough pressure to fire it up.

The pressure at the existing shower is terrible (turn the shower head upside down & it only sprays about 6" into the air) so I have to have a pump, but there's really no sensible place to put one.

A person could really go off their house...

 

[dilalio]

I think it will be fine and dandy

 

[Madrab]

The problem is it would only go in there on its side. Both outlets are on the same side of the body, so they would still be at the top as it were

Strange, the only info I can find about an Aura45 pump shows the inlets/outlets face towards the top of the pump, so on it's side the outlets wouldn't be vertical?

Anyways...I'm sure that the pump will have to be horizontal on it's feet to allow the flow switches to work correctly.

 

[Paul Saxelby]

Hi Rob.

Dat's der bunny. So what I was thinking of was tipping it onto its front. The outlets come up from the middle of the back.

Damn - Now that's the thing. How do the flow switches work?
Back to the head scratching for where to put it I guess...

 

[AGAS]

if put in floor maybe pipes would kink to much on its side , don't like the idea you would be hard to quieten that .

 

[Madrab]

Unless you can get it standing up as in the pic, I wouldn't. No other space say in the bathroom even?

 

[jeff the gasman]

It needs to stand on its feet. Gravity resets the flow switches.

 

[Nige F]

It's really not a good idea under the floor on the landing. I had one above the cylinder in a house of mine, that was ok. Now I have one under the bungalow floor standing on the oversite concrete, noise travels through the pipes too. One day I'll get a Stuart Turner one that's quieter

 

[AGAS]

if space is that tight what about putting shelf in ac just a suggestion