Shower works better after running tap

[koomber]

Bit of a weird one, but I posted ages ago about a problem with shower and not working properly. It's a bit of an update and a question.

Shower is upstairs on cold water feed to invented cylinder, after the pressure reduction valve, reducing pressure to 2.1 bar.

We did a heap of buggering about and got it sort of working. Then by accident we could get it to work brilliantly if you did the following:

1. Turn on shower.
2. Turn on then off cold tap on same supply or hot tap. Literally open and close.

You can hear the shower spray change as soon as you shut the tap off, shower clicks and starts heating perfectly. Get a cracking shower (for an electric).

Why is this happening? I'm guessing that the shower isn't calling for enough water to open the pressure reduced enough to get a good flow and the shower just sort of minces along not calling enough water. Once you crack the tap the pressure reduced opens full and everything works perfectly.

It defintely not t he pipe diameter as it's 22mm pretty much all the way.

Is it worth fixing? We're doing some work in the downstairs bathroom so could swap the 2.1 bar cold to 4 bar off the mains. Alternately I could try replacing the pressure reducer.

Personally I'd as soon leave it. It might not be fixed, but it works!

 

[Keithmac]

If you can run proper mains pressure to it that would be your nlbest bet I would think.

The shower will have it's own water regulation devices inside.

Our Redring was useless due to low water pressure, night and day different after fitting a Homeboost.

The electric showers do need a good supply to work properly.