Venturi showers

[Blair]

I'm considering a venturi shower, as my Triton electric shower kindly failed this weekend.

I have a hot water tank in the airing cupboard, which is adjacent to the bathroom; the cupboard and bathroom share a wall, and it's the wall where the bath taps and shower are located. So far so good!

The hot water tank though is one of those with an integrated header tank - that is, it's "all in one" and sits right on top of the hot water tank, you couldn't split it if you wanted to (without an angle grinder anyway). The height difference between the shower head and the header tank is pretty much 0.

I have 2 questions:

1. Can I still use a venturi shower? Or do I have some odd and inappropriate hot water tank?

2. How do you vary the temperature of the mixed water? Since the hot water pressure will be pretty close to 0, and any flow as a result of the cold (pressure or flow?) thanks to the venturi, is there any way of varying the mix of hot and cold, or are you stuck with whatever comes out?


Sorry if these are stupid questions, but plumbing is a new area for me

Cheers

 

[Softus]

I have a hot water tank in the airing cupboard, which is adjacent to the bathroom; the cupboard and bathroom share a wall, and it's the wall where the bath taps and shower are located. So far so good!

Very handy.

The hot water tank though is one of those with an integrated header tank - that is, it's "all in one" and sits right on top of the hot water tank, you couldn't split it if you wanted to (without an angle grinder anyway). The height difference between the shower head and the header tank is pretty much 0.

That's OK - the Trevi Boost (for example) will cope with up to -0.5m.

1. Can I still use a venturi shower? Or do I have some odd and inappropriate hot water tank?

Yes, no, and no, respectively.

2. How do you vary the temperature of the mixed water?

With the knob on the shower valve, during use.

Since the hot water pressure will be pretty close to 0, and any flow as a result of the cold (pressure or flow?) thanks to the venturi, is there any way of varying the mix of hot and cold, or are you stuck with whatever comes out?

Yes, and no, respectively.

The Trevi Boost comes with an explanation of the ideal hot temperature for various heads of water - clearly (well to me it's clear) the hotter the water the more flow you'll get. But this doesn't mean that you should set your hot water temperature to be beyond the normal safe temperature.

Sorry if these are stupid questions, but plumbing is a new area for me

You're asking all the right questions, so don't put yourself down.

 

[Blair]

Many thanks - much appreciated. I just didn't want to fork out for the shower, spend a lot of time & money fitting it, and then finding it didn't work!

 

[Blair]

Oh, and apologies to mods for the oversight and posting this in the wrong section originally!

 

[diybot]

Hi Blair
I have the same problem and I am about to embark on replacing the shower for the first time too! I have purcahsed a new team Jetstream venturi shower-I was going for the trevi boost but this one became available-so I am researching the project this week and softus has good advice-I will be going through this forum to locate shut off valves etc-What I have read so far one is under the sink(stopcock) and the other is in the loft-I will keep reading!

 

[Blair]

Yeah, the Jetstream is the other one I'm considering (well, it's the only other one I found!). I like the look of it in white.

It might be a while before I get round to installing it though - I have to replace the bath, and to be honest the old square white tiles have seen better days so I'm probably going to re-tile at the same time too. As well as tear down the shoddy stud wall that was in when I moved in and put up a new one closer to the bath to liberate some space in the 3rd bedroom...

I've got a big project coming up!

 

[diybot]

Well good luck-it sounds worse than my situation-well I've read up abit today-found stopcock under kitchen sink cant even turn it! Good start-probably need a wrench-I haven't gone into the loft yet-i will have to turn off a valve up there too-I will also have to move the exposed pipes back into the stud wall and the pipes to the old shower are on their side-so I will probably need to cut them and put on an elbow pipes to connect to the actual shower-yes the jetstream looks bizzare but it has quite a large shower head on it-let me know how u go-I think I will post the project and see if I can get any advice-I think I will need it! cheers

 

[Blair]

Good luck to you too! I don't get much spare time, so don't expect any completed project photos in the near future

 

[Blair]

I have a further question about the Trevi Boost - I'll be installing it in a cavity wall. I've seen the fitting plate in the Trevi catalogue, but can't seem to find a supplier for it.

Is it strictly necessary, or are there other ways of fixing the valve without using it? I found a place who could eventually give me a price (only £15 or so) but said it would take a long time to get hold of!

 

[Softus]

Welcome to Hijack City, Arizona.

 

[Blair]

What do you mean? I'm hijacking my own thread?

 

[Softus]

What do you mean? I'm hijacking my own thread?

I utterly, comprehensively, unconditionally, humbly, and fawningly, apologise.