Very Poor Flow Rate

[dwaviation]

I have just purchased an old bungalow circa 1950 in Cleveleys. The mains water arrives at the stop cock in the kitchen via a 15mm copper pipe. We have had the pressure measured at around 2.5 bar and the flowmeter indicated 8 litres per minute although I have since measured about 11 lpm timed into a bucket. The pipework in the house is a nightmare with 90 degree bends everywhere, the main feed exits the kitchen stage left, goes through a cupboard into the bedroom cupboard, dives under the floor, re-emerges from under the kitchen floor into the bathroom...

Hot(ish) water is currently provided by a Main Mersey boiler which is inefficient and a little scary (whump!)

I need a new system from scratch and one that will increase my flow rate sufficient for a thermostatic shower.

I have had a few plumbers out, the first suggested an unvented megaflow system, the second a standard vented cylinder with system boiler and the third suggested a combi. None of which really fill me with confidence.

Any advice gratefully accepted.

 

[sooey]

11 litres a minute is very low at 2.5 bar pressure. The first thing to do is to sort out the incoming supply.

 

[lightning]

To have an unvented cylinder you would need about20 litres per min

 

[Agile]

You need to measure the dynamic flow rate.

Yours is bound to be very poor and an upgraded supply pipe is likely to be needed.

Tony

 

[dwaviation]

Thanks for the quick replies. My bungalow effectively sits on the incoming pipe and the house itself is quite set a long way back from the road and I'm not sure it would be cost effective to upgrade the supply. I am minded to go the traditional route with a large header tank feeding an unvented cylinder and a twin pump for the bathroom.

I think the dynamic flow rate was 8 lpm as measured on the flowmeter.

 

[D_Hailsham]

You need to measure the dynamic flow rate.

You say this frequently. Please define what you mean; I am confused.