Installing a Universal Shower Pump

Monty · Oct 11, 2019

I have an open vent CH system with two cold water tanks in the attic.
The hot water cylinder from the first-floor feeds the hot water to the bathroom (currently no shower is fitted in the bathroom) and a shower in en-suite all on the first floor.
The hot feed from the hot water cylinder to the showerhead in the en-suit is tee’ ed upwards into the attic to vent and also tee’ed to run in the attic before dropping into the en-suite to the showerhead. See attached sketch with all the dimensions and sizes of the existing pipes.
I have just purchased a 6-month-old universal Stuart Turner Monsoon U2 pump and want to install the pump to increase shower pressure in en-suit. Fitting pump under the hot water cylinder is very tight plus I have all the CH pipe & pump in this area. I understand this is the best position for the pump. I can try to fit it here by replacing it with shorter flexibles.
Another option is to fit the pump just above the hot water cylinder. How should I run the pipework to the pump and avoid the air trap? I do not want to fit a surrey valve flange as the tank is 40 years old and could cause more damage.
I am planning to run a 22 mm JG speedfit pipe to the pump from an existing 22 mm hotline and then run a 22 mm hot outlet into the attic and connect to the existing 15 mm copper pipe to the shower. Where should I cut into the exiting 22 mm hot supply and tee off to the pump, whether I fit the pump below or just above the hot water cylinder?
The cold feed from the cold-water tank from the attic is 15mm. Do I have to increase the cold feed after the 15mm gate valve this 22 mm and feed into the pump? Also, do I connect 22mm from the outlet of the pump up into the attic and connect to the existing 15 mm?
Also, would this pump come on when other services use

hot water?

king of pipes · Oct 12, 2019

Found this for you rule of thumb is fit a Surrey or Essex type flange but you may get away with teeing into the hot supply if you can do it as the diagram . Kop

Monty · Oct 12, 2019

Thanks for the information and it has been useful. I have a positive head system and my pipework is different from what is shown in the scetch. The hot feed to the en-suit from the hot tanks goes upwards to the attic and then down to the ensuite. Coal feed to the ensuite is from the cold tank in the attic to the en-suite. Also, the hot feed from the hot tank goes horizontal (not at an angle of 45%) and then tees upward to the attic and downwards to the ground floor. So do I connect the pump to the hot feed as shown in the sketch and change the outlet pipe from the hot tank upward at 45% to the existing hot feed pipe in the attic. Will this give any air issues? Also, the hot and cold feeds to the shower thermostatic valve are 15mm. What if i fit the pump just above the hot tank and not in the attic, how should i run the pipework?

Monty · Oct 12, 2019

Not that i have had a micro shower booster pump feed in the attic to the hot feed, but it did not provide the pressure to the ensuite shower.
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king of pipes said:
Found this for you rule of thumb is fit a Surrey or Essex type flange but you may get away with teeing into the hot supply if you can do it as the diagram . Kop

Thanks for the information and it has been useful. I have a positive head system and my pipework is different from what is shown in the scetch. The hot feed to the en-suit from the hot tanks goes upwards to the attic and then down to the ensuite. Coal feed to the ensuite is from the cold tank in the attic to the en-suite. Also, the hot feed from the hot tank goes horizontal (not at an angle of 45%) and then tees upward to the attic and downwards to the ground floor. So do I connect the pump to the hot feed as shown in the sketch and change the outlet pipe from the hot tank upward at 45% to the existing hot feed pipe in the attic. Will this give any air issues? Also, the hot and cold feeds to the shower thermostatic valve are 15mm. What if i fit the pump just above the hot tank and not in the attic, how should i run the pipework?

king of pipes · Oct 13, 2019

You have alot of resistance on your pipework couple that with the height the water is trying travel before it reaches the shower mixer and the pressure loss and if another family member opens another hot water outlet then I think your chance of a successful outcome are at best slim , I would recommend you Employ a professional to reconfigure the pipework to achieve the best outcome possible . Regards Kop

Alan Wright · Oct 13, 2019

If you fit a Surrey Flange from the top of the cylinder the hot pipe needs to travel unvented from the cylinder into the loft across and down to the shower which will trap air.
Consider teeing off the vent pipe in the loft and a Shower Power Booster fitted in the loft.
Google 'ShowerPowerBooster' or use the link to the site on this forum.

Monty · Oct 13, 2019

king of pipes said:
You have alot of resistance on your pipework couple that with the height the water is trying travel before it reaches the shower mixer and the pressure loss and if another family member opens another hot water outlet then I think your chance of a successful outcome are at best slim , I would recommend you Employ a professional to reconfigure the pipework to achieve the best outcome possible . Regards Kop

Many thanks for the response. The professional would not give me advice and are asking for £200 to £300 which is very expensive. I am a very practical person and can complete the work with some professional advice on how to run the pipe. Once again thanks for your help.

king of pipes · Oct 13, 2019

I think that's very reasonable in fact but I wish you well with the job . Kop

Alan Wright · Oct 13, 2019

£200 to £300 for fitting a conventional pump sounds very reasonable if not cheap to me especially as you will need additional pipework and draining down, the cost of a surrey flange, and an electrician is probably needed.

I would expect plumbers to charge around £85 to fit a couple of ShowerPowerBooster pumps in the loft.

Monty · Oct 14, 2019

Alan Wright said:
£200 to £300 for fitting a conventional pump sounds very reasonable if not cheap to me especially as you will need additional pipework and draining down, the cost of a surrey flange, and an electrician is probably needed.

I would expect plumbers to charge around £85 to fit a couple of ShowerPowerBooster pumps in the loft.

Thank. I already have fitted a Booster shower pump as shown in the photo, but the pressure is too low, thus fitting a 2 bar universal pump as my hot feed is going into the loft and then down into the ensuite. I can do all the work but just need the advice to avoid airlock as the hot feed is going into the loft from the hot tank.
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king of pipes said:
I think that's very reasonable in fact but I wish you well with the job . Kop

Thanks "King of Pipes" for your help.

Monty · Oct 15, 2019

Need help to purchase a Surrey or top flange to fit into the hot water cylinder to feed a Universal Stuart Turner 2 U bar pump. Please see attached pictures to show what is currently connected, I have removed the top 22mm compression nut. The male connection seen in the photo is 1 inch and the distance between the two hexagon flat of the cylinder flange is 1-3/8 inches. Outlet pipe is 22mm.
What size surrey flange should I purchase?
Do I have to remove the connection fitted into the tank?
Can I not fit a surrey flange to the male connection seen in the photo?
Do I have to apply any sealing thing to the threads of the surrey flange?
Stuart Turner recommends that I should fit their design flange, is it necessary?

Installing a Universal Shower Pump

Monty

king of pipes

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