Bath filler/shower diverter deck mount valve water pressure query/problem

[tempsc]

Hello.

I'm in the middle of buying items for my plumber to refurbish our bathroom and one of the items I have bought is an Ideal Standard deck mounted bath filler/hand shower unit with diverter. I selected this type as the retailer reassured me that it was suitable for low pressure. Today, on double checking with Ideal Standard they've advised min pressure of 0.5Bar and I'm a bit worried. Is there a simple method of assessing the water pressure in my home or a rule of thumb I can apply? I assume it's easy to measure the flow but the pressure wil be more complicated. In terms of fixing the problem, I could have a whole house pump put in (it may appear to be an expensive solution but my wife sometimes comments on how 'slow' the tap is in the downstairs cloakroom). Trouble is, the airing cupboard is also in our daughters bedroom and I'm also a bit concerned about the possible noise from a pump. We have a std hw cylinder in the airing cupboard, with a large CW tank(s) in the loft space. Could I perhaps have the pump fitted up in the loft? Can I get v quiet pumps to go in the airing cupboard? Any idea as to how expensive they may be?

Thanks for any advice in advance and have a good weekend.

Paul

 

[dontknowitall]

I'd like to be backed up (or criticised even!) but I reckon you should be fine without any pumps. The water downstairs could be due to a long pipe run or lots of bends and elbows in the pipe before it reaches the tap.

 

[easyt]

If it is of a header tank how much head is there? How far below the bottom of the CW tank is the shower head?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

for a pressure of 0.5bar you would need to have a vertical head of 5m i.e. from bottom of cold tank to shower head

 

[easyt]

Most mixers seem to state a minimum of 0.1 bar. ie 1m head. I have 2m and on my particular shower that is fine. Not many cisterns are going to produce 5 metres head in a normal house other than to a ground floor shower in a two storey house with the cylinder very well elevated in the loft space (probably to 5 foot).

 

[johnmcginty]

I would install an electric if i were you mate to avoid dissapointment , the shower diverter wont work properly if you have anything less than a bar even if it says 0.5 on the tin realistically which you dont have like steve says, either that or a power shower would be better than a pump imo though even those can be a pain.

 

[dontknowitall]

I think it's bath mixer taps with a shower attachment he's pondering ...

 

[PlumbBobBob]

yes i think you're right dkia

 

[easyt]

I would install an electric if i were you mate to avoid dissapointment , the shower diverter wont work properly if you have anything less than a bar even if it says 0.5 on the tin realistically which you dont have like steve says, either that or a power shower would be better than a pump imo though even those can be a pain.

I have 0.2 bar on my thermostatic Mira shower and it is fine. My previous diverter shower over the bath was also fine - that was not thermostatic. Same head.

 

[johnmcginty]

I have installed quite a lot of bath diverters which struggle without the pressure to keep the diverter valve up, or the shower just seems so poor. Some of them seem ok to start with but I have had callbacks with this issue even on the low presure ones. Am I missing something ? Surely the shower can't be that great on 0.2bar, I like it pounding on my head mind weak showers just do my head in.

 

[easyt]

I find shower fine. Maybe I don't like being hit with a needle gun

 

[tempsc]

Tks for the replies thus far.

Just to clarify, the tap/shower is of a type where the unit is bath deck mounted and the hand shower is retractable, through the bath deck. I intend to use an exafil from the bath valves and then the same valves feeding the handshower via the diverter valve. For those interested in the exact unit I'm fitting, it's the Ideal Standard 'Moments' unit.

Tks again.

 

[tempsc]

If it is of a header tank how much head is there? How far below the bottom of the CW tank is the shower head?

Tks EasyT. For your info on this, I'd say about 3 Mtrs to the level of the deck of the bath which is where the diverter valve will be installed up to the bottom of the CW tank in the loft. It's also not directly overhead of the position of the end of the bath - perhaps 1.5Mytrs offset if that makes any difference.

 

[tempsc]

for a pressure of 0.5bar you would need to have a vertical head of 5m i.e. from bottom of cold tank to shower head

This is what I'm concerned about as the bathroom is in the more conventioal position of the 1st floor. It would just seem that I may need to install a pump to ensure the correct delivery. One further query as per my OP. Is there a method to determine just what the bar pressure is in my house?

 

[easyt]

Tks EasyT. For your info on this, I'd say about 3 Mtrs to the level of the deck of the bath which is where the diverter valve will be installed up to the bottom of the CW tank in the loft. It's also not directly overhead of the position of the end of the bath - perhaps 1.5Mytrs offset if that makes any difference.

I don't think that 12.5m offset would make much difference. - Mine is about the same horizontal offset. The Mira shower I have states min 0.1bar. I have 0.2 bar and it is fine. If yours states 0.5 bar then that is a different matter perhaps,

 

[tempsc]

Is there a simple method of assessing the bar pressure at the tap outlet? Is there a rule of thumb perhaps?

 

[dontknowitall]

You can put a pressure meter on an outside tap.

 

[tempsc]

Will that accurately reflect the pressure at the point of delivery for the diverter valve on 1st floor bathroom?

 

[dontknowitall]

If you turn on a couple of other taps you'll get the working pressure for the property.