Desperate dame struggles with mixer shower mystery

[magpett]

Can I use a thermostatic shower (Triton) with gravity feed hot water but a mains direct cold water supply, and, if I can, what are the disadvantages/problems?

 

[bedspoolplayer]

hi thought they would have to be balance feeds both gravity

 

[magpett]

Hi there. I am really stuck with what I have, viz. gravity feed hot water abd mains direct vold water. Will the shower work at all with these two feeds?

 

[Dotty]

It can be done but you'll need to get someone in to fit a pressure reducing valve for you and set it to match the pressure of your hot water.

This should do the job, still slightly on the high side though.

Toolstation > Plumbing > Valves > Pressure Reducing Valve 45C 1.5-5.5 Bar

 

[magpett]

Will installing a shower pump between the two feeds and the shower do the trick? They sell them at Homebase for £99! What do you reckon?

 

[philtheflush]

you cannot attach a pump to your mains cold water its illegal you need to supply the cold feed to the pump from cold water tank (ie your original tank if big enough or install a seperate one) good luck

 

[magpett]

I think i need to marry a plumber!

 

[Gray0689]

I think i need to marry a plumber!

No that's a bad idea then you never get it done lol

 

[Dotty]

Gray's on the ball there. Plus the countless hours listening to us grumbling about our knees, backs, ungrateful/stupid customers, health and safety, the youth of today, other plumbers, the economy, electricians, boiler manufacturers, carpenters and bleedin' politicians!

Other than that we're quite lovable. Some of us even have our own teeth!

 

[Avatar]

Hi there, I am surprised the others have not asked you the position of your hot water cylinder (they are to busy preening and struting their stuff it seems!)

Do you have a house, or is it a flat? If the hot water cylinder is on the same floor as the shower outlet, and if so is it raised up on a plinth, or on the floor?

This bit is quite important, as your options kind of hinge on this info - what kind of pump you might use (if at all . . )

By the way, there are a few girl plumbers out there now, although plumbing isn't for the faint of heart.

Let me know!

 

[magpett]

Hi there and thanks for help. In my house the hot water cylinder is 30 feet above the shower I am trying to fit. Very tall narrow house! And, yes, I guess an additonal option to marrying a plumber might be to train as a girlie one.......now there's an idea!!

 

[Avatar]

Yes it might be possible to get a 'positive head' pump (like in wickes/homebase for £99) combined with a cold water cistern to supply the cold water, situated where the hot cylider is.

Shouldn't cost too much really though. (depending how far the pipe runs need to be)

By the way, the only thing more likely to excite the boys on here, more than a women looking to marry a plumber - is the idea of an attractive female 'plumber' . . .

Ask if you have any further questions.

(ps: if you do marry a plumber, try and get one who is relatively young and still attractive! Many of the guys on here are so old they have started to mummify!!!! - not me though . . .)

 

[tamz]

If your hot water cylinder is 30ft above the shower that means your cold cistern is higher. Your pressure at the hot will be in the region of 1 bar.
What that means is the shower valve you have will probably work with what you have unless your incoming mains supply is above 5 bar.
Most thermostatic showers will work at a pressure differential of 5:1. Worst case fit a £20 pressure reducing valve to the cold.

 

[Avatar]

It might work unassisted as tamzs points out:

You could fit the thermostatic shower to the existing pipework (gravity/hot mains/cold) and find out
if it is going to work out.

First thing though, is get a pressure testing kit for £15, screw it on to the washing machine cold supply, and get a reading of your mains pressure (very easy to do - or get someone in to quote on the work, and ask them to check the water pressure to if this will work)

If the mains supply pressure is standard (ie 2-3 bar), and your hot water cylinder is definitely 10 meters above the shower then you could definately get a shower working fine like this.

Most combi boilers operate at similiar pressures for hot/cold and are fine for thermostatic showers. In fact with 1 bar pressure on the hot side it should be fine.

Would come round to have a look for you, but I have a feeling that you may be too far for my standard call out (south east only) . . .

 

[magpett]

Hi there. This advice is extremely helpful so thanks fothinking out this reply and taking trouble. Yes, I am far away from you. Thanks!