poor flow rate for multiple showers

[markythesparky]

My sons house has three showers but none seem to be any good water pressure seems ok(2.5bar) but flow rate about 10ltr min but it drops off if a second tap is opened ,the house is 150mtr from the road so a long newish 25mm supply pipe from main supply ( which just to make it a bit more a problem united utilities dont know where its connected they gave up looking when the wanted to fit a meter so cant check if mains shut off is fully open) he has an unvented hot water system (Gledhill with pressure vessel) is there anything he can get fitted (water accumalater or something ) to ensure sufficient flow for a property of this size I realise it may be expensive but it needs something doing.property remodeled about 10 years ago most pipe work internal plastic 15 and 22mm.

 

[Riley]

Accumulator would help but finding the boundary stopcock would also help

 

[markythesparky]

Accumulator would help but finding the boundary stopcock would also help

united utilities gave up after 2 days just negotiated a set rate rather than find it, original part of the house is 150 years old only thing visible is the 25mm blue pipe at stopcock in house.

 

[markythesparky]

Accumulator would help but finding the boundary stopcock would also help

wold somthing like this be ok
Zilmet Ultra Pro Expansion Vessel with interchangeable membrane for Potable Water Vertical 750ltr

 

[Riley]

I’d get someone in to size it correctly. Might be worth contacting Gledhill to see if they recommend something to work alongside the cylinder

 

[snowhead]

Does the 25mm blue definitely go to the street or is it just a short section joined onto lead / copper / iron when the remodelling was done?

edit And at 150years old it could be sharing a supply with other nearby properties, if there are any.

 

[markythesparky]

Does the 25mm blue definitely go to the street or is it just a short section joined onto lead / copper / iron when the remodelling was done?

edit And at 150years old it could be sharing a supply with other nearby properties, if there are any.

no other property nearby pipe seems to go off towards the road up the drive I still cant believe united utilities gave up looking

 

[Riley]

I’d complain mate. If you want a meter I think they have to oblige

 

[markythesparky]

I’d get someone in to size it correctly. Might be worth contacting Gledhill to see if they recommend something to work alongside the cylinder

I will contact gledhill on monday just looked them up and the factory is only 1/2 mile from the property

 

[markythesparky]

I’d complain mate. If you want a meter I think they have to oblige

trouble is with the size of the property and outside hot tub and other things he is quite happy without one.

 

[Riley]

Well ok but the mains could be your problem

 

[markythesparky]

I’d get someone in to size it correctly. Might be worth contacting Gledhill to see if they recommend something to work alongside the cylinder

Is there not a formular for calculating it I might be looking at it too simply but i would have thought twice the size of the hot water storage tank ,ie 150 hot water so 300ltr acumulator so enough water to empty the hot water and deliver same ammount to mix with it

 

[Riley]

There’s a degree of logic to why you say but I would still be looking at addressing the incoming main. It could be in the wrong material under ground or kinked or running off a neighbours supply miles away. 150litres of hot doesn’t seem a lot for three showers either.

 

[sammathias]

Flowrate 10lpm from cold tap?

 

[markythesparky]

Flowrate 10lpm from cold tap?

yes and 6ltr per min from hot

 

[king of pipes]

Definitely not enough pressure I would look at Stuart Turner products to boost the incoming supply there are several ways of doing it . Kop

 

[sammathias]

The main needs to be investigated. Could be a blockage, could be undersized. Could be old iron pipework furred up. An invented cylinder should never have been specced for a property with a 10lpm flow rate.

 

[markythesparky]

The main needs to be investigated. Could be a blockage, could be undersized. Could be old iron pipework furred up. An invented cylinder should never have been specced for a property with a 10lpm flow rate.

as far as we can find out from PO a new main was fitted from the road but there appears to be a branch off it to the garage as they were planning to convert the garage to a granny flat at some time, also they branched another to another out building which they were looking to convert also but both these only have shut off valves on them now .

 

[Riley]

I’d be tempted to open them into a bucket and see how they compare to the house. Also 25mm never big enough for three properties. If they’re not intending on using the rest then fine but just an advisory.

 

[markythesparky]

just been looking on UU site and water pressure is within there min spec,

We provide water at a minimum pressure of what’s known as seven metres static head, which should be ideal for day-to-day use. In more simple terms, this means the water pressure should be powerful enough to fill a 4.5 litre (or 1 gallon) container in 30 seconds.

which is only 9 ltr per min.

 

[Riley]

I thought min was 12 lpm??

 

[markythesparky]

problem solved I have found a second mains shut off valve under the floor turned that on full and we now get just short of 4bar pressure and just under 20ltr per min flow ,not sure why there are 2 shut off valves on cold water supply

 

[Riley]

Get one removed it may improve things further. Where are you getting 4 bar as I’d be surprised if your unvented cylinder should be taking that amount of pressure

 

[markythesparky]

Get one removed it may improve things further. Where are you getting 4 bar as I’d be surprised if your unvented cylinder should be taking that amount of pressure

getting 4 bar on outside tap, tank has 3 bar regulator on it gettig just under 3 bar on hotwater at washig machine tap

 

[Welder]

I’d be tempted to open them into a bucket and see how they compare to the house. Also 25mm never big enough for three properties. If they’re not intending on using the rest then fine but just an advisory.

Also check the meter size. Most of the time the numbskulls stick a 1/2" meter on a 2" main or whatever which means you are always throttled.