Poor water pressure at bath shower mixer

[armyash]

Hi guys

fitted this bath shower mixer for a customer, they supplied it. Have said they are not happy with the pressure on the hot. Not upset with me as they supplied it and it says suitable for low pressure so they assumed it was ok.

Bath Filler Mixer Taps with Shower Curved Designer Chrome SOHO | eBay

All other hot outlets are ok and cold is ok.

There are iso valves fitted, not sure if full bore or not, can't remember.

If it's not full bore, could it be a case of changing the iso or do you think a pump is needed?

 

[Neil K]

Single story flat/ house or 2 story house?

 

[armyash]

large terraced house with a cellar.

 

[Neil K]

Where's the shower in question . Upstairs, downstairs ..........or in the cellar lol

 

[armyash]

lol sorry.

Shower is upstairs, the bathroom is pretty much the same level as the airing cupboard. HW at basin tap is ok though...apparently.

 

[Neil K]

If they're not happy then recommend putting a pump on it. But you need a dedicated cold feed from the tank in the loft TO the pump, a dedicated hot from a Surrey flange on the cylinder TO the pump and a dedicated hot and cold apiece OUT of the pump to the new shower. You want to make sure the cold water tank/tanks in the loft are enough to cope with demand. If all that can be done then happy days

 

[gassafe]

Remove isolation valves for a start, maybe fit a shower power poster pump as a cheaper alternative to the whole shower pump?

 

[gassafe]

Quiet In-Line Power Boost Shower Pump For Taps and Showers Solves Low Water Pressure. - Shower Power Booster

 

[armyash]

If they're not happy then recommend putting a pump on it. But you need a dedicated cold feed from the tank in the loft TO the pump, a dedicated hot from a Surrey flange on the cylinder TO the pump and a dedicated hot and cold apiece OUT of the pump to the new shower. You want to make sure the cold water tank/tanks in the loft are enough to cope with demand. If all that can be done then happy days

What if I was to use a pump just for the hot and left the cold as it is if that makes sense? Is that possible?

Just trying to get an idea of what I can do so apologies if i am sounding thick.

 

[armyash]

Quiet In-Line Power Boost Shower Pump For Taps and Showers Solves Low Water Pressure. - Shower Power Booster

Will check that out, looks interesting.

 

[JCplumb]

Would be very difficult to balance properly if you do that I reckon mate. And would be very tempramental if someone flushes a loo or the washing machine is on.
If you're fitting a pump my advice mirrors what Neil says above.

 

[MarkAqua]

agree that it's not advisable to have just one supply pumped, as it will cause unbalanced pressures etc.

Have a look at the pipe size feeding the tap. Ideally you want 22ø from cylinder all the way to the tap for max flow.

Fit a bull bore valve rather than a ballofix type.

Finally, take the hot tap body out just to make sure that nothing is restricting the flow.

 

[armyash]

Hi guys

just thought i would add some info, the cold water is mains fed and only the cylinder is fed from cws tank.

Was thinking of using one of these.

Salamander RGP 40 Shower Pump Sale Now On

Good idea or not?

 

[WaterTight]

Why was original tap changed? Was it a bath/shower mixer or individual pillars?

If it was a bath shower mixer, and it received hot pressure fine and it mixed ok with mains cold then it's probably because it's a cheap eBay tap.

I'd quote for putting on a better tap and I'd turn up with a pressure reducing valve for the cold feed just incase needed.

 

[armyash]

This is what came out.

 

[armyash]

Apologies, old shower was not working, just worn out where switching between taps and shower so customer wanted a new one.

 

[WaterTight]

if it worked fine before and you've not added iso's restricting flow etc i'd probably try new taps. everywere takes them back for a full refund these days no questions asked. just seems easier than installing pumps.

 

[armyash]

Will check iso's are full bore before I do anything else. Thanks

 

[jtsplumbing]

Another eBay purchase, Proberly Chinese import ! did you check to see it they are WRAS approved ? Have a problem at the moment with Taps purchased by customer from a non-trade outlet, not WRAS approved told him to take them back and use a proper supplier, trouble is general public don't know that they have to be approved for our water supplies, as long as they look pretty & are cheep that's all they care about, until something go's wrong & they cant be repaired, or contaminate the water.

 

[armyash]

Tried it with a full bore iso, no difference. HW is ok at taps and not too bad at the tap on this mixer it's just poor on the shower, especially if it's held high in the riser rail. The cold is ok until you turn the hot on then the pressure seems to drop on both.

The customer is tighter than a ducks.