Very hot water with low pressure

[beldavenport]

Hi we've just had a bathroom fitted with a mixer tap to the sink and mixer tap with a bath handheld shower fitting to the bath and there is almost no pressure at all. Previously we had single taps and the pressure was fine and is good downstairs.

It is all gravity fed. We have a shower pump servicing the shower as before and that is fine.

Compounding the problem of solving the issue is we have an AGA which means the water can get hot, so most inline pumps we've been looking at only go to a max 65 degrees. My plumber is trying to solve the problem and has spoken to salamander but their pumps go to a max 65 degrees. As research for the temperature range I have tried to help him.

I spoke to anchor pumps and they said they would ask their most experienced technician, who said he would advise us and that the plumber needed to make the decision. I've tried to email Grundfos but it looks like they only answer professionals, so after discussing with my plumber he suggested a plumbing forum and he would re-contact Salamander,,,which won't help as I've gone through all their product data sheets and their max temp is 65 degrees.

After speaking to a friend who had a similar problem their plumber suggested an in-line pump for the hot water.

I've found two makes Grundfos
ALPHA1 N

and Nordstrand

Nordstrand 90W Hot and Cold Water 1 Bar Pressure Booster Pump - for Shower Home Garden Irrigation Washing Machine - Inline Electric Automatic - Stainless Steel​

that will operate with those temperatures. Nordstrand doesn't look very good and seems to be only available from Amazon, so I don't want to get that one.

Beyond that I'm stuck as I don't know what size, version I'm looking for...so please can you help or tell me who we can speak to?
My plumber was looking at replacing the shower pump with something that did both.

 

[Ben-gee]

Put a blending valve on the hot feed out of the cylinder, this mixes cold in with the hot - set it to 65 and use this to feed the pumps.

This is quite common……

 

[Ben-gee]

The other issue is that they have fitted high pressure taps.

Either change them to low pressure or feed them with the pumped supply.

 

[Belinda Davenport]

Both those suggestions make absolute sense. Thank you

 

[beldavenport]

Put a blending valve on the hot feed out of the cylinder, this mixes cold in with the hot - set it to 65 and use this to feed the pumps.

This is quite common……

 

[beldavenport]

Put a blending valve on the hot feed out of the cylinder, this mixes cold in with the hot - set it to 65 and use this to feed the pumps.

This is quite common……

Update:
So we put this solution to the bathroom supplier and plumber. The plumber has said he’s not confident putting the blending valve on, and to be honest he’s just fitting to the plan and equipment given by the bathroom company. They have their own heating engineering company but they have asked the plumber to do the job for them. The plumber bounced it back. The bathroom company’s solution is to use the existing shower pump which is a salamander (I know their temperature max is 40•) and put the blending valve before that. That as I understand will mean the shower will now have a max hot water temperature of 40• plus any cold water, so my question will that be hot enough for the shower? What type of plumber will know about a blending valve as another plumber I know who is a heating engineer doesn’t know much about them either? We have had so many issues from broken equipment having to be sent back at least 3 wastes for the bath before it sealed, this was just the icing on the cake and today the new bathroom cupboard (4th one came in damaged again!)

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh I would bin them off sounds like your having problems after problems

Also there solution isn’t going to work as it creates a lot of extra pipework

 

[Ben-gee]

…What type of plumber will know about a blending valve…

a competent one.

40 degrees will not be hot enough for all users in my experience.

 

[beldavenport]

a competent one.

40 degrees will not be hot enough for all users in my experience.

I thought you'd say that! Thanks for your help and advice, confirmed my thoughts.

 

[Knappers]

Most blending valves are adjustable for temperature. I'm not 100% sure on the effect that suction from pump will have on blending valve as I've only ever used them on balanced mains supply. I'd recommend a quick check with manufacturer of valve.
This is all a workaround due to the taps being wrong imo, should really look at replacing them all for low pressure with full bore pipework.

 

[beldavenport]

Most blending valves are adjustable for temperature. I'm not 100% sure on the effect that suction from pump will have on blending valve as I've only ever used them on balanced mains supply. I'd recommend a quick check with manufacturer of valve.
This is all a workaround due to the taps being wrong imo, should really look at replacing them all for low pressure with full bore pipework.

Thanks for your help everyone. I did try and find a local plumber from the site, but couldn't find one. Pump World were amazing telling me the same advice as you and recommended the Charter Institute of Plumbing and I have just spoken to a local plumber who knew exactly what I was talking about and is coming to take a look but has mentioned a few options. I can't tell you how happy I am to see some light at the end of this nightmare!

 

[Ben-gee]

That’s good, we’ll persevered!

Let us know the outcome as it helps others out and we all like to learn something new too.