Do I need a shower pump?

Discussion in 'Getting Started FAQ' started by Phil Jones, Apr 25, 2017.

  1. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Mixing pressures really is asking for trouble.
     
  2. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    hmm ok - so even with a non-return valve, the pressure from the mains could prevent the pump from switching on i guess?
     
  3. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Yes, and possibly cause pressure fluctuations in use that would be annoying to say the least. If some other hot or cold tap is turned on during use, its hard to tell what the consequences would be.
     
  4. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    ok thanks for all your help - seems i will have to concede that the best option is to fit a twin impeller in the loft, fed from cold and hot tanks, and drop a new cold line into the bathroom. This will mean all the hot taps in the house are fed from the pump, will this be a problem for the cold feed pumping against a shut valve on the shower?
     
  5. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Best to T off the hot water cylinder so just the bath is pumped.
     
  6. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    new you'd say that
    not sure I have space in the boxing to run two fresh lines down from the loft. Will take a look tonight.
    so basically need to T off the cold feed to the cylinder, and T off the hot water outlet from the cylinder, into the pump, and then routed down to the bathroom.
     
  7. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    The cold needs to come from a new connection to the tank, at a level below the hot outlet.
     
  8. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    Just checked my tanks, 100 litre cold, 120 litre hot. Not sure that is enough for a pumped shower anyway really. Could be completely back to drawing board here ...
     
  9. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    That's the set up I've got in my loft - hot and cold tanks, boiler and 2 Salamander pumps running 2 bathrooms. Both pumps fed off same cold water take off and hot from tank, via Surrey (I think) flange. 1.5bar pumps, so average, and you can run both showers at same time

    Think cold tank recommendation is around 50gallons, so that's just over 200 lt

    Difference in hot/cold pressures is not just pump problems but if your going for a thermostatic shower valve (more than likely) this can play havoc with balancing temperature

    How much destruction would be caused by running cold tank supply to bathroom ? And could the cold tank be upgraded - is there the head height available (or coffin tank)
     
  10. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    I could potentially put another cold tank next to the current one, there is space on the shelf.

    I'm actually keeping the shower itself simple. Just a basic bath shower mixer tap, no thermostat.

    If I went with single pump on hot and mains cold I'd just need to remember to switch on hot before cold in order to trigger the pump, I'm ok with that too.

    Interesting to hear 1.5 bar is ok. We're used to an electric shower? So should be at least as good as that.
     
  11. Phil Jones

    Phil Jones New Member

    Well I went for it, fitted a single pump to the hot water tank. Figured if all else fails at least I have decent hot water pressure in rest of house. Anyway, with that fitted, and a standard bath shower mixer tap (no thermostatic valve) it works great! You do have to remember not to switch on taps in the rest of the house as it inevitably causes the temp to fluctuate, but we had that with the electric shower anyway. Only having 1.5 bar mains meant that switching a cold tap on reduced the flow enough for the heater in the shower to switch off.
    Thanks for all the advice anyway guys!
     

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