Adding a shower pump to existing gravity fed system

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by nealo, May 22, 2012.

  1. nealo

    nealo New Member

    Hi all,

    I recently fitted a new bathroom at home and installed a new shower (over bath).  The shower is a thermostatic bar mixer and works off a gravity fed system with hot feed teed from the bath hot pipe and cold feed from a large header tank in the loft.  As the bathroom is on the 1st floor, my intention was to raise the level of the header tank in the loft to increase pressure, however I now think that installing a pump might see more benefit.
    [/b]
    I would like some advice on which pump to get.  I?ve concluded that I need a positive head pump, but can?t decide on whether to get a 1.5 bar or 2 bar (or other)?.[/b]

    I intend to locate the pump on the floor of the airing cupboard in the main bedroom, which is across the landing from the bathroom, with feeds from the cylinder (via surrey flange) and from the header tank in the loft.  I would then run the pipes back up into the loft and across the loft floor (approx the level of the underside of the header tank) before returning down into the bathroom via the stench pipe box and underneath the bath to connect to the pipes feeding the shower valve.  This way I don?t need to lift any floorboards, drill holes etc.  I would like to do this in plastic pipe, unless there would be any problems with this.  The pipes will be 22mm until they meet the existing 15mm pipes under the bath.  The length of pipe run from pump to shower would be approx 10 to 12 metres.
    There is an existing electricity feed in the loft which supplied a previous shower (incl. double pole fused switch), which I will be able to run down to the pump in the airing cupboard.
    [/b]
    I?ve also read that the pump shouldn?t be screwed down and should sit on top of a small concrete slab.  What is your advice?[/b]
     
  2. G Brown

    G Brown New Member

    If you have a quality bar shower such as a Mira Coda then plumb it in 15mm and use a basic 1.5 bar pump and you will have an excellent shower.

    If you have bought a cheap nasty bar shower then plumb it in 22 and fit a bigger pump to compensate!

    Just follow the MI's for pump fitting.

    Salamander instructions are very clear and simple.
     
  3. Captain Leaky

    Captain Leaky New Member

    No need to pipe in 22mm.
     
  4. nealo

    nealo New Member

    Thanks for the responses.  A big help.  It is a decent Mira shower.  Can't remember the exact model.
     

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