Low pressure shower head - need pump advice please

[New2DIYing]

Hi guys

I have the below shower head

https://www.bathstore.com/products/...fixed-shower-head-with-300-wall-arm-2965.html

However the hot water pressure is very low. I have a gravity fed system with a hot water tank in my loft.

My understanding is I need a hot water / shower pump to resolve the low pressure in the shower head.

Any recommendations on the type of pump I need to buy? Would this work:

https://www.bathstore.com/products/...ntrifugal-pump-positive-head-44400023300.html

Thanks

 

[HERTS P&D]

No, that is a rubbish pump. You will need one of the pumps below depending on your water flow.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stuart-t...d-positive-head-twin-shower-pump-2-0bar/95134

Or

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stuart-t...e-negative-head-twin-shower-pump-2-0bar/95061

Andy

 

[New2DIYing]

Thanks for the reoly

No, that is a rubbish pump. You will need one of the pumps below depending on your water flow.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stuart-t...d-positive-head-twin-shower-pump-2-0bar/95134

Or

https://www.screwfix.com/p/stuart-t...e-negative-head-twin-shower-pump-2-0bar/95061

Andy

Thanks for the reply.

Can I ask what the main difference is with the pumps you linked compared to mine? As they are considerably more expensive

How do I find out if I need positive head or positive and negative?

Thanks again

 

[HERTS P&D]

Stuart Turner pumps are the best around, most plumbers will not recommend anything else.


'A minimum flow under gravity is required for these pumps to operate, specifically:
Monsoon - 0.6 litres per minute (approx)
Monsoon extra - 0.6 litres per minute (approx)
Showermate - 0.8 litres per minute (approx)
Showermate eco - 0.8 litres per minute (approx)
Techflo qt - 1.0 litres per minute (approx)
Techflo tp - 0.8 litres per minute (approx)

These figure are typical.

If when opening the outlet to be pumped, the flow is less than this it will not be sufficient to start the pump.'

Hope that helps

Andy

 

[Madrab]

The first one will shake itself to bit's in about 6 months ...... booooo

The second will deliver a longer, better flow per shower for at least 6 years and then you buy a service kit and it last for another 6 ..... yayyyyy

Open just the hot water supply to the shower, do you get at least a litre per min?

 

[New2DIYing]

Thanks for the replies again guys

What if I went for the Stuart Turner Showermate range?

E.g. https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/stuart-turner-showermate-101358-33126

Thanks!

 

[New2DIYing]

Thanks for the replies again guys

What if I went for the Stuart Turner Showermate range?

E.g. https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/stuart-turner-showermate-101358-33126

Thanks!

Hi guys

Just wanted to check in to see if the above linked pump would do the job for me?

We have 1 bathroom and 1 kitchen (no problem with pressure in the kitchen just on the 1 shower in the bathroom).

Thanks.

 

[HERTS P&D]

For your shower to work correctly, you would need balanced water supplies. Which means having a 'twin pump' with hot and cold water being feed from the cold water storage tank in the loft.

Andy

 

[New2DIYing]

For your shower to work correctly, you would need balanced water supplies. Which means having a 'twin pump' with hot and cold water being feed from the cold water storage tank in the loft.

Andy

Thanks mate

Would this still be the case if I dont currently have a problem with the cold water pressure? If i put cold only the shower pressure is fine. Just when I switch to hot the pressure drops off.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Is the cold from the cold water storage tank in the loft or is it direct from the mains?

Andy

 

[jp5]

Just to answer your earlier question about the difference between positive and negative shower pumps:

Positive head shower pumps are used when the water tank is positioned above the shower.

Negative head shower pumps are used when the water tank is positioned below or near level with the shower.

For more information, have a look at this more detailed explanation of the difference between positive and negative shower pumps.

Hope this helps!

 

[oldbuffer]

1. If your HOT water cylinder is in the loft, it might be an unvented cylinder, otherwise it would get no head of pressure from a higher situated cold water storage cistern. If this is the case, then hot and cold should be roughly equal pressures, which would point to a pipe -work problem or shower fault accounting for the lack of flow from the hot side of your shower.
2. If it is not unvented, then you will need a pump. If you pump only the hot supply, you have no guarantee that the hot and cold will be at equal pressures, which could easily lead to other, if different, problems.
3. You need to pump both hot and cold. To do this you need:
3a. A separate feed from the cold water storage cistern to the pump, in a size of pipe determined by the pump you buy. It will be specified by the pump manufacturer. This feed should exit the CWSC at a lower height than the feed for the hot water cylinder, so that if the cistern starts to run dry, the hot water is cut off before the cold to avoid scalding.
3b. A separate feed from the hot water cylinder to the pump. This must exit from the hot water cylinder via a special type of connection. See Essex, Surrey / Warix flanges. Some pump manufacturers allow a downward pointing Tee from an upward pointing 45 degree rising pipe. Again, see manufacturer's specifications.
3c. Separate feeds from the pump to you shower. Pipe sizes depend on pump selected.
4. If you want a pump which will last, and which is serviceable, get a bronze / brass bodied one. As stated above, the Stuart Turner Monsoon range is most people's favourite, but the Salamander CT Force range I find pretty good.
5. If you buy a cheap pump, you may well find it noisier, and its unlikely to last as long. It may be difficult or impossible to find spares for them.

 

[New2DIYing]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I have added some pics below to show what the loft has.

I assume the green is the hot water and the one on top in the black is the cold water?

Does this confirm I need to pump both hot and cold?

Thanks!

 

[oldbuffer]

Your hot water cylinder looks like a standard indirect, vented, cylinder. If this is correct, then, unless you opt for a more radical solution, you need to pump both hot and cold.

Given the almost zero head of water between cold and hot, you'd almost certainly need a negative head pump, and you'd be advised to make sure you get a pump which will deal with the head of pressure you do have.

 

[Madrab]

To get a good shower @new2diy2012, then you will need to pump.

Have you checked what flow you have at the shower head yet, as per post # 4 from @HERTSDRAINAGE2010 ? This will dictate whether a universal or standard pump is needed.

You also have all the info needed too re the install from @oldbuffer 's post #12, so time to decide how strong a shower you want (pressure) and how much you wish to spend - a higher price will usually give you a dual brass impeller pump with a longer and serviceable life. ST Monsoon are my preferred choice but others are available.