megaflow

[catris]

I'm thinking of putting a megaflow system in my house. The house is about 50 years old and has been extended several times. I don't think the plumbing has been updated.

Can the old pipework handle the increased water pressure from a megaflow or will it cause leaks/burst pipes?

 

[twgas]

usually ok but any dodgy joints/pipes may leak under increased pressure, get your installer to pressure test before starting.

 

[Softus]

You're asking the wrong questions...

Will the old pipework handle the increased water pressure from a megaflow?
Nobody can tell from here.

Can it cause leaks/burst pipes?
Yes.

 

[muggles]

Are you thinking of doing it, or are you thinking of getting a properly registered and qualified installer to do it? Only you're not allowed to do it yourself...

 

[catris]

I'd never dream of doing it myself but I'm having a really hard time finding someone that knows anything about megaflows. Usually the plumber only has a vague idea what they are. Is there a listing on the internet of megaflow installers?

Also, I suspect I need the main pipe from the road to the house increased in size, is this a hard/expensive thing to have done?

 

[muggles]

Well that's good to hear at least. There may be a list somewhere but I couldn't tell you where I'm afraid.

What makes you think your supply pipe needs upgrading? What size is it now? It's not that cheap to do, price depends on length of run and access to the run (obviously if your drive needs digging up it's going to cost you a lot more than having your garden dug up, for example)

 

[fizzput]

Main thing to look for is an installer with an unvented qualification card...

 

[simond]

With an unvented installation the main thing is water flow rate. To achieve a usable system you need 20 litres per min upwards.

You can make a super system with 40-50 litres per min but this is unusual to find in a domestic installation unless you have an accumulator.

The pipes in a property should be good for at least 5 bar pressure. However, they are only as good as the weakest link, and if they have been running on gravity pressure for 40 years (0.5bar perhaps, depends on height of house) then it is certainly possible a weak spot could be found. But then many houses are delivered water by lead mains that are 70 years old and they withhold the pressure day in and out.

So there is an element of luck, but mainly it is down to the quality of the original installation and (more likely) the modifications made since!

 

[catris]

What's an accumulator?

And how do I find out how many litres/minute I'm getting?

 

[doitall]

What's an accumulator?

And how do I find out how many litres/minute I'm getting?

You have to measure it, get a bucket and time how long it takes to fill, then divide it by the volume.

When You are looking for plumbers, ask if they have a G3 tickets for unvented cylinders, if they haven't move on to the next.

 

[Softus]

divide it by the volume.

It's more usual to divide the time into the volume.

 

[doitall]

divide it by the volume.

It's more usual to divide the time into the volume.

That would depend if you want Ltrs per min, or Mins per Ltr

 

[Softus]

And how do I find out how many litres/minute I'm getting?

You have to measure it, get a bucket and time how long it takes to fill, then divide it by the volume.