Shower pump not pumping... well sort of...

[n20y1d]

I have an issue with a shower i have fitted in our bathroom where the pump will only work if i turn the hand held shower on. If I turn it to the overhead option nothing happens... that is until i go into the en-suite in our bedroom and turn on the shower in there then the shower in the batrhroom kicks in and works even (if i turn off the en-suite). However the moment i turn off the bathroom shower its back to square one and nothing happens.

Both showers are fed off the same pump, any ideas on how i get around this problem would be greatly appreciated?

 

[muggles]

Has this always been an issue, or is it a new problem? What pump do you have?

 

[n20y1d]

The old shower worked ok so this is a new problem. I have moved the shower though - its now closer to the pump (a Stuart Turner 46500 Showermate Eco Pump 2 Bar Twin).

The head on the shower is close to ceiling height, the previous shower was an aqualisa hand held with a wall mount. where as this one is similar to this:

As i mentioned the hand held part works fine.

 

[muggles]

You have a positive head pump, which requires enough pressure and flow from the shower head to get it going. Pressure is varied by the vertical distance between the base of the loft tank and the outlet of the shower. A shorter distance is lower pressure. You either need to raise up your loft tank top increase pressure and flow enough to kick the pump in, or replace your shower pump with a Universal type such as this one https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/stuart-turner-showermate-50-33124

 

[n20y1d]

OK thanks whats the recommended distance between base of tank and shower head?

 

[n20y1d]

Got home last night and tried lowering the shower head a few CM's and it fired up... not ideal given i'm 6'7....

Annoying thing is i fitted a brand new positive pump at the end of August - will head into the loft at the weekend - to see if there is enough room between the top of the water tank and the eaves to raise it a bit...

Although its a prehistoric asbestos water tank....

 

[muggles]

OK thanks whats the recommended distance between base of tank and shower head?

Sorry, missed this. The short answer is "as much as possible". As you've since discovered, in reality it probably doesn't need much but if you're building a new tank stand anyway, you may as well build it tall.