# Question for any plumbers....



## Iptsoe (Jun 28, 2015)

We've recently fitted a new mixer shower and the bathroom which has highlighted an issue with really low water pressure that the old shower didn't really seem to have!

Firstly we do not have a combi boiler so I'm hoping this will make life easier..

We have a hot water tank upstairs, then we have a massive cold water tank in the loft where the cold for the shower seems to be fed from.

The pipes from this tank work their way away from the tank down through the cupboard where the hot water tank which is the opposite end of the house then back towards the bathroom. (If this makes sense)

My question is....

Would we be better off with a positive head pump in the cupboard where the heater is, or would we be better to run the pipes back up through the loft and installing a negative head pump up there to drop down to feed the shower from above?

I've added a quick diagram of the current set up...


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## Juke_Fan (Jul 12, 2014)

Not a plumber but have a similar issue. Couple of things to check.....

1. Are all your valves to the shower open fully? Sounds daft but the plumber left our just over half open and the pressure appeared even worse than it was.

2. Is your mixer shower rated for low pressure?

3. Have you tried a wide bore shower hose?

4. Different shower heads can help - you want one that doesn't have too small jet openings as this restricts the flow.


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## Iptsoe (Jun 28, 2015)

when I bought the shower the minimum water pressure rating was .5 bar, personally I didn't think that 1/2 a bar was a massive amount of pressure so figured I'd be fine!

All of the valves are fully open and we've tried a couple of different shower heads, and its made no difference what so ever unfortunately


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## fatdazza (Dec 29, 2010)

Iptsoe said:


> when I bought the shower the minimum water pressure rating was .5 bar, personally I didn't think that 1/2 a bar was a massive amount of pressure so figured I'd be fine!
> 
> All of the valves are fully open and we've tried a couple of different shower heads, and its made no difference what so ever unfortunately


0.5 bar is approx 5m head. That would mean that your cold water tank would need to be 5m higher than you shower head.


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## Juke_Fan (Jul 12, 2014)

You need a 0.1 bar shower.

This is what I got in the end and it does a decent job (Bristan CAP2 SHXAR C Capri2 Thermostatic Surface Mounted Shower).....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bristan-CAP2-SHXAR-Thermostatic-Adjustable/dp/B00FYP1BJA

I also got a wide bore (12mm) shower hose.....

http://www.partridgeshadleigh.co.uk/household/bathroom-accessories/shower-hoses/fw-hipkin-12mm-x-1.5m-5ft-chrome-plate-shower-hose/shose2

One other thing I did that helped is if you look into the shower head from the screw end you will see just inside the shower it narrows down, this restricts water flow so I drilled this out.

As a combination it works quite well.


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

Positive head pump installed with independent services. Locate it in the cylinder cupboard 

Gonz.


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## Iptsoe (Jun 28, 2015)

great gonzo said:


> Positive head pump installed with independent services. Locate it in the cylinder cupboard
> 
> Gonz.


Thank you Gonzo


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## great gonzo (Nov 4, 2010)

No worries 
Push the boat out and go for a Stuart Turner pump, best around mate. 

Gonz.


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