shower output pressure
Discussion
Like many of us we have a standard mains fed 8kw shower. good pressure . wondering what sort of pressure loss there is at the output? if any reason is we are looking to put in a over head square shower head with hand held head as well, its fed from the output on our shower using the flexi hose.. and was wondering if the pressure would be reduced that much ? thanks all
Alison, when more 'experts' come along, I'm sure they'll have better ideas, but in the meantime you should check the reduction in flow rates by timing how long it takes to fill a litre measuring jug with the shower head installed now and then unscrew the hose and check again directly from the outlet where the flexi hose screws in. You could also repeat with just the shower head removed to see how much the flexi pipe / head is restricting the flow, too. (this will give you the flow rate in litres/min/ to compare). Does the shower you've got have a minimum 'bar' rating - eg does it say it needs eg min 1 bar pressure at eg 8 litres/min?
When you choose a new head(s), get one(s) WITHOUT an economy restrictor valve in the end - or make sure it's removable if it has one - often just a matter of sticking a small screwdriver blade in the end to 'firk out' the valve. Also, make sure the flexi hose is the largest diameter bore you can get as this will restrict the flow, too. The difference in shower head flow rates is quite varied - maybe worth seeking one out that's for a lower pressure system as this will give a better flow rate (beware ones which are more suitable for high pressure systems).
As for your direct question, I'm not sure if an 8KW shower would be powerful enough to run 2 heads at the same time if that's what you are suggesting - one fixed overhead and one on a flexi pipe. Could you look into uprating the shower to a more powerful unit (if the mcb fuse rating / wiring diameter are up to it).
If all this is obvious and you have done all this, then hopefully someone else can directly advise which units to go for!
When you choose a new head(s), get one(s) WITHOUT an economy restrictor valve in the end - or make sure it's removable if it has one - often just a matter of sticking a small screwdriver blade in the end to 'firk out' the valve. Also, make sure the flexi hose is the largest diameter bore you can get as this will restrict the flow, too. The difference in shower head flow rates is quite varied - maybe worth seeking one out that's for a lower pressure system as this will give a better flow rate (beware ones which are more suitable for high pressure systems).
As for your direct question, I'm not sure if an 8KW shower would be powerful enough to run 2 heads at the same time if that's what you are suggesting - one fixed overhead and one on a flexi pipe. Could you look into uprating the shower to a more powerful unit (if the mcb fuse rating / wiring diameter are up to it).
If all this is obvious and you have done all this, then hopefully someone else can directly advise which units to go for!
just to clarify the new riser rail has an over head and a hand held however they are not used at same time there is a diverter valve in the base of the new riser rail to direct over head or to hand held. Cant get my head round how the kw on the shower will effect any flow ? or am I missing some thing here, the shower is fed from mains cold feed and not a combi set up thanks again
With an electric shower, all that basically happens when you alter the temperature is increase or decrease the flow rate. That's why it's powerful on cold and nearly dribbling on max temp.
The faster the water flows past the element, the less heat it picks up. The slower it flows past the element, the more heat it picks up.
The shower head and hose that came with your shower is designed to work with low flow rates. The one you are intending to use, is most likely designed to be used with a mixer shower, which have much higher flow rates. Which means you'll have a less forceful shower when used with an electric unit.
The faster the water flows past the element, the less heat it picks up. The slower it flows past the element, the more heat it picks up.
The shower head and hose that came with your shower is designed to work with low flow rates. The one you are intending to use, is most likely designed to be used with a mixer shower, which have much higher flow rates. Which means you'll have a less forceful shower when used with an electric unit.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff