Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 09:25:55

Title: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 09:25:55
We have moved house and the hot water pressure is not good enough to reach a shower head >:( so have thouhht about an electric shower...is there any alternative? ?
Cheers
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Andy H on 06 October 2013, 09:36:53
Something like this? http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/detail.htm?productNumber=Event%20XS%20All-in-One%20Power%20Shower,%20Manual&section=Power%20showers (http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/detail.htm?productNumber=Event%20XS%20All-in-One%20Power%20Shower,%20Manual&section=Power%20showers)

Assuming you have a traditional tank and hot water cylinder......
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Andy H on 06 October 2013, 09:39:31
I should mention that anything involving electrickery in a bathroom (zones 1 & 2) needs a suitably qualified electrician to do the wiring.
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: pscocoa on 06 October 2013, 09:42:24
http://www.stuart-turner.co.uk/products/monsoon/s30-bar-twin (http://www.stuart-turner.co.uk/products/monsoon/s30-bar-twin)

Used these for years
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Andy H on 06 October 2013, 09:47:19
Alternatively........

When we moved in to this house we had the same problem. There was an electric shower (which I hated).The cold water tank was in the airing cupboard and lower than the shower head.

We were going to replace the old boiler anyway so I took out the old system and put the biggest condensing combi boiler in. That gives an excellent shower using mains pressure, no pump required. (And our gas and electricity bills both dropped by 50%)
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: pscocoa on 06 October 2013, 09:50:36
And Monsoons do make some noise so depends where you site it. The advantage is that with 2 bathrooms it runs both showers at same time.
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: TheBoy on 06 October 2013, 10:29:42
A suitable pump will do it.  Electric showers are best avaoided IME, so if you have a proper hot water cylinder, use gas heated hot water.

If you have a combi boiler (ie, no hot water cylinder), I'd be inclined to rip it out. Stupid, useless things.
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Gaffers on 06 October 2013, 10:53:43
You making a porno, dazzle?
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: chrisgixer on 06 October 2013, 12:20:57
When we researched our we where told, a Monsoon pump depends on what boiler type?

If condensing with a hot water tank, you can have a pump.

If combi, the pump will suck the water through the combi too quick.


I'm no plumber though so see if others agree.
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Seth on 06 October 2013, 12:29:17
When we researched our we where told, a Monsoon pump depends on what boiler type?

If condensing with a hot water tank, you can have a pump.

If combi, the pump will suck the water through the combi too quick.


I'm no plumber though so see if others agree.

Got told the same here ... by a plumber! ;)
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Andy H on 06 October 2013, 12:46:22
When we researched our we where told, a Monsoon pump depends on what boiler type?

If condensing with a hot water tank, you can have a pump.

If combi, the pump will suck the water through the combi too quick.


I'm no plumber though so see if others agree.
Exactly right.

You can use a pump (either a hidden Monsoon or a wall mounted one like the MIRA I posted the link to) if the water comes from a tank & cylinder).

If the water comes from the mains without going through a cistern you are not allowed to pump it (if you are sucking on the water main it might pull nasties into the water main somewhere else) also small combi boilers are fitted with flow limiters because they can only heat a small quantity of water to a useful temperature.

If you have a cheap combi boiler then I agree they are "stupid, useless things", the answer is to fit one big enough to produce hot water fast enough. Mine is a 37kW jobbie, easily powerful enough for a decent shower :y

There is another option. Fit a 'heat store' cylinder that has another coil in it for mains pressure water to feed the hot taps & shower http://www.gledhill.net/page/187/BoilerMate-BP.htm (http://www.gledhill.net/page/187/BoilerMate-BP.htm)

Not knowing anything about the existing system I don't know if any of the suggestions so far are relevant :-\
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 19:40:42
I was thinking of getting the whole system changed for a combi but a few people advised me to keep this one, still aren't sure why :-[
Yes there is a black plastic tank in the airing cupboard thing about 5 ft off the floor,  then a cylinder tank sitting on the floor. ...
Was told  I could get a pump to boost the hot water pressure but don't actually kow where best to put it, under the bath someone told me.... is tgat a good place?

Cheers Guys x
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: chrisgixer on 06 October 2013, 20:26:06
Depends what you want to pump v how much noise it creates and if it bothers you.

It could pump all the tanked water in the house if the pressure is low on other taps. In which case it needs to be sited nearer the water tanks, so in the airing cupboard. But then, if the airing cupboard is near a bedroom it could wake people if someone gets up for a pee in the night.

If its just the shower that needs help or noise is an issue, and the bathroom is further away from bedrooms then under the bath would be best to keep noise down. As its less usual to run a bath or shower at night and wake people up.

Noise depends in the quality, size, and position of the pump, and how well the pipes are installed to prevent resonance.
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 20:28:21
So does this pump just kick on when the hot water tap is turned on?
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 October 2013, 20:32:01
So does this pump just kick on when the hot water tap is turned on?
Yup :y
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: chrisgixer on 06 October 2013, 20:32:40
It will need to flow hot and cold to give even pressure I would have thought, but basically, yes.

It has magnetic sensors on the pipes that activate when a tap is turned on, which I imagine turns little impellers in the pipe. Tap water flows, the impeller turns, the magnet switches and the pump turns on. Turn the tap off, vice versa. :)
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 20:35:09
That sounds like a plan then. Cheers Chris x
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: chrisgixer on 06 October 2013, 20:39:33
I would add, the monsoons make for a belting shower. I've not encountered better, power showers included.

With a multi adjustable head, it really is good. :)
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 06 October 2013, 20:43:11
Another thing that is driving me insane is if you turn the hot water on for a bath there is bumping and banging from the airing cupboard that would rival Jordan's bedroom...... it sounds like some is trying to get out of the cylinder ;D so wondered if it was air in there?
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: martin42 on 06 October 2013, 20:52:10
Is there a reason why you cant put the tank in the loft,this will increase hw pressure and having it as high as possible in the loft
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Andy H on 06 October 2013, 20:54:00
Another thing that is driving me insane is if you turn the hot water on for a bath there is bumping and banging from the airing cupboard that would rival Jordan's bedroom...... it sounds like some is trying to get out of the cylinder ;D so wondered if it was air in there?
Very likely to be air but the open vent should be piped to let any air ( or gases released when the water is heated) to escape easily.  :-\

An air lock could make a weak shower unusable so well worth investigating the route of the open vent before spending any money :y
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 07 October 2013, 12:19:29
Open vent??
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: martin42 on 07 October 2013, 17:16:24
Where the hot water comes out the top of the cylinder it should connect to a tee piece and then proceed up and over into the  tank and should be about 1.5" below the top of the tank,check its not being fowled by the tank insulation and lid :y
Title: Re: do we have any plumbers on here ??
Post by: MR MISTER on 07 October 2013, 19:49:49
Open vent??
If your stat is knackered and the water boils, the open vent saves there being a Jaime type incident. ;D