Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Auto Addict on 03 December 2013, 18:29:25
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We have a gravity fed shower in the on-suite upstairs.
Is it worth fitting a pump to increase the pressure so that we can have a bigger shower head?
If so, can, can anyone recommend a suitable pump please?.
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If you have no intention of changing the boiler in the near future go for it - they really make a difference
I install Salamander one's - never had a come back - avail at Screwfix and other places - shop around for best price
http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-rsp75-positive-head-shower-pump-2bar/78641 (http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-rsp75-positive-head-shower-pump-2bar/78641)
HTH
Phil
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If you have no intention of changing the boiler in the near future go for it - they really make a difference
I install Salamander one's - never had a come back - avail at Screwfix and other places - shop around for best price
http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-rsp75-positive-head-shower-pump-2bar/78641 (http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-rsp75-positive-head-shower-pump-2bar/78641)
HTH
Phil
Thanks for that, how difficult are they to fit?
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http://www.salamander-pumps.com/how-to/install-shower-pumps.html
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Very straight forward, I fitted a Wickes one years a go and it made a big difference. Make sure you fit a Surrey valve to your hot water tank.
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We have a gravity fed shower in the on-suite upstairs.
Is it worth fitting a pump to increase the pressure so that we can have a bigger shower head?
If so, can, can anyone recommend a suitable pump please?.
Monsoon.
Reply 47 :)
http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=116238.45
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Very straight forward, I fitted a Wickes one years a go and it made a big difference. Make sure you fit a Surrey valve to your hot water tank.
That's a Surrey flange. :o For the less discerning, an Essex flange might do the job, though. ;)
I've had a few TechFlow pumps, and been very happy with them. Go for a QT80 if you want the shower to dim the lights and deposit an entire tank of hot water onto your bonce in about 90 seconds. ;)
Used to get me awake in the mornings.
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Thanks for your replies :y
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Ignoring the cost of the pump, how much roughly should I pay for fitting?
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I had one like these fitted to a previous house
http://www.diy.com/nav/rooms/bathrooms/showers/shower_accessories/-specificproducttype-shower_pumps/BP100D-3-0-Bar-Brass-Twin-Impeller-Shower-Pump-10026453?skuId=10447158
Big shower head and fantastic shower :y
However, two things to bear in mind.....it emptied the hot water tank in less than 10 mins and I had to have a 'coffin' cold water tank fitted.....huge tank.....so there was enough cold water to supply the shower and the hot water tank when the shower was running. The guy who fitted it was concerned of the weight of water in the loft.....so he 'beefed' up the ceiling rafters.....all added to the cost....so depends what you go for really.....but if only a 1bar or 1.5 bar pump and only adding the pump £100 or less for fitting sounds about right to me....as its quite an easy job :)
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I had one like these fitted to a previous house
http://www.diy.com/nav/rooms/bathrooms/showers/shower_accessories/-specificproducttype-shower_pumps/BP100D-3-0-Bar-Brass-Twin-Impeller-Shower-Pump-10026453?skuId=10447158
Big shower head and fantastic shower :y
However, two things to bear in mind.....it emptied the hot water tank in less than 10 mins and I had to have a 'coffin' cold water tank fitted.....huge tank.....so there was enough cold water to supply the shower and the hot water tank when the shower was running. The guy who fitted it was concerned of the weight of water in the loft.....so he 'beefed' up the ceiling rafters.....all added to the cost....so depends what you go for really.....but if only a 1bar or 1.5 bar pump and only adding the pump £100 or less for fitting sounds about right to me....as its quite an easy job :)
Both hot and cold water tanks are big enough to take a pump, thanks Dave.
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Also bare in mind, they are a bit noisy. Well, more noisy than not having one.
Costs, can't say, as ours was installed along with a complete new bath room. But assuming there's access to site it, shouldn't take more than an hour to plumb it in. :-\
We do have a bigger water tank fitted. But I think if the existing tank can cope with a full bath, it should be fine for a shower for one person. Two if your quick. Ours struggles if she's had a bath, then I have a shower. >:(
It won't flow custard though. ;)
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Cost to install is VERY dependent on what the current installation is like.
We have an ESP100 Salamander which is very good, but when installing, I had to do quite a bit of re-plumbing so was a good days work.
I have also fitted one of these:
http://www.bathroomsandshowersdirect.co.uk/mira-digital/mira-vision/mira-vision-11797002-pumped-mixer-ceiling-fed-chrome--special-offer?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant%2Bcenter&utm_campaign=products&gclid=CJKBkcXWmLsCFVMPtAodNhsA9g
Which if your hot and cold water pipes come from the ceiling makes installation very easy.
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Cost to install is VERY dependent on what the current installation is like.
We have an ESP100 Salamander which is very good, but when installing, I had to do quite a bit of re-plumbing so was a good days work.
I have also fitted one of these:
http://www.bathroomsandshowersdirect.co.uk/mira-digital/mira-vision/mira-vision-11797002-pumped-mixer-ceiling-fed-chrome--special-offer?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant%2Bcenter&utm_campaign=products&gclid=CJKBkcXWmLsCFVMPtAodNhsA9g
Which if your hot and cold water pipes come from the ceiling makes installation very easy.
The pipes are behind the tiles, would mean stripping the tiles and plasterboard behind the shower.
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Yes, as said, you might find that your cold water tank isn't large enough, and needs to be upgraded. You'll need a separate cold feed installed from that to the pump, and to have the flange fitted to the hot tank to provide an dedicated outlet to the pump. The rest depends on where everything is going as to how awkward the plumbing is.
Something like Mark's suggestion might well make the installation easier and cheaper if it's just the one shower you need to "upgrade". :y You can just leave the existing pipes where they are. Everything required comes down one pole from the ceiling.
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I have a 3.0 bar Monsoon fitted, they do a 4.0 bar as well, from about 15 years ago, works well, and sufficient power to feed to separate showers at once.
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Yes ours runs all the non mains water outlets in the house.
I can't help think its a bit if a waste just running a shower. But depends in your set up and pressure from the rest of the system I guess.
Edit to add, although noise is also a factor.
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Yes ours runs all the non mains water outlets in the house.
I can't help think its a bit if a waste just running a shower. But depends in your set up and pressure from the rest of the system I guess.
Also depends if it's a problem having a damned great pump starting up every time you flush the loo. ;)
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Yes ours runs all the non mains water outlets in the house.
I can't help think its a bit if a waste just running a shower. But depends in your set up and pressure from the rest of the system I guess.
Also depends if it's a problem having a damned great pump starting up every time you flush the loo. ;)
Yes I just edited that post re noise. Re systens I find its a trade off. They can be noisy and slow to fill in standard form anyway. So depending on that particular systen, it can pay to have it fill up quicker, there by less noise over all.
It might be easier to install the pump to feed the whole house. Depends on the layout and requirements etc.
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It might be easier to install the pump to feed the whole house. Depends on the layout and requirements etc.
Yep, and something I've been thinking about, as modern tap fittings seem to be hopelessly inadequate on gravity fed systems. We have a bath that takes 20 minutes to fill, and the new(ish) kitchen mixer tap is pretty hopeless as well.
I might just go for an unvented hot water tank instead, though. :-\ Or put up with it as I already have for 9 years. ::)
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Cost for a third party to do it are of course dependent on complexity/Parts required.
You will also need electrical work, fused spur & socket so that contributes to it.
So if you wanted a guesstimate 100 - 200. Budgeting 500 ish :o for the job will prevent any surprises.
WOW I hear you say - that's why I originally said about a new boiler, as that is about 30% the cost of a new install ::)
HTH
Phil
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It might be easier to install the pump to feed the whole house. Depends on the layout and requirements etc.
Yep, and something I've been thinking about, as modern tap fittings seem to be hopelessly inadequate on gravity fed systems. We have a bath that takes 20 minutes to fill, and the new(ish) kitchen mixer tap is pretty hopeless as well.
I might just go for an unvented hot water tank instead, though. :-\ Or put up with it as I already have for 9 years. ::)
I only really need the pump for the hot feed, as I have had to fit a pressure reducer on the rising main due high pressure in our area.
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Cost to install is VERY dependent on what the current installation is like.
We have an ESP100 Salamander which is very good, but when installing, I had to do quite a bit of re-plumbing so was a good days work.
I have also fitted one of these:
http://www.bathroomsandshowersdirect.co.uk/mira-digital/mira-vision/mira-vision-11797002-pumped-mixer-ceiling-fed-chrome--special-offer?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant%2Bcenter&utm_campaign=products&gclid=CJKBkcXWmLsCFVMPtAodNhsA9g
Which if your hot and cold water pipes come from the ceiling makes installation very easy.
The pipes are behind the tiles, would mean stripping the tiles and plasterboard behind the shower.
Depends if they come down from the ceiling or up from the floor.
If your intending on not disturbng the pipe work then your stuck with a surface mount thermostatic power shower with integrated pump and struggling with the wiring.
Or you end up pumping the full system.
Or re-plumbing a lot of bits.
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Our upstairs cold water is mains fed. If I open the stop cock fully the cistern on the toilet fills in about 10 seconds. ;D
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I fitted mine in the airing cupboard and plumbed it so that it just feeds two showers and the bath.
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I've been advised I need one of these, as it's only going to drive the shower in the en-suite.
Airing cupboard mounted.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-ct50-twin-positive-head-shower-pump-with-isolators-1-5bar/46231
Hot and cold tanks are large enough to cope.
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I've been advised I need one of these, as it's only going to drive the shower in the en-suite.
Airing cupboard mounted.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-ct50-twin-positive-head-shower-pump-with-isolators-1-5bar/46231
Hot and cold tanks are large enough to cope.
That will be more than adequate, just make sure the mains supply to the pump has some form of RCD protection.
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The CT50 is to be avoided as the pump type looks to be a cheapo universal motor type (so has brushes, commutator and will run at higher speed) and also uses a regenerative pump which is not nearly as efficient as a centrifugal type (but can be run at higher rpm and is hence more suited to a Uni motor type setup).
What you idealy want is a cap start induction motor based one with a centrifugal pump setup.
That gives you the RSP50 which ticks these boxes if going down the Salamander route.
Stuart turner as supposed to be the best pumps you can get but do cost more:
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/stuart-turner-monsoon-20-bar-1653-18610?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GB&utm_campaign=GoogleBase&gclid=CKHVkIShm7sCFWzHtAodTHMAEg
Note, to meet the installation requirements of salamander, it needs to be plugged into a 13A socket outlet (a nice easy way around meeting latest wiring regs if a socket outlet is available), stuart turner require wiring into a fused outlet with RCD (30mA) protection either localy or at the consumer unit.
So in summary, bad advice on the pump you have been recommended, sorry.
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I've been advised I need one of these, as it's only going to drive the shower in the en-suite.
Airing cupboard mounted.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/salamander-ct50-twin-positive-head-shower-pump-with-isolators-1-5bar/46231
Hot and cold tanks are large enough to cope.
Slightly cheaper here even with 3.15% cashback through Screwfix bathrooms/Topcashback. :y
http://www.bathroomsandshowersdirect.co.uk/salamander-pumps/salamander-pumps/salamander-ct-50-twin-shower-pump-15-bar?&utm_source=google&utm_medium=merchant%2Bcenter&utm_campaign=products&gclid=COCa25Ojm7sCFbMPtAodSHEACA#.UqGXeuIf7As
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The CT50 is to be avoided as the pump type looks to be a cheapo universal motor type (so has brushes, commutator and will run at higher speed) and also uses a regenerative pump which is not nearly as efficient as a centrifugal type (but can be run at higher rpm and is hence more suited to a Uni motor type setup).
What you idealy want is a cap start induction motor based one with a centrifugal pump setup.
That gives you the RSP50 which ticks these boxes if going down the Salamander route.
Stuart turner as supposed to be the best pumps you can get but do cost more:
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/stuart-turner-monsoon-20-bar-1653-18610?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GB&utm_campaign=GoogleBase&gclid=CKHVkIShm7sCFWzHtAodTHMAEg
Note, to meet the installation requirements of salamander, it needs to be plugged into a 13A socket outlet (a nice easy way around meeting latest wiring regs if a socket outlet is available), stuart turner require wiring into a fused outlet with RCD (30mA) protection either localy or at the consumer unit.
So in summary, bad advice on the pump you have been recommended, sorry.
Thanks Mark, will take your advice on board :y
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Partly why we paid more for the monsoon. ESP as it runs the rest of the house.