How to increase water flow rate for a powerful shower?

ahfh1

Hi,

I've just had a plumber in who will be replacing my replacing my normal boiler with a combi boiler, and changing the shower from an electric shower to a mixer shower.

I told him that I wanted my shower to be as powerful as possible. He said that I'd have to contact the water board to come out to measure the flow rate, but it could take them 3 months to come out! So he did a quick test just by turning on a tap in the bathroom, and I could clearly see that the water flowing out of the tap wasn't very powerful. He also said I could increase the flow rate by getting wider pipes (I think 22 or 25 mm).

I doubt the water board will do anything to increase the pressure. Is there anything else I can do to increase the flow rate to get a powerful shower? I also believe a combi boiler with a high wattage will give more flow rate.

Cheers

keystone

ahfh1 wrote: »

Hi,

I've just had a plumber in who will be replacing my replacing my normal boiler with a combi boiler, and changing the shower from an electric shower to a mixer shower.

I told him that I wanted my shower to be as powerful as possible. He said that I'd have to contact the water board to come out to measure the flow rate, but it could take them 3 months to come out!

Get a new plumber. He should have a pressure guage in his toolbox to be able to tell you exactly what pressure the water co are delivering and thus recommend your equipment fit appropriately. No excuse for not having one - about £ 10. Flow rate is measured using a calibrated bucket and a stopwatch!

So he did a quick test just by turning on a tap in the bathroom, and I could clearly see that the water flowing out of the tap wasn't very powerful

That proves nothing. If they are 1/4 turn ceramic discs being fed via flexi connectors flow rate will be poor anyway.

He also said I could increase the flow rate by getting wider pipes (I think 22 or 25 mm).

This is not untrue and he meant 22mm which give greater flow because there is less resistance at a given pressure compared with 15mm.

I doubt the water board will do anything to increase the pressure.

You are correct.

Is there anything else I can do to increase the flow rate to get a powerful shower?

If your mains is iro 3 bar (which is about average in this country) then you will get a normally acceptable shower. If you want something akin to a tropical storm thats a totally different (and expensive) ballpark!

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

keystone wrote: »

he meant 22mm which give greater flow because there is less resistance at a given pressure compared with 15mm.

Are you sure????;)

ahfh1

keystone wrote: »

If your mains is iro 3 bar (which is about average in this country) then you will get a normally acceptable shower. If you want something akin to a tropical storm thats a totally different (and expensive) ballpark!

Cheers

Cheers for the reply. Is there any way of finding out whether it is iro 3 bar?

Cheers

keystone

ahfh1 wrote: »

Cheers for the reply. Is there any way of finding out whether it is iro 3 bar?

Cheers

Yes - your plumber will be able (if he had one) to check it with one of these:



which can easily be attached to the washing machine supply valve or the outside tap or with the appropriate reducers to a 22 or 15 mm compression fitting.

Cheers

keystone

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

Are you sure????;)

Yes with his current low pressure installation - sorry if I was unclear. When he's got his combi it really won't make much difference though.

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

keystone wrote: »

Yes with his current low pressure installation. When he's got his combi it really won't make much difference though.

Cheers

It was a semi-joke based on a bigger hole for the water to flow through..

keystone

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

It was a semi-joke based on a bigger hole for the water to flow through..

Oh! . I'm tired - think I'd better go to me scratcher!

'Night.

blckbrd

Ummmm it's narrower pipes greater pressure. Try squeezing the end of a running hose pipe.

keystone

blckbrd wrote: »

Ummmm it's narrower pipes greater pressure. Try squeezing the end of a running hose pipe.

Try expecting your bath which fills in 6 or 7 minutes via a 22mm pipe to fill in the same timescale via a 15mm pipe. The pressure at the tap will be EXACTLY the same with either pipe BTW.

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

blckbrd wrote: »

Ummmm it's narrower pipes greater pressure. Try squeezing the end of a running hose pipe.

Flow rate is greater in a larger pipe.