Advice re shower pump please?

Janetew

I'm having a new on-suite shower installed.

The electric immersion hot water tank that will feed it is directly behind the wall of the shower. The cold water tank is in the loft.

The plumber says I need to source a Single Impellar negative head 1.5 bar pump.

I sort of understand why I need this but I wondered if anyone could tell me why I'm having trouble sourcing one. I have a modern house (20 yrs old) and am a bit worried why other people don't need this specification.

I have told the plumber that I'm having problems sourcing this pump and he has now told me to get a twin head instead. The cost is £300+ so I am anxious not to make a mistake.

Any help very much appreciated

macman

Why are you sourcing your own materials when the plumber can buy at trade prices much more cheaply than you?
If you source it and pay for it, then he fits it, you will have zero comeback if there is a fault, unless you can prove that the error is by the installer.
If he is so sure about what you need, then why can't he at least direct you to likely sources?

mpet

Have a look on e-bay under Stuart Turner pump or Salamander pump. You should find what you need - I've been told the Stuart Turner is the better pump, but I'm sure others will have different opinions!

CLAPTON

what about B&Q .. pumps from about £100

ginvzt

Make sure you know where he is putting it - they can be noisy!

Well, ours was - it was Salamander, the landlord put it in as the new shower in the ensuite had no pressure at all. But we have bought the house couple of months ago and changed the boiler, so now have mains hot water, and the pump is redundant. Need to remember to stick it on ebay or somewhere.

Aquatronixjenny

Salamander are good pumps, their customer service is excellent and if you fill in the card that comes with the pump then you get a 3 year warranty.

I too would ask the plumber to source the pump for you, as if you get it and for any reason it is faulty then you will have to pay for him to come back and replace it. If he sources the pump then he is responsible for it for the duration of the warranty on the work.

If you are fitting a powerful pump then make sure that your header tank has a large enough capacity. I think the minimum is 50 gallons. Also make sure the temperature of your immersion tank is 60 degrees or less as the pumps tend to seize up if the water is too hot.

wallbash

Also advised to buy Stuart Turner .

Aquatronixjenny

Yep, Stuart Turner are good too. I haven't had any experience of their customer service (which could be a good thing as I have never been called out to a faulty Stuart Turner pump!)

Janetew

Thanks all.

Macman, I will ask the plumber to source it but the fitter is telling me that it may be cheaper to source it myself on the Internet but I hear what you are saying.

Aquatronixjenny

Yes, it will be cheaper... but it means that you will have to pay if the pump goes wrong - which will be more expensive.

plumb1_2

Aquatronixjenny wrote: »

Yep, Stuart Turner are good too. I haven't had any experience of their customer service (which could be a good thing as I have never been called out to a faulty Stuart Turner pump!)

S Turner pumps are very good, and their customer service is excellant. I was working in Penrith last year and needed a couple of pumps asap. Phoned ST up and they arranged for a bike courier to bring them to me in Penrith from Oxfordshire, arrived in 7 hrs.