Show pump 9 August 2022 at 3:17PM in Techie Stuff 8 replies 213 views

Sterlingtimes

I have a 1.5 bar shower twin impeller pump controlling one shower only. My son complains bitterly that the flow is inadequate.

A pump rated 2.0 bars appears to be pipe compatible, meaning a direct change out should be easy given that each connection is provided with a tap.

But how do rate the increase in performance? Would we say that the new one would be 2.0/1.5 * 100 = 133% better? Does it work in that way?

If the 1.5 bar pump has a maximum flow of 31 litres/min, could we predict the increased flow of the 2.0 bar pump? Does it work in that way?

forgotmyname

No, you need to find where the restriction is.

A higher pressure could reduce the flow..  So check before buying.

matelodave

Is the problem flow rate (ie the amount of water) or pressure (ie how hard it hits you).

If your existing pump is rated at 31 litres a minute and it's dribbling out of the shower head then I'd suggest that the problem is somewhere else, like furred up pipes,  clogged shower mixer or shower head. Has the pump got flexible connectors that have been squashed

We had a problem in our old house where the seals in a Mira shower mixer had jammed and had to be replaced as they weren't opening properly.

We get more than enough water out of our 6lpm Ecocamel shower head

Sterlingtimes

matelodave said:

Is the problem flow rate (ie the amount of water) or pressure (ie how hard it hits you).

If your existing pump is rated at 31 litres a minute and it's dribbling out of the shower head then I'd suggest that the problem is somewhere else, like furred up pipes,  clogged shower mixer or shower head. Has the pump got flexible connectors that have been squashed

We had a problem in our old house where the seals in a Mira shower mixer had jammed and had to be replaced as they weren't opening properly.

We get more than enough water out of our 6lpm Ecocamel shower head

Thank you. This pump was installed by a plumber who originally returned to fit an Essex flange halfway down the hot water cylinder. The pump is fitted at the base of the cylinder. I have changed the mixer valve and showerhead. The shower mixer must be turned on and off frequently to maintain flow. I am running out of ideas. Perhaps the pump has always been faulty.

returnofghandi

The pump will have filters for scale, etc. As they get blocked, the flow will reduce. You need to isolate water and electricity to the pump and then remove the flexi hoses and clean the filters. This is an example video from YT. If you do it yourself, rather than getting a plumber to do it, don't forget that there will be some water left in the pipework when you undo the flexi hoses.

If the plumber fitted it correctly, you should have water isolation valves on each of the pump connections.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJEPzbqPZas

KeithP

The point about blocked filters also applies to the mixer valve.

I have in the past blamed a pump for the poor flow from the shower head when the problem turned out to be tiny filters fitted in the inlet ports of the mixer valve.

Ten minutes cleaning those filters with an old toothbrush and everything was back as it should be.

Sterlingtimes

returnofghandi said:

The pump will have filters for scale, etc. As they get blocked, the flow will reduce. You need to isolate water and electricity to the pump and then remove the flexi hoses and clean the filters. This is an example video from YT. If you do it yourself, rather than getting a plumber to do it, don't forget that there will be some water left in the pipework when you undo the flexi hoses.

If the plumber fitted it correctly, you should have water isolation valves on each of the pump connections.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJEPzbqPZas

Thank you for your posting. My pump configuration is identical to the one illustrated.

I otherwise have a Mira "power shower" installed within a different shower cubicle, and that works perfectly, so I do not think that this is a housewide defect.

I will try the filters; if that does not work, I will buy a new pump.

Sterlingtimes

returnofghandi said:

The pump will have filters for scale, etc. As they get blocked, the flow will reduce. You need to isolate water and electricity to the pump and th

This was a short-term disaster. At least one of the stopcock-type valves failed when I tried to isolate the pump. I had a flood. I had no idea that the stopcock could fail. When the plumber arrived, he showed me that at least one valve was not closing off completely. He replaced all of the four valves with quarter-turn lever valves. I replaced the pump with a 2-bar one to be on the safe side. I also learned that the temperature must not exceed 60 degrees. It is all working now with far better consistency of flow consistency but with no great improvement in the shower experience.

matelodave

If you've fitted a bigger better pump and the shower experience hasn't improved, then by simple elimination, there's got to be a problem with the shower, either the plumbing, the mixing valve or the shower head.