Ask The Trades - Print Page

Ask The Trades
https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Plumbing Questions >> Fitting a pump to a standard shower https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1206463274 Message started by hannah170180 on Mar 25^th, 2008, 4:41pm

Title: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by hannah170180 on Mar 25^th, 2008, 4:41pm

Hi,
I have a standard shower, not a power shower, and the pressure is very low. The water tank is almost directly above the shower but the distance is not that great. Therefore I thought of fitting a pump to the system. I see that they sell them in most stores including argos at around £100. Are they simple enough to fit or should a pro do it? Or is there anything else we can do?
Many thanks
Hannah

Title: Re: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by CWatters on Mar 25^th, 2008, 7:25pm

Get an electrician to do the electrics. Otherwise not too hard to fit. Can only be used on gravity fed system but that sounds like what you have. They work by detecting the drop in pressure when you open the tap. You will need to seperate off the feed to shower from rest of bathroom - you don't want the pump running when you flush the loo. Pumps can be quite noisy so not recommended if one of you works shifts.

I can't comment on the quality or flow rate from the Argos pump. I dare say someone else can steer you to a better quality make. Screwfix also have a range of similar price and bigger..

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessionid=WBMH5ONF4BPNECSTHZOSFEY?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_search=shower+pump

Title: Re: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by thescruff on Mar 25^th, 2008, 7:44pm

How good are your plumbing skills ::)

You need to tap into the cylinder with a special fitting.
You will need to drill the storage tank and run a cold supply to the pump.
Run a hot and cold from the pump to the shower.

I don't know what the Argos pumps are, but a proper Stuart Turner Monsoon pumps is £300 ish.

All in all quite a bit of work involved

Title: Re: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by sparky415 on Mar 25^th, 2008, 7:49pm

Quote:

You will need to seperate off the feed to shower from rest of bathroom - you don't want the pump running when you flush the loo. Pumps can be quite noisy so not recommended if one of you works shifts.

I like that idea CW!
That will get rid of any ‘floaters’ :D

Title: Re: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by Twobarrows on Mar 26^th, 2008, 1:50am

thescruff wrote on Mar 25^th, 2008, 7:44pm:

How good are your plumbing skills ::)

Run a hot and cold from the pump to the shower.

All in all quite a bit of work involved

You could awlays put a mixer straight after the pump such as one of the Aqualisa Digital ones, saves a small amount of pipework :-)

Title: Re: Fitting a pump to a standard shower
Post by watty on Apr 10^th, 2008, 7:24pm

You could use a grohe therm wireless shower with a pumped base unit. This means you can t into you direct cold and indirect hot any where that is convenient and feed the base unit then run a single mixed feed to your shower outlet. you may have to fit a pressure reducing valve if your cold mains pressure is to high but it does away with needing a seperate pump and indect cold feed the controls are wireless with the base unit only needing 230v spur. for more info goto grohe.co.uk. also the unit comes in at £300 at plumb center at the minute. Hope this helps. :)