Bath tap and panel replacement query

[BobbyJoe]

Morning everyone,

I want to replace the bathtub waterfall type tap please see picture, my question is I have no access panel as the bathtub is sealed, would the bath panel need to be cut open or are their any other alternatives?

Also any bath tap recommendations as my flat doesn't suit waterfall taps need 0.5 to 1 bar lever taps (10 litre bucket filled in a minute) and not sure if for example the following tap type would be suitable:



Thank you any advice would be appreciated as always.

 

[steadyon]

1. Unless you can get through the wall behind the taps and make good afterwards, there is no alternative but to remove / cut into the bath side panel.
2. 10 litres / minute flow rate has little to do with pressure. It could be a highly restricted flow from a high pressure system, or a best possible flow from a low pressure system.
3. What sort of cold water system do you have? Mains pressure or stored in a cistern?
4. What sort of hot water system do you have? Combi boiler, vented hot water cylinder, unvented hot water cylinder?
5. Without knowing the above no one can say with any certainty what sort of taps you need. If you have a combi boiler, and you are no higher than first floor, the new taps you show SHOULD do.

 

[BobbyJoe]

Thanks for the reply, its not possible to go behind the wall behind the taps so I will buy an access panel and have the bath panel cut.

I have mains pressure fed water throughout the flat
Combi boiler (no tanks or anything to store water)
I live on the top floor of a 2 storey building

It would be very helpful to know which type and bar requirement of tap to get thank you

 

[steadyon]

1. Assuming:
1a. A 2.6 meter storey height (to include the ceiling - floor gap between two flats). AND
1b. An incoming mains pressure of no less than 1.0 bar. AND
1c. Your bath taps are 1.5 metres above the floor.
2. Then the pressure at your bath taps will be (1.0 - ((2.6 + 1.5)/10)) = 0.6 bar (approx.)
3. You should be OK with any tap rated for pressures of 0.5 bar or more. The better manufacturers provide flow rates for their taps at different pressures.
4. Note that with a combi boiler your bath filling rate will most likely be determined by:
4a. The rate at which the boiler can heat the water.
4b. The diameter of the pipes to the bath taps. Very often these are 15 mm, which means the bath will take ages to fill. Stored water system tend to use 22 mm bath pipes, but the extra diameter is "wasted" owing to the performance of the boiler in combi systems.
5. If you are expecting faster bath filling with new taps, you may be disappointed.