Pump on hot water system

[MrT]

Hi

I have been called to a customer who lives in a bungalow with gravity fed system and is not over happy with the water pressure in hot taps as it takes a while to fill her bath.

I mentioned in passing whilst doing another job for her that a pump on the system would boost pressure and now she is dead keen.

Can i just put a circulation pump in the airing cupboard on the floor next to the cylinder and connect in to the hot water supply pipe or would a shower pump be better as they turn on when there is flow? she wants a boost to all three HW outlets. i.e. bath, basin and kitchen.

Didnt expect her to go for it and now looking for advise as not done this before!!!

 

[newbie1]

slow flow is not allways a problem with flow but scaled up taps reducing the flow

 

[MrT]

thanks for that but i think it is flow as i have put new taps on the bath anyway as thats what i was there for originally.

 

[newbie1]

as long as the pump is low pressure prob is hot tap at sink and basin could be an issue as too much pressure and it will shoot everywhere with scalding an issue

 

[justlead1]

Hi. By the time she spends money on a pump and associated electrical work. Why not increase the pipe sizes?

 

[MrT]

already 22mm to bath which is the real low issue so cant really increase this here. there is about 350mm to play with under the bath where it comes out of floor.

with a circulatory pump surely she can just turn it on for the bath and just use gravity for the rest or would the pump itself restrict flow further to the basin +kitchen

 

[secret squirrel]

Have a look at the salamander website. I think you can get pumps that cover what you want. They produce a system pump, not a shower pump. Depending on the type of pump you want its not cheap. Then you have all the other fittings and your time....

 

[MrT]

thanks chaps

Safe to say after much effing about and squirming i was able to fit a larger bore flexi on the tap than the existing which increased flow from around 4l/min to nealry 11!!!

Thanks for all the advice

 

[radswilldo]

Flexi's destroy fow rate, ecspecially on gravity systems, always pipe to the point of use. Its more proffessional.

 

[MrT]

i appreciate your point however i was fitting a new tap on old bath and access was shocking - got a 19mm bore flexi on and customer very happy now!!! thanks

 

[newbie1]

flexi is fine as long as its not too restrictive have them on my bath 22mm copper then flexi and flow is excellent why faff around with solid pipe when the flexi is just as good and more workable in tight spaces
copper is fine when you can get to it mut not a lot of fun in confined space

 

[NickH]

flexi is just as good

'
I do use flexi's on occasion but there's no way they are as good as solid pipework. If you use copper tap connectors and pipe it's going to be good for 30 years at least, dont think you can say that about a flexi.

 

[newbie1]

ah but the taps will never last that long and will go through at least 2-3 sets in that time and its far easier to change a flexi hot tap is ok nearest to u but that bloody cold tap stuck right behind everything is a pig

 

[Winston]

Flexis have there place when taps are designed for them but other than that avoid. Its lazy, unsightly, and does it show us a proffessionals? I dont think so.

The pump also described on this post is a circulation pump for central heating, would it increase the flow of water?

 

[newbie1]

Flexis have there place when taps are designed for them but other than that avoid. Its lazy, unsightly, and does it show us a proffessionals? I dont think so.

The pump also described on this post is a circulation pump for central heating, would it increase the flow of water?

not sure lazy is correct and as for unsightly no ones ever crawled behind my bath panel for a peek yet and i read it that he wanted to add a pump to the hot supply for the taps and nothing to do with the heating pump

 

[Winston]

But isnt the pump designed as a circulation pump? would a circulation pump improve the flow/volume of water?

 

[newbie1]

circulation pump wld prob increase it marginally but not drastically but too powerfull and it will cause probs for basin/sink etc prob ok to add 1/1.5 bar pump for bath but then you have the drone of the pump if you have it in the bedroom airing cupboard and you fancy an early or late bath and someone is kipping at the time

 

[PLUMB111]

I like stuart Turner pumps, but thats me.

Check out the link it may help.

Pete


Stuart Turner Ltd manufacturer of a comprehensive range of pumps.