High / Low pressure taps

Buford T Justice

A Client of mine owns a hairdressing salon and has four basins therein for the washing and stuff.

The Hot and cold water is fed via a large cylinder and a monsoon 3.5 bar twin impeller pump. There is also a mixing valve on it to stop someone getting scalded by being too hot. This is the hot supply to the taps

The Cold is fed via the rising main.

Now all four of the sinks have visually the same mixer tap, and the flow of water out of three of them is, lets say perfectly fine. The last one however is like a bloody power hose and will blast you away nearly.
I am thinking that 3 of the taps are high pressure and one is low pressure, causing the big difference in pressure. Is this right, or why else would this be? All taps are supplied water the same way.

Also, can someone tell me the operating range of a low pressure tap and a high pressure one please?

And since I'm at it, what pressure is the mains usually supplied at in the south?

Thanks

Only1Keano

Low pressure is determined as 0.1 bar and High pressure is 1bar+.

It could be just the hand spray on the end of the hose that is low pressure and thus the pin holes on it will be smaller causing pent up pressure in the hose and a more powerful spray. Try a high pressure hand spray from any builders providers for about €20-€35.

Also make sure that the thermostatic mixing valve is connected to all mixer taps (1no 1/2inch mixing valve will do 2 to 3 basins) you should really use 2 for 4 basins especially if they are busy. Be cautious that the problematic mixer tap might not be connected to a mixing valve. The mixing valve can take up to 1 bar pressure away from the tap depnding on the distance from your pump to the tap.

I would say it is either of the above.

Hope this helps.

Joey the lips

There is also a chance that the one thats spraying the most is the closest to the cylinder and the pump and getting the most pressure..

A simple fix is a iso valve(penny valve) or lever valve if it can be fitted without being seen just adjust it closed slightly to reduce the pressure...

Buford T Justice

Only1Keano wrote: »

Low pressure is determined as 0.1 bar and High pressure is 1bar+.

It could be just the hand spray on the end of the hose that is low pressure and thus the pin holes on it will be smaller causing pent up pressure in the hose and a more powerful spray. Try a high pressure hand spray from any builders providers for about €20-€35.

Also make sure that the thermostatic mixing valve is connected to all mixer taps (1no 1/2inch mixing valve will do 2 to 3 basins) you should really use 2 for 4 basins especially if they are busy. Be cautious that the problematic mixer tap might not be connected to a mixing valve. The mixing valve can take up to 1 bar pressure away from the tap depnding on the distance from your pump to the tap.

I would say it is either of the above.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, now that you mention it, he hose is different on this basin, so thats most likely the cause of the issue.

The mixing valve is 3/4 and is tee'd to 1/4 under the basins before it rises from the floor.

Joey the lips wrote: »

There is also a chance that the one thats spraying the most is the closest to the cylinder and the pump and getting the most pressure..

A simple fix is a iso valve(penny valve) or lever valve if it can be fitted without being seen just adjust it closed slightly to reduce the pressure...

It is closest to the pump yes, but the next basin is about 1 meter away from this one, so I wouldn't have thought that this distance would be much of an issue.

Re: the penny valve, won't that just reduce the flow and not the pressure? Could've sworn I read that on thread here before

Sparkpea

I think that the penny valve wont make any difference

Only1Keano

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Thanks, now that you mention it, he hose is different on this basin, so thats most likely the cause of the issue.

I would say you have a low pressure hose and handset.

Low Energy Eng

You can buy a pressure reducing valve for it

Buford T Justice

Low Energy Eng wrote: »

You can buy a pressure reducing valve for it

Wouldn't two pressure reducing valves be overly expensive to fit as a potential solution?

All four taps are being supplied the same water at the same pressure, its just one of them is outputting water at a higher pressure than the others. I would think that its worth changing the wash hose for a different one, and that could cure it.