Do we need a 3 bar pressure pump for 1 shower

josip

We're getting a pressure pump for our shower. Header tank is lower than normal in a converted attic and my wife has had enough. My gut feeling is to go 3 bar. I've read plumbers saying it's better to get something rated high that will operate comfortably within its limits, true? I'm also for hardwearing, so it's likely to be a Grundfos Amazon. Around €420 for what I've seen. Are we spending money needlessly?

Does a higher bar necessarily mean noisier? The dBs from the specs wouldn't indicate so, and it seems to be more dependent on how it's installed.

Any experiences with the above pump appreciated thanks.

JohnnieK

The Grundfos Amazon is very quiet. Regards pressure if it's only one shower it will be very strong as a posed to one with 1.5 bar pump, it's personal preference.

The drainage should be taken into account for the shower tray, I have seen trays fill right up when a pump was added because the fall on the waste pipe was poor or non existing.

Storage is also a factor. If you have a small tank and cylinder the larger pump will make short work of it.

Grundfos also do a nice 1.5bar pump.

paddy147

I have a Grundfos 3 bar pump for my ensuite rainfall shower.

Some serious whack of water out of the shower indeed.

Like being massaged at the same time as being showered.:D


The only downside with this pump,is that its on the noisy-ish side.

But you get used to it,after a while

josip

Thanks Johnnie & Paddy,

Paddy is your pump mounted on the rubber feet that come with the pump or did you try anything extra? I've seen people recommending silicone-tile-silicone bases and rubber mats.

At the moment we have a 1.0bar rated bath mixer. Is this certain to be ok with the pump?/certain to be not ok?/suck it and see?

Will probably go for the 2.0bar Grundfos now and try to save 50 Euros. Will my massage be more Swedish than Hungarian?

Joey the lips

Be very careful buying a stronger pump might be bad for many reasons.

1. The shower tray wont be able to cope with the volume of water and will fill

2. The draw of water from the copper tank will cause your hot water to run out very very quickly.

Instead of looking at the type of pump you need to look at your system first.Most systems standard by nature will only take a 1.5 bar pump.

This will all need to be checked out.

Again

System
Type of shower
Then pump

josip

Joey the lips wrote: »

Be very careful buying a stronger pump might be bad for many reasons.

1. The shower tray wont be able to cope with the volume of water and will fill

2. The draw of water from the copper tank will cause your hot water to run out very very quickly.

It's a shower hose off a bath mixer. In this case our shower tray is the bath itself, so it'll take more than 150l to overflow

We replaced the old cylinder last year with a 250l Kingspan stainless steel solar so we're ok there.

22mm pipes to the mixer.

The mixer taps remain the only unknown.

Joey the lips

josip wrote: »

It's a shower hose off a bath mixer. In this case our shower tray is the bath itself, so it'll take more than 150l to overflow

We replaced the old cylinder last year with a 250l Kingspan stainless steel solar so we're ok there.

22mm pipes to the mixer.

The mixer taps remain the only unknown.

Cool. Should be grand. Just run a dedicated supply from the cylinder to the bath tap and all will be well.

Just FYI a 3 bar pump on a bath tap is like using a tank to swot a fly. It will work but is serious overkill.

JohnnieK

paddy147 wrote: »

I have a Grundfos 3 bar pump for my ensuite rainfall shower.

Some serious whack of water out of the shower indeed.

Like being massaged at the same time as being showered.:D


The only downside with this pump,is that its on the noisy-ish side.

But you get used to it,after a while

Never knew the Nile came in a 3 bar rating, interesting.

paddy147

JohnnieK wrote: »

Never knew the Nile came in a 3 bar rating, interesting.

Well thats what the original plumber said it was.

Im not a plumber though,so I wouldnt actually know myself.:D


Can I ask you what would be a good pump with regards noise and energy effiecency?

JohnnieK

It's a 1.5 bar pump Paddy. On the data badge in the "type" box it says STR 1.5C. this stands for 1.5 bar.

Grundfos also do a brass body 2 bar pump which is quieter than the one you have there but only just, not sure of the electrical input though.

paddy147

JohnnieK wrote: »

It's a 1.5 bar pump Paddy. On the data badge in the "type" box it says STR 1.5C. this stands for 1.5 bar.

Grundfos also do a brass body 2 bar pump which is quieter than the one you have there but only just, not sure of the electrical input though.

Thanks for that Johnnie.:)

Fcuk me then,theres some serious whack of water out of my ensuite shower then for 1.5 bar.

Id hate to see what 3 bar would be like then?:eek::D