boosting shower pressures

Curry Addict

I have bathroom and ensuite gravity fed showers. if i install this pump -> https://www.screwfix.ie/p/grundfos-98562865-booster-whole-house-pump-1-5-4-0bar/4011X?gclid=CjwKCAjw5dqgBhBNEiwA7PryaMtUsdt4BF4sGbR_gKeBAvyoqkqsYT0z-9GC9VMjO71R97VkGiUt2hoC4IEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

at the cold water outlet at the water tank it should pressurise the gravity fed cold water to the whole house. Will it also boost the pressure of the hot water from the hot press cylinder? is it a good solution to boost my shower pressures, hot and cold? Is there any drawbacks apart from the pump running when filling toilets or running taps at night time? will my heating system(standard gas boiler) still work as expected?

blackbox

No. You need a shower pump. It has a motor in the middle and a pump at each end driven off the same shaft so that hot and cold pressure are equal.

You do not want to pressurise the hot water cylinder.

Curry Addict

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376327#Comment_120376327

I have two different showers to boost. Not sure how this pump affects the hot water? does it pressurise the cylinder? what whould pressurising the cylinder be a problem anyway?

how would you plumb a shower pump to boost both showers ideally?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376432#Comment_120376432

One pump sized so that it can supply both showers. Or two smaller pumps.

This will be fed from your cold and hot supply and straight to ideally a thermostatic shower head.

As above you do not pressurise the hot water cylinder.

All this should be done before the shower and after the supply's.

antoinolachtnai

It is dangerous to pressurize a copper hot water cylinder! Unless the cylinder has been designed for it and has appropriate safety features it should not be attached to high pressure.

Curry Addict

ok this was the advise i got today .... I guess its bad advise :)

So If i use a pump like this -> Stuart Turner Monsoon Standard Regenerative Twin Shower Pump 3.0bar. Hot input connected to the hot water pipe at the top of the cylinder and cold input connected to the cold feed that should work to pressurise my showers? I understand the pump will also come on for toilet filling and sinks but I think thats ok? or is there a better way to do this?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376838#Comment_120376838

I'd prefer supply showers direct with cold from the monsoon supply rather than feeding taps and toilets aswell.

And take a dedicated hot feed from top of tank to the monsoon.

ozmo

Plummer put in Sturt Turner for us. Gives Pressure only to the two showers.

The pump is fairly noisy - so you dont want it coming on at night if someone uses toilet. You can put a timer to make sure there is no power going to it at night maybe.

If i was doing again i would maybe Make sure to get as wide a pipe as far as possible for highest pressure and minimise pipe bends as much as possible….

ours is good but not as good as i expected for that pump - not like say some hotels might have for example.

zg3409

Typically the plumber installs one pump in the hot press and runs separate feeds to showers so only they get high pressure. If all showers have attics above then it can be relatively easy. I have lived in houses where only showers were pumped and where everything was pumped. When everything was pumped there was a switch in the hot press you could turn off at night or early morning to keep pump off and taps would still work but slowly. This is not the recommended set up.

Main downsides in general is you will use far more hot water so tank will go cold after 2+ showers. There is a financial cost to this as water is very expensive to heat, particularly if using electricity to heat water. They are also quite noisy. That said you get a great quick shower and it can be hotel grade. Make sure showers are matched to pressure with ideally thermostatic shower controls. Beware flooding bathrooms due to the volume of water and say hair in the drain. It really can be good and plumbers do these all the time. Compared to say an instant triton shower these are worlds apart. Try heat your water on cheap night rate, or gas, or from oil etc. Ideally zone heating so you can just heat the hot water in summer.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376838#Comment_120376838

This is basically how I did mine, and I would disagree strongly about not taking advantage of the opportunity to pressurise the whole system. The only minor problem I had were two toilet cistern filling valves that couldn't deal with the pressure. The fix was very simple and cheap. The valves have a plastic cone in them that can be replaced with one designed for high pressure, which I picked up for a few euro. That did the trick.

Having the whole system high pressure will save you a lot of time not spent waiting for the pathetic Irish half bar dribble to fill things like baths for kids, sinks of HW for the washing up and will even reduce the length of time washing machines and dishwashers take to complete a cycle. European taps and appliances nearly all have a minimum operating pressure well above 0.5 bar, which you can avail of if you have a 3 bar system.

antoinolachtnai

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377181#Comment_120377181

You installed a suitably rated cylinder with appropriate safety devices ?

ozmo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377323#Comment_120377323

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9bU-I2ZiML0?start=135

🙂?

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377323#Comment_120377323

No, didn't need to, as the cylinder isn't pressurised, only the output from it.

RebelButtMunch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376919#Comment_120376919

I've a pump in the hot press, near the cylinder, and it's on a switch. When we want a shower we switch it on. Saves on the noisiness because it's also feeding toilets. Note of caution; if you have dripping taps or small leaks the pump will keep engaging.

penno

I've a set up the same as the above poster, pump in hot press that feeds all water outlets around the house, It is as noisy as hell and we always keep it switched off except when taking a shower. There is no need for extra pressure going into the washing machine, the drinking tap etc. it actually feels too forceful when on.

If I ever have to get another pump (its about 10 yrs old) I will deffo just get a shower only one. Not necessary for all other water.

ozmo

There is a guy on Adverts selling reconditioned Stuart Turner Monsoons very reasonable. I bought one from him - really solid brass pump to replace a failed plastic one I paid for much much more from b&q. Think it was like 150 euros for the st.

its still going strong many years later and - just checked - he still seems to be in business…