More than 2 1/2 gpm shower faucets?

[';'%?PF ;/l.]

I broke my butt installing a new three handled shower and tub faucet only to find that I am disappointed in the amount of water that flows through it. I was told by the Ferguson parts supplier that a 2 1/2 gallon per minute faucet is standard, noone make a different faucet and there is no way of increasing the flow. Is this correct? I cannot believe it.

My questions are:

1. Is there some resonable way to modify these faucets to increase the flow?

1. Does someone make higher flow faucets?

The faucets I put in are Proflo # pfll43a from Ferguson.

[';'%?PF ;/l.]

It's not the shower head but the faucets themselves that do not pass enough water even when the diverter is in the down position into the tub.

[';'%?PF ;/l.]

The pipes are copper and yes there used to be more flow. I am pretty sure it is the new fixture.

[Dave]

"';'%?PF ;/l." wrote in news:1129832359.146506.314250 @g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

When ever I get a new shower head, the first thing I do is knock out the flow restrictor.

[Beachcomber]

Low-Flow Shower Heads.... I don't like the sound of that.... (Seinfeld, circa 1997)

The (US) government requires that the heads sold in the US be low flow. 2.5 gpm is the standard mamimum. If you open one up, you will see that the flow restrictor is just a small hole that limits the water flowing through it. You might be able to drill it out (at your own risk, of course).

Beachcomber

[m4rcone]

Do you want to increase the flow of the shower-head, or the faucet that fills the tub? Showerheads usually have a flow-restrictor that you can easily remove or drill out. If the faucet has an aerator, you might want to check that. Often the aerator includes a flow-restrictor as well. I assume that whatever faucet(s) were installed previously had adequate flow. If that wasn't the case the cause might be elsewhere, such as (galvanized) pipes that are constricted by corrosion.

[Peter H]

Sounds obvious, but you must have had the water shut off to do the plumbing. Did you open it fully when done?

Peter H

[PipeDown]

Probably isn't much you can do since the flow rate is spec'd by the government and therefore designed into the products. Try taking out the valve cartridge and looking for a way to modify it. Most can not be but maybe you can see a way to enlarge the water channel in your particular design. The restriction may be in the faucet body but I doubt it. I think the spec is engineered into the cartridge. In some cases modifying the aerator at the spout end can help improve flow.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You should be asking "How can I improve the FEEL of the shower?"

It is not just the volume, but the dispersion that makes a difference. I have a low flow shower from Saver Shower

It feels better than any of the fancy heads, adjustable spray, massages, etc. I prefer it over some of the older larger flow showers. .

[Brad Bruce]

"Peter H" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I can see a restricter on a shower head, but a faucet???? That would take forever to fill the tub......

Brad

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Good point. I use the downstairs stall shower and the upstairs tub hardly gets any water in it when I do.

[Goedjn]

You can always replace the fixture with a couple full-port ball valves and a copper 'T'. Or put in another faucet at the head of the tub, so you can add hot water without having to stir.

[Charles Krug]

Removing the restrictor takes about a minute.