Deciding upon a shower pump - advise please!

[Riz1]

Hi "THAT" old chesnut again! I am looking to have a shower pump fitted to boost my over-bath mixer shower. It would be for a gravity-fed system water cylinder in loft as part of a back-boiler GCH system. I understand that makes such as Stuart Turner, Mira and Salamander are highly regarded. Although i wouldnt be installing it myself, i would be buying. I have assumed that i would need a twin-pump one? For a home shower as described above coming off the mixer taps of a bath, what pressure is cosidered "acceptible" and what would be "more than neccessary"? Stuart Taylor replied to my emailed and recommended that in this scenario 1.4Bar would be good and not to exceed their 1.8bar pump.

Ideally i would also like to be able to turn the pump off in certain circumstances so that it is not activated when it is not needed eg when just drawing water for a bath or sluicing with the shower head etc].... All advice appreciated

After googling away i felt the following 3 products might be good for me:

- the Stuart Taylor 1.4Bar Showermate at £155

- the New Team NT 1.5Bar at £102

- the Salamander CT50 at £129 (all prices ex vat)

Which of these would you recommend based on build quality, meeting my needs [including the ability to fix a switch to them to turn them on/off a above] and finally NOISE!

Thanks Rizwan

[Andy Hall]

The Stuart Turner products are excellent in terms of build quality, they give good support and spares are easily available quite inexpensively.

I've used their 1.4 and 1.8 bar products and all are good. The 1.8 bar Showermate twin (you do need a twin assuming that the cold comes from the roof tank - if not it should for the shower with a pump) in the plastic enclosure is well insulated for sound and quite quiet.

To turn on and off manually in a bathroom, the sensible way is to wire via a ceiling pull cord switch. You could have this over the bath if you wanted......

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Christian McArdle]

You need a twin pump one if the cold water is also gravity fed. If the cold water is mains fed, then you need a single impellor (and preferably a pressure balanced shower mixer).

Any shower pump will provide ample pressure for a standard power shower. The main differences between manufacturers and models is the duty cycle (i.e. how long you can turn it on for in one go) and quality.

Both of these operations would benefit from the pump. Bath filling is transformed by a pump. The shower will be so low in flow without the pump that it will be unusable for cleaning the bath. The normal way to plumb the system is to have the bath and shower using the pump, but to supply the basin (and probably the kitchen) from a point before the pump.

In any case, any pump can be made switchable by the provision of a standard

20A DP switch, which is easily obtainable. If mounted inside the zones, you'll need a pull cord type.

This one.

Christian.

[Christian McArdle]

P.S. You can get it for that price *including* VAT and delivery.

Christian.

[Riz1]

much appreciated. could you tell me where i can get it from as you indicated above? hopefully this isnt against T&C but if it is then could you email me?

I also take on board the point about the diff in pressure for bath filling without the pump but but simple things like cleaning the shower curtain and sluicing etc the current unassisted pressure is about right and in such circumstances we could do without the added cycling/noise of the pump! the pull-cord idea is excellent and glad to know it can be done.

finally - the low noise of the 1.8Bar has been commented upon: as it is the same family, i assume the 1.4 is equally quiet?

Thanks again

[Mike Tomlinson]

In article , Riz1 writes

I have this one. It's installed in the loft.

Build quality seems fine. Came with a 2 year warranty.

Mine runs off a 13A socket.

They all make some noise; it's subjective. Careful installation will minimise it. All I can say is that I can't hear mine over the splashing of water when I'm in the shower; if someone else is using the shower, I can hear the pump but the noise isn't obtrusive (a low hum).

[Christian McArdle]

haven't used them, so can't comment on their service.

Christian.

[Riz1]

about pressure - 1.4 bar vs 1.8bar

i was all set to get the 1.4bar Stuart Turner at £155 but then saw the

1.8Bar ST at £159!! My reservations are that the 1.4bar description says "for medium pressure shower or bath/mixer showers" whereas the 1.8bar says "for high pressue showers".

if i were to get the 1.8bar, would i need to change my bath/mixer/shower taps for high pressure taps?