Shower Pump Query

[LindnArden]

I keep reading that the cold water bit (technical term !) of a shower pump should not be connected to the water main. I live in France and we don't have a cold water tank (as far as I'm aware) I think the cold water pipe just feeds into the house and round to all the cold water taps in the house.

How do I (or rahter how does a plumber) fit a pump for my less than powerful shower ??

[Rob Bashford]

The shower in my (French) house is connected to the cold water main and the hot water supply from the tank. The pressure is very good because both the cold main and the hot supply are at the same (high) pressure.

There are no cold tanks and the hot water tank is fed directly from the cold main. There is a pressure reducing valve on the hot tank to cope with expansion when the immersion heater is on.

[LindnArden]

In my case sadly, I think th epipework that takes the hot and cold feeds upstairs is too thin - I therefore have a choice of replacing all this piepwork or fitting a pump......I think ??

[Bob Mannix]

As what you have read implies, in the UK it is in breach of the regulations to pump an incoming main. Whether this is the case in France, who knows! (it should be). If the tap flow downstairs is OK and not upstairs then replace the pipes is the only option. If the tap flow downstairs is rubbish then you are stuffed really (without a major refit involving header tanks). A system such as yours can only work (as the other poster's does) where the incoming pressure is reasonable to high.

[LindnArden]

Thanks for that - the flow downstairs is OK I think - the outside tap can clean dried paint off a plastic paint tray.....would that I had a shower that powerful.

[John Stumbles]

in that case fitting a pump which can deliver rather less than mains pressure isn't going to make a significant improvement on mains pressure alone, and anything which could make a difference is likely to (a) be prohibitively expensive and (b) blow your pipes open!