New Shower Head

[mcp6453]

We stayed at a hotel recently that had a Moen 3838 shower head that we really liked. See

(I'm assuming that model is the correct one. It looks exactly like the one in the hotel.)

According to the specifications, the flow rate is 2.5 GPM. I really like strong water flow for showers. (How much water does a shower head with 50% of a normal flow rate save if you have to stay in the shower twice as long?) Some shower heads have the ability to remove the flow restricters for homes with low water pressure.

Is 2.5 GPM a decent flow rate for us old timers who like real showers, and do I need to make sure that the flow restricter is removable before I buy three of these heads?

[NGDirect]

Why not buy 1 and see if it meets your needs and if not you are only out the cost of one if you can't return it. Also, my thought is that if you really liked it in the hotel, it is probably likely that they did NOT remove the flow restrictor so you probably wouldn't have to either, saving yourself some money on water & sewer costs. Finally, try calling Moen and see if they can tell you if you can remove it. The specs on this on their website has :FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 1-800-BUY-MOEN

[Molly Brown]

Here is my solution to shower heads with non-removable flow restricters.

[Ed Pawlowski]

If you liked it at the hotel, you should like it at home. I find though, that water flow is less important than the water pattern. We have a low flow by WaterSaver that I like better than most of the high volume spray heads. Give it a try, the only way to find out how good it really is.

[Jon Danniken]

My, what big bits you have, Molly.

Jon

[DD_BobK]

I've been struggling with trying to get a decent shower expericne with low flow heads since ~1980.

I finally ran across a shower head that I really liked.......at a hotel.

When we got back I said to my wife...... "I really like that shower head at the hotel we stayed at. I wonder how I can find out what it was"

To which she replied......"that should be pretty easy, Kohler owns the hotel"

The shower head I liked was a Kohler Forte single function shower head. And as Ed mentions, it's not so much the flow or the force but the pattern.

I have installed, recommended & given as gifts about a dozen of these shower heads......not cheap but everyone has loved them.

check out ebay item 280518514805 sometimes you can get them for ~25 including shipping

has them for ~$40 w/ free shipping

cheers Bob

[mm]

Don't feel too dumb. I didn't know Kohler owned hotels either.

I used to work in HuntValley, in a building mostly or completely occupied by Westinghouse. I noticed that there was no maker's name on the elevators. I assume that's because they were't Westinghouse elevators, so they compromised and took their name off.

But I gather yours really was Kohler. That's great.

[Robert Neville]

The other problem I've found is that flow being restricted in the valve/mixer body. Opening up the shower head in those situations doesn't help.

[LSMFT]

The problem with restricted low flow high volume shower heads is that being designed for 6 to 10 gallons a minute, at 2.5 are too wimpy to be any good. What you need is a 1.5 gallon per minute "Jet stream" showhead. It gives you all the pressure you want at a low flow rate. Plus it has a button to regulate or shut off to soap up. Why stand aside to soap up and waste water when you can shut it off? That's what I use and I love it. By the way, I'm on well water with

30-50lbs of water pressure.

[Jim Yanik]

"NGDirect" wrote in news:kBBQn.57025$ [e-mail]:

it's not so much the flow rate,its WHERE the showerhead puts the water. Many showerheads put out a wide cone and most of the water goes on the wall and shower curtain,and little on the body.

I bought an Incredible Head low flow showerhead,and it has a narrow cone,and most of the water goes on my body and little on the wall and curtain. I usually back off on the faucet to REDUCE the water flow. It was rated at 2.1 GPM according to a sticker on the head. I did drill out ever other hole in the output disc to give a coarser spray,but that doesn't alter the flow rate;that is determined by the main passage.There's no flow reducer.

BTW,I believe it's law that all shower heads now sold have to be 2.5 GPM or less.

[Jon Danniken]

Because it feels nice to have warm water running whatever part of your body isn't being suds up, that's why. It's also one less thing to have to fiddle with.

Jon