Diverter Valves

[Chris J Dixon]

A word for the unwary, unless it is just me

For my new bathroom (OK I'm not fitting it myself) I asked for a diverter valve to send water from the thermostatic mixer to either a wall shower, bath side hand shower, or a bath filler. That is to have one input and three outputs.

Sounds like you might need a 3-way diverter. WRONG! The 3-way only has two outputs, for 3 outputs you need a 5-way (who decides this stuff?). Luckily Bristan are reasonably local, and we swapped it without losing too much time.

Trying to find out where I went wrong, I've checked the web site again and under "Prism pick and mix showers" (don't try searching, it doesn't seem to work) they show:

2-way "Allows water to divert from fixed head to adjustable riser or shower handset " Sounds logical.

3-way - no technical notes. I now know that this has four ports, two of them inputs, one to be blanked, and two outputs.

5-way - no technical notes. I now know that this has five ports, two of them inputs, one to be blanked, and three outputs.

Can anybody see the logic here?

Chris

[Neil Jones]

[snip]

Not really. If the valves are taking the already-mixed water from the thermostat, why do they need more than one input?

Neil

[Christian McArdle]

Just guessing here, but are the "3 way" and "5 way" also mixers, so would normally have a hot and cold inlet, which isn't required because of the external thermostatic mixer?

Christian.

[Chris J Dixon]

No, there would be no control over the individual inputs.

The fitting instructions for the 3-way say

"The diverter features four ports, two inlets and two outlets... It is recommended that a mixed flow is connected to one inlet and the other inlet blanked off."

Interestingly, they also say "The diverter should be arranged in your system to provide flow that can be diverted between two alternate water outlets e.g.a fixed head and an adjustable riser kit." Which is very close to the web site description of the two-way, the only one which does what it says on the box.

Chris