I have a themostatic bar mixer (triton tyne) to be fitted, same as one in last house, but I lived there on my own, not really tested response time when other taps turned on etc. Would I benefit much from including a pressure equalising valve before the themo mixer ? Would this reduce the presumed temp surge if another cold tap is switched on, before the themostatic module adjusts (would it *help out* the themo mixer) ? Also, how durable are the diaphragms in the equalising valves ? TIA, Simon.
in article snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, sm_jamieson at sm snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote on 27/9/06 16:05:
I've just had a Triton Tyne fitted. I have a combi boiler, and when someone fully opens one of the taps in the kitchen the shower can be made to cut off completely (I think the pressure is so uneven between the feeds that it thinks the supply has failed, and does this to stop scalding).
I am not sure yet if it is the hot or the cold water use downstairs that makes this happen- could be either though, as the boiler is being fed from the same main cold pipe as the kitchen; or it could be that the hot water is being used; either way the hot feed could suddenly loose pressure. It doesn't happen all the time taps are used (the bathroom sink cold tap can be used without any noticeable temperature change, I observed yesterday). Maybe it is when the big kitchen tap's mixer takes both hot and cold in large quantities, then the hot upstairs is reduced in pressure enough to make the shower shut down...
Hope this is of some interest....
As to if a pressure equalising valve would help: probably depends on what type of water heating system you have, and where the cold feed is coming from, etc.
There are two of us living there now, thus the possibility of other taps being used when someone is in the shower. Water is a fully modulating Vaillant combi. Since I am doing the bathroom I wondered if it would be worth including a pressure equalising valve since it would be a hassle to add one later. Simon.
He has mains pressure system off the one cold main and a pressure equaliser is essential.
As to your system, have a "full-bore" stoptap at the main pipe. Run a dedicated cold feed 22mm pipe to the combi. At the stoptap tee off and run a pipe to all the cold oulets, except one. This is the cold to the shower, which should be off the dedicted combi cold supply just before the combi. Have a pressure equalising valve on shower (some are in the mixer - check with makers).
I would get a thermostatic shower designed for combi/multipoint usage, rather than trying to work around one which wasn't by adding bits on. A combi/multipoint one will be designed for high pressure cold and widely varying pressure hot, and for very rapid response in the light of hot water temperature changes. All the bar mixer ones I've seen fail on both these counts, and a pressure equalising valve will only even attempt to fix one of these problems. Buy the right product in the first place -- it will work much better.
since its a good price. Including one can only help.
It looks like an equalising valve. They have said pressure reducer. Equalising valves do not reduce pressure. They equalise pressure, although to do this the temporarily reduce pressure. A PRV is a different thing. That is £23 in total. I have seen them for around £25-30 in the sheds.
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