Plumbing

Flow ceases after a few minutes from new shower

Anonymous user 03/03/2024 - 3.00 PM

Hi people, Need some advice to try and cure a problem that making me pull my hair out!! Have recently removed the bath from a downstairs bathroom and fitted a new all singing, all dancing shower unit (large shower head, side hand held unit, body jets and a seat to use back jets) When I looked into purchasing this unit it stated that it required to be pumped at least 2 bar. So I also purchased a Monsoon 4 Bar positive head pump (hot water tank on 1st floor) The hot water supply to the bathroom already arrived in large steel pipe so using a screwed adaptor, converted this down to 22mm copper which is what Monsoon stated they wanted for their pump. The cold water feeding the bathroom was a direct mains input so that meant I had to run a new 22mm plastic pipe from the loft to supply the pump and then the shower. I decided to install a new cold water tank in the loft so that this could be dedicated to the shower whilst the original cold water tank would only have to feed indirect hot water cylinder (and btw, nothing else as all cold water, including toilet and basin upstairs are main fed). I changed the outlet in the hot water tank to one that picks up its supply from lower in the tank (as recommended) Anyway, turn the shower on, pump switches on, water supply is superb. When the hot water arrives, temperature is great but after about 5 mins the flow reduces to a dribble even though pump is running. So, with my own diagnosis being a possible air lock, I took various parts of the pipes apart to remove/cure the problem. But didn't really find anything (as had already thought about it when piping things together so part purged as I went) And doing it again, basically made no difference! Problem is going round and round in my head and I wonder if I've got to the "can't see the wood for the trees" situation and I'm missing something really obvious. Sorry is so longwinded but trying to get all the relevant facts in first :) Thanks in advance Monday Thanks for reply Mike. I was concerned about the pump emptying the tank too quickly which is why I installed a new 45 litre tank to supply cold for the shower only. When the shower starts to slow down (before it gets to dribble stage) I've jumped into loft and the level on the tanks (cold for shower and cold for hot water cylinder) are still virtually full.....actually too full from what I would expect. Any further suggestions anyone?