Shower pump pressure All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[chrisrule]

I am think of fitting a shower pump to improve water pressure for our showers. I also want to be able to continue to use the showers when the pump is not on.

We have a gravity fed system so if I fit a pump will I have to have it turned on in order to use the showers or can I continue to use the showers without the pump with no reduction in the original (pre-pump) pressure?

Hope the above is clear

Thanks

[bobplum]

the pump can be turned off it may have a plug on it and placed ina socket which you can turn off or connected via a fuse spur isolating from the electrical supply will turn it off the problem then is that the water now as to travel thru the pump this will slow the water down so the chances are that you wont get the same flow rates as before
bob

[marrtin]

The pump impellers will reduce the flow significantly if the shower is used without the pump. Could be as little as a dribble.

[chrisrule]

Thanks for the replies - I feared that this might be the case.

A local builders merchant has said we could opt for power showers and then if we turn the pressure control to minimum the pump will not kick in and we will get the smae pressure as we would with a standard mixer. Does this make any more sense - I am guessing we might have the same issue?

The reason we are worried is that our water is fed form a well so in dry summers we are sometimes short on supply so would need to economise on water useage. Most of the time we have plenty - hence the desire to have the extra power only sometimes.

Thanks

Chris