Trying to create maximum water pressure in shower
kyrral
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I am trying to develop maximum shower pressure to run a waist high(and head high but not at the same time) valve to squirt on my lower back. This is new construction. A 1″ valve comes off the street meter. I think both tankless and electric water heaters both have 3/4″ valves. Would either of those restrict possible flow of water? After the water heaters what would be the best solution for plumbing to the shower? I have an older cabin built in 1946 that has super water pressure so I know its possible. Not even close to understanding plumbing so simpler the better for me (I’ll pass on the info). Thanks, ahead.
Replies
The single biggest factor is the pressure coming from the water main. And note that this may well depend on the time of day and demand from nearby homes. (Our sorry pressure is lowest in the morning when everyone in town is taking a shower.)
Drill out or remove all those silly orifices for 'saving water'.
Another feel good liberal contraption to 'save the planet'. Better yet, forget that second shower head.
That’s right, think of yourself and to hell with the rest!
Let's not confuse pressure and flow. At the street your residential meter is probably no larger than 3/4. Your flow can never be greater than that will allow. You have a static pressure here that should be greater than you want for your house so you install a regualtor at the house set to reduce the pressure to about 70 psi. You can never get pressure greater than that without turning it up at the regulator, but you don't really want to do that. This is the static pressure and it will be the same anywhere in your system.Dynamic pressure (that is pressure under use) will be further reduced by friction in the pipe (this is a fucnction of the pipe size, the length of the run, and the number of fittings) and the amount of water being used. This is why you main should be larger than the meter size. If the main is long this should be substantial, but there is a point of diminishing returns so 1" is fine for a short run (50' or less).
Where the main enters the house there is no real advantage to using pipe larger than your meter size. (Be sure to tap the main before the regulator for any irrigation use.) Any individual fixture can be supplied adequately with a 1/2" pipe. This is where you should be careful. Never supply more than one fixture from 1/2" pipe. Run 3/4" to every T or manafold. This should maximize your flow and dynamic pressure at every fixture.
Important that whoever installs the plumbing know how to do a pressure balancing loop to insure equal pressure to each nozzle. I had to provide the plumber with a diagram showing the layout of the valves and nozzles/jets and the pipe and then make sure he followed it exactly.
I am also a big fan of the GrohSafe Pressure Balance Valves that make sure when their is a drop in cold water pressure in the house that someone taking a shower is not scalded.