ProDave Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 We have a thermostatic mixer shower from a UVC that normally gives us a decent shower. but the old shower head was leaking, it had actually cracked so we needed a new one. SWMBO bought one while out shopping and tried it this morning and complained the flow rate was pathetic. I am an evening shower person so have just tried it, and pathetic flow rate was an understatement. What could be wrong. Well I soon found it. Inserted into the fitting on the shower head where the hos plugs into was a "bung" with 3 tiny holes in it. No wonder water was struggling to get through. The "bung" is now in the bin and normal showering restored. No mention on the packaging about water saving, low flow or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 It would have been an EU regulated fitting so you just bin the restrictor and replace it with a normal rubber washer, if required. Try taking a modern mixer tap spout apart and see how many different grade gauzes there are and how much they reduced the flow rate. They aerate the water too so it looks like there's more coming out, but when you fill a glass you see how little water is actually coming out. Fear not, Brexit wil take care of that . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stones Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Agreed, a regulation (perhaps well intentioned) which does nothing other than frustrate consumers who end up discarding the relevant part to get a decent flow. We tried an aerated shower head, reduced flow from 12 l/m to around 8 l/m. All that happened was you spent longer in the shower rinsing off soap / shampoo etc. Net result, less enjoyable shower experience and no water or energy saving. We ditched the aerated head... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I've tried very hard to reduce energy and materials consumption in all aspects of my life, but I will not relinquish a nice shower. I tell myself that the shower waste water heat recovery system we've installed justifies an extra three minutes' thinking time in the shower every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 7 minutes ago, jack said: I've tried very hard to reduce energy and materials consumption in all aspects of my life, but I will not relinquish a nice shower. I tell myself that the shower waste water heat recovery system we've installed justifies an extra three minutes' thinking time in the shower every day! The only conservation regs I don't get are the water ones ..!! baths and showers are so subjective you cannot regulate it with a measurement of flow. If you stand in it for 20 minutes then you use 180 litres of water, same shower different person and uses 36 litres for a 4 minute shower - a difference of 144 litres. In the big scheme of things that's about 0.0001% of Thames Water's daily losses ... I would look at cheaper "compliant" taps and then change them post sign off if needed. I'm trading off my shower capacity with using rainwater for WCs so the calcs are simplified for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Our plumber handled this by installing a 1.5 bar PRV on the way into the house. The idea was that it'd be easier to do that and replace it with a 3 bar one after sign-off than to individually modify taps etc. Shower pressure is lower than I'd like, and it can be frustrating trying to fill a sink up, but day to day it's surprisingly okay (as long as you don't try to use two showers at once!) One day we'll get the damned house signed off so we can up the pressure! I agree about the regs being insane. Usually when you turn a tap on you're trying to fill something or rinse something. If you want to fill something, flow rate is irrelevant, because you use the same amount of water whatever the flow rate. If you want to rinse something, then as you say, a higher flow rate is a lot more effective so the tap is on for a lot less time. Don't even start me on calculations that involve baths. We have a bath in our ensuite that's been used twice in 8 months, and another in the main bathroom that's been used maybe once a month, but there was a lot of sucking of teeth from the plumber when he saw there were two baths in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelld Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I think a lot depends on perception doesn't it? I don't think there are many electric showers around that will do 12 l/min are there. Depends what people are used to in a lot of cases I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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