Question about water pressure in relation to valve and feeder pipe diameters...

My shower lacks pressure so I want to replace the existing 1/2 inch copper
pipe that leads up to it with 3/4 inch copper pipe. Obviously, if done
correctly this will increase the water pressure available at my shower.
However, I also (long time ago) purchased an inline pressure balance valve
which my shower needs to prevent myself from getting either scalded or
cold-shocked everytime someone in my family turns a tap on or off elsewhere
in the house. But this inline pressure balance valve I have (and I had a
hard time finding an _inline_ one ...*) provides only 1/2 inch diameter
passages for the water to flow through it. With the water having to flow
through this smaller diameter before reaching my shower, I'm concerned about
whether or not this will hinder or undo the pressure increase resulting from
my installation of the 3/4 inch pipes?

Any information, enlightenment, advice, or experience in regards to this
would be much appreciated.

{* Explanation regarding "inline" choice: I specifically wanted an _inline_
pressure balance valve as the commonly available ones, which are integrated
into a complete faucet-tap-fixture unit, would require me to have to mess
with my shower's ceramic tile in order to install.}

TIA,
Ken

PS: My apologies if I in error I might have crossposted this to the wrong
group.
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Posted by Speedy Jim on October 15, 2006, 8:57 pm

Ken Moiarty wrote:

> My shower lacks pressure so I want to replace the existing 1/2 inch copper

> pipe that leads up to it with 3/4 inch copper pipe. Obviously, if done

> correctly this will increase the water pressure available at my shower.

<SNIP>

Sorry, IMHO you are on the wrong track.

1/2" Cu will easily support all the flow that
your shower can demand. In fact, 3/8" Cu would
probably not make any noticeable difference.

The flow problem you have is either caused by
inadequate pressure at the source or by restriction(s)
in the shower valving and head.

Do some more investigating before you expend a great
deal of effort and expense on the re-piping project.

Jim

Posted by Tony Hwang on October 15, 2006, 9:09 pm

Ken Moiarty wrote:

> My shower lacks pressure so I want to replace the existing 1/2 inch copper

> pipe that leads up to it with 3/4 inch copper pipe. Obviously, if done

> correctly this will increase the water pressure available at my shower.

> However, I also (long time ago) purchased an inline pressure balance valve

> which my shower needs to prevent myself from getting either scalded or

> cold-shocked everytime someone in my family turns a tap on or off elsewhere

> in the house. But this inline pressure balance valve I have (and I had a

> hard time finding an _inline_ one ...*) provides only 1/2 inch diameter

> passages for the water to flow through it. With the water having to flow

> through this smaller diameter before reaching my shower, I'm concerned about

> whether or not this will hinder or undo the pressure increase resulting from

> my installation of the 3/4 inch pipes?

> Any information, enlightenment, advice, or experience in regards to this

> would be much appreciated.

> {* Explanation regarding "inline" choice: I specifically wanted an _inline_

> pressure balance valve as the commonly available ones, which are integrated

> into a complete faucet-tap-fixture unit, would require me to have to mess

> with my shower's ceramic tile in order to install.}

> TIA,

> Ken

> PS: My apologies if I in error I might have crossposted this to the wrong

> group.

Hi,
How many showers in your place? If more than one, do they all have
problem or only one you use? I am almost certain pipe size has nothing
to do with it. Problem is caused by some other factor. 1/2 inch pipe is
plenty for home use.

Posted by Ken Moiarty on October 15, 2006, 11:52 pm

All three showers in the house have less pressure than what I prefer to
have. I have already seen to it that there are no "water savers" in any of
my showers. Open any faucet in my house and the water is on the
slow-flowing side. I believe this is due to (in addition to the 1/4 inch
pvc pipe used below sink faucets) the local water main pressure being
somewhat on the low side. Having the pressure regulator in my house cranked
to maximum, I have checked the water pressure at an outside faucet (when no
other taps/valves were open in or around the house) and found it to be in
the lower part of the typical range. (It's been a while since I did this,
so I don't recall the exact psi reading.)

Ken

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> Ken Moiarty wrote:

>> My shower lacks pressure so I want to replace the existing 1/2 inch

>> copper pipe that leads up to it with 3/4 inch copper pipe. Obviously, if

>> done correctly this will increase the water pressure available at my

>> shower. However, I also (long time ago) purchased an inline pressure

>> balance valve which my shower needs to prevent myself from getting either

>> scalded or cold-shocked everytime someone in my family turns a tap on or

>> off elsewhere in the house. But this inline pressure balance valve I

>> have (and I had a hard time finding an _inline_ one ...*) provides only

>> 1/2 inch diameter passages for the water to flow through it. With the

>> water having to flow through this smaller diameter before reaching my

>> shower, I'm concerned about whether or not this will hinder or undo the

>> pressure increase resulting from my installation of the 3/4 inch pipes?

>> Any information, enlightenment, advice, or experience in regards to this

>> would be much appreciated.

>> {* Explanation regarding "inline" choice: I specifically wanted an

>> _inline_ pressure balance valve as the commonly available ones, which are

>> integrated into a complete faucet-tap-fixture unit, would require me to

>> have to mess with my shower's ceramic tile in order to install.}

>> TIA,

>> Ken

>> PS: My apologies if I in error I might have crossposted this to the

>> wrong group.

> Hi,

> How many showers in your place? If more than one, do they all have problem

> or only one you use? I am almost certain pipe size has nothing to do with

> it. Problem is caused by some other factor. 1/2 inch pipe is

> plenty for home use.

Posted by Thomas D. Horne, FF EMT on October 16, 2006, 3:57 am

Ken Moiarty wrote:

> All three showers in the house have less pressure than what I prefer to

> have. I have already seen to it that there are no "water savers" in any of

> my showers. Open any faucet in my house and the water is on the

> slow-flowing side. I believe this is due to (in addition to the 1/4 inch

> pvc pipe used below sink faucets) the local water main pressure being

> somewhat on the low side. Having the pressure regulator in my house cranked

> to maximum, I have checked the water pressure at an outside faucet (when no

> other taps/valves were open in or around the house) and found it to be in

> the lower part of the typical range. (It's been a while since I did this,

> so I don't recall the exact psi reading.)

> Ken

Ken
The presence of a pressure regulator is a useful clue. Those are not
usually installed on systems were the pressure from the water main is
low but rather were it is to high for ordinary plumbing to withstand.
It is sometimes true that a builder will go cheap on the regulator
itself and it will not be sized for an adequate flow.
--
Tom Horne

Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.

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