How Do I Raise My Water Pressure?

[woodlandfarms]

Running water to these new multi head showers is an art.

First your source must be at least 3/4 inch. Pressure at 38 is fine, and being on a well hard to get higher. City water is higher.

Manifold design ( how the water runs from source to the heads ) is also very critical. Systems I see are looped to equalize pressure, meaning that water runs to the shower head but loops back to the source, if you did not do a manifold system I would start there.

Finally, I am not sure of the water laws outside of the west coast, but are your heads flow restricted? If not, restrict, if they have them and you have 34 or 1" to your shower you can drill them to up the flow but brand new shower heads are pretty well designed.


Take a look at this link, it's a Start but manifold design is an art. See how the multi heads flow back on each other?

http://www.faucet.com/custom-shower-system-basics/c80787

Edit .... Change the word manifold to pressure ballancIng loop.

 

[Egon]

Sound like the system needs design.
First find out the flow and pressure requirements for the shower heads. Then see if your pump will deliver. Then check to see that the hot water tank can maintain temperature.
Now you have to put it all together remembering that othe wate r demands must be met at the same time.

Might mean a larger horse power pump with more stages, larger piping an a larger water heater.

Simplify things and put in a steam shower.

 

[scesnick]

Ok. I have 4 of these in the wall http://www.luxartcollection.com/ProdDetails.aspx?co=Luxart&Model=LSBS


And one of these http://www.luxartcollection.com/ProdDetails.aspx?co=Luxart&Model=LP4SH

 

[boggen]

you have "volume" or GPM (gallons per minute) problems.
you will also most likely have problems with hot water as in not enough.
you also have "pipe size to small" problem. along with "manifold setup" problem
you may have "well pump" and "well pressure tank" problem.

friction loss. when water flows through a pipe, the water has to over come friction. think of inside of the pipe is like sand paper. and you are trying to push water through it. rougher the sand paper harder it is to push water through.

ok above was ugly example. but hopefully gets idea across.

if you are flowing same amount of GPM (gallons per minute of water) a large size pipe will have less friction loss. normally friction loss can be calculated / estimated in PSI, all pumps have a VOLUME to PRESSURE curve. or rather pump curve. normally the charts are GPM to PSI. the more PSI the pump has to over come by pushing water through a pipe, the less GPM the pump will produce.

example: before i did major redo of all plumbing in the house here. i had the following....

well ->
1.5" pipe ->
pump ->
1/2" pipe ->
well tank ->
1/2" tee -> hot water heater ->
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink hot water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink hot water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower

coming off of other side of TEE between well tank and hot water heater
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink cold water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> outdoor garden hose faucet hook up
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink cold water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine cold water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower cold water
1/2" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower cold water

======================
when i redid the plumbing. instead of running 2 single 1/2" pipes clear through house and teeing off of the pipe to go to the various things. i ran 1" pipe. and Teed off to the various things. the overall difference was i reduced "friction loss" so much. that now i have about 1.75 times amount of water. and i am able to be in the shower, and another person can use sink without getting any major sudden cold or hot shower.

i said without getting major sudden cold or hot shower. but that is a lie the "well pump" and "well tank" the well tank can help hold a higher pressure and GPM for a few minutes, and then the well pump has to produce the GPM of water at a given pressure (PSI) if not, towards end of taking a shower, i may get a quick sudden very cold or very hot shower. because the well tank no longer has enough water in it to help supply the extra pressure and GPM of water. and the well pump is to small and simply can not provide enough pressure and GPM of water. for a shower and a kitchen faucet running at same time.


single 1" cold water, and single 1" hot water line are ran clear through house and tees are placed were needed to make short run of 1/2" pipe to a sink, faucet, etc...
well ->
1.5" pipe ->
pump ->
1/2" pipe ->
well tank ->
1" tee -> hot water heater ->
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink hot water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink hot water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower

coming off of other side of TEE between well tank and hot water heater
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> outdoor garden hose faucet hook up
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower cold water

====================
before going into fixes... another example of house plumbing...

folks going with "PEX" plumbing for there houses. can buy a "manifold block" were they run a cold water line and hot water line all the way back from each sink, faucet, shower, toliet, outdoor faucet all the way back to were water enters the house and were the hot water heater is. vs running 2 pipes and teeing off were needed.

doing this causes a couple things... first for hot water. when you turn on faucet or shower, it allows quicker hot water to reach the faucet or shower. vs having to wait for all the cold water to move through larger size pipe 1" pipe. second double the capacity, kinda like having 2 sets of 1/2" pipe for total of 4 pipes (2 cold water 1/2" pipes, and 2 hot water 1/2" pipes) but with pex and running pipe for each cold and hot water line all the way back to area right were water enters house and goes to hot water. you help reduce friction loss better.

ALL TEES are located right were water enters house and right near hot water heater, and a long pipe is ran to each sink, shower, toliet, outdoor faucet. vs running a single 1" cold and a single 1" hot water pipe through out the house and TEEing off were things are located.
well ->
1.5" pipe ->
pump ->
1/2" pipe ->
well tank ->
1" tee -> hot water heater ->
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink hot water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink hot water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower

coming off of other side of TEE between well tank and hot water heater
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" kitchen sink cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> outdoor garden hose faucet hook up
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" bathroom sink cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" washing machine cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" upstairs shower cold water
1" tee -> 1/2" pipe -> 1/2" down stairs shower cold water

==================

you have some things working against you....

first the 1" pipe between pump down in the well and your house. 1" and long distance of pipe guessing 200 plus feet of pipe. is eatting up PSI (causing a good amount of friction loss) this reducing amount of GPM and pressure the pump can produce, once the well tank has no water in it.

then you have 1/2" pipe running through house. creating even additional friction loss. reducing GPM and pressure that can reach the shower heads.

for pipe between pump down in the well to house. if me, i would go with 1.5" to 2" pipe. this can be costly up front, but long term over the years can pay for itself. you may still need a larger well pump. if the pump is not able to produce GPM at a given pressure that is needed to run the shower.

or you could add a "booster pump" in the house. to help the overcome the "friction loss" and obtain more GPM at wanted pressure, when well tank runs out of water. booster pumps can help but they can be costly and can go bad.

the piping in your house, i would upgrade to 1" pipe size. or redo plumbing in house. and run 1/2" pipe from every single cold water line and hot water line. all the way back to were water enters house and right beside hot water heater.

====================
i would most likely install another water heater, and another large size well tank besides what you already have.

you might be able to install a few more well tanks, to reduce need for a booster pump and/or getting a larger well pump. the con, is well tanks that have a rubber blader in them can and do go bad and need replacing. and if you want to take a long shower, the well tanks will eventually run out of water stored up in them. resulting in unsatisfactory results from the shower.

but problem still exist with small size piping. trying to overcome small size piping = spending bigger bucks short term and long term. for larger size pump/s.

==================
look up the shower heads you have for GPM and min/max pressure they are designed for. knowing that info, along with length of a shower you max want. would allow someone to figure things out better for you.

 

[triptester]

Not knowing what kind or size of well you have the first thing to try is to see if the well can handle the required flow. Turn the shower heads on and check the pump to see if it can keep up with the demand. If it doesn't shut off the pump is not producing enough volume to operate the shower. A bigger capacity pump would be required.

If the pump cycles off and on then increasing pipe size should help. The eazist way to increase volume without replacing piping would be to run a second pipe next to the original and tee them back in just after the cold and hot water supplies and before the shower valve.

 

[J_J]

He needs at least 10 GPM at 80 psi according the specs.

Do you have the volume, and I bet you don't have the pressure.

Booster pump is your only solution.

There might be filters or flow restrictors in each head.

The pump you are looking for is out there, but not cheap .

Here is one for 7.5 GPM @ 80 psi

http://pumptechonline.auctivacommer...p-TPH-2T6KS-Q-7-gpm-80psi-boost-P2445891.aspx

 

[rambler]

I guess JJ did the research, there should be specs with your paperwork with the shower kit.

If you need 10 g/m, you need a bigger pipe. 1/2 inch won't do it. I'd think 3/4 is borderline for a short distance.

That's a lot of pressure needed as well, I'll guess once you get the pipe size for flow worked out, you'll need a booster pump to get your pressure up. But, fix the flow restriction first, you need more than a 1/2 inch pipe for sure. Since you can have 1-4 of those flowing at once, they each come with a 1/2 inch fitting, but they need to be coming off a bigger pipe to supply several of them at once.

--->Paul

 

[brin]

All of the above comments are the ones I knew you would get...I just could not remember all the details these folks are pointing out....this is what we were faced with when we were building and this brings it all back now...even though all the walls were open, being on a well, talking to the plumber...the cost and no guarantee we would have enough pressure after complete was just not worth it...so we still built a very nice all tile and glass shower but with only one nice shower head...my Mrs. is happy with it and we save a bunch...the bottom line is ...if it was city or county water you would have the pressure but with a well...just look at all you will have to add that may not last and the cost...

 

[rambler]

Must depend on where you live, but here in my area, a farm well will certainly out-pressure the city system of my friends in town. It's common to set a farm well to have 60lbs here, we need to water livestock, fill sprayers, run up hills in the farm yard, etc. Perhaps your well was a little weak, but most rural wells that are well designed would handle the volume easily, and _could_ get the pressure needed as well -0 tho then you mess up the rest of your water system.

As it is, when town folk come and put a cup under the water faucet here, it blows the cup out of their hand, they aren't used to the farm pressures.

My well is a 1 inch pipe, and is rated at 20 g/m. When I needed well work, fella said I could draw 50g/m the well would produce that; but the 1 inch pipe limits me to a 20 g/m rating. My well is 260 deep, submersable pump. That would all be 'common' around here.

So, anyhow, those things will depend on his well and pump and setup.

--->Paul

 

[Pixguy]

Not to hijack the thread, but while we are on the subject...

On a home that is being built for me in FL, I'm having them put in the Manabloc system and am putting in 1-SH, 1-Body Spray and 1-handheld with diverters in MBR on county pressure of I think, 80 psi. 1/2" pex or larger?

Thanks scesnick.