Water pressure question for bathroom

[Texas Proud]

This is for the engineers, or anybody who knows plumbing...


We are having our bathroom remodeled... we are going 'all out' (well, we did give up the steam unit ).... we will have 4 massage sprays, a normal out of the wall shower head and a rain shower head for DW...

Now, I knew that the 1/2 inch pipe would be useless if we ran all of these at once... so we are paying extra to run 3/4 lines to this shower...


They are putting together a 'jig' for the 4 massage heads using all 1/2 inch pipe... the contractor said it should be fine since the 3/4 is hooked up to these close to where they spray..

So my question... is this true? Will all 4 be able to go at full pressure? IIRC they are rated at 2.5 gals per minute... Or, do I need them to use 3/4 pipe and then convert to 1/2 at each nozzle?

[Ronstar]

I read somewhere that straight 1/2" pipe at 45 psi yields 30 gpm. So you should be fine as long as you have good pressure, minimal bends, and little or no filters on your piping.

[Senator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud They are putting together a 'jig' for the 4 massage heads using all 1/2 inch pipe... the contractor said it should be fine since the 3/4 is hooked up to these close to where they spray.. So my question... is this true? Will all 4 be able to go at full pressure? IIRC they are rated at 2.5 gals per minute... Or, do I need them to use 3/4 pipe and then convert to 1/2 at each nozzle?

Will each 1/2" massage head come directly off the 3/4" main run? If so, that is probably the best you can get.

If a massage head shares a 1/2" supply with another head, maybe not as good.

[H2ODude]

Would think it would be fine as long as 3/4 delivered to shower. Be more concerned about how far back the 3/4 comes from, as in did they run it all the way back to the 3/4 entrance?

[H2ODude]

Well, I guess that would be the hot water heater, not service entrance.

[NgineER]

+1 for senator's comment.
My vote is for a 3/4" jig, necking it down to 1/2" straight off the "manifold". 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 Inch Copper Pipe Tees. No harder and only a couple of dollars more to ensure equal pressure to all heads.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2ODude Would think it would be fine as long as 3/4 delivered to shower. Be more concerned about how far back the 3/4 comes from, as in did they run it all the way back to the 3/4 entrance?

Yes, they ran it back to the water heater.... going to T in on the cold and hot at that point...

The line will be used only for the shower...

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator Will each 1/2" massage head come directly off the 3/4" main run? If so, that is probably the best you can get. If a massage head shares a 1/2" supply with another head, maybe not as good.

No, the manifold for the 4 massage sprays will be supplied by the 3/4 right at the shower, but it is one connect point that splits to the 4 heads...


I have been reading up on this and it seems like it should work... IOW, the max the heads can do is 10 gpm for the 4 heads and I have read a few sites that say it should be good... the other two shower heads will come off the 3/4... one is a rain head and I have been reading that can be a water hog...

[Hyper]

We have 3/4 up to a ft or so away from the fixture. The problem I see is the fixture itself. Most fixtures do not allow the flow your most likely looking for.

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NgineER +1 for senator's comment. My vote is for a 3/4" jig, necking it down to 1/2" straight off the "manifold". 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 Inch Copper Pipe Tees. No harder and only a couple of dollars more to ensure equal pressure to all heads.

Agree with the 3/4x3/4x1/2 Tees at the manifold. Will you have a small pump circulating hot water through the line while it is not in use? We ran 3/4" hot main line and it takes a fair time before exchanging the old cold water for nice hot water. Upstairs bathroom I brush my teeth before shaving and leave the Hot running during. Shoulda put in a pump. Used to it now, and inertia..

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki Agree with the 3/4x3/4x1/2 Tees at the manifold. Will you have a small pump circulating hot water through the line while it is not in use? We ran 3/4" hot main line and it takes a fair time before exchanging the old cold water for nice hot water. Upstairs bathroom I brush my teeth before shaving and leave the Hot running during. Shoulda put in a pump. Used to it now, and inertia..

No, that is something that I guess should be a concern, but not much space to get any more stuff in the closet with the hot water heater....

Running the faucet will not work as this is a dedicated line to the shower... the old 1/2 inch will remain for the rest of the bathroom....


Hmm... thinking about it now, this might mean others cannot take a shower at the same time since the 3/4 line will be taking so much of the water... but, now only have 1 kid at home and she can work around it if needed...

[calmloki]

Dedicated line to the shower you should be fine - crank all those heads on at once and you will probably get to the hot pretty darn sudden. Nice that the sinks aren't on the same line.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calmloki Dedicated line to the shower you should be fine - crank all those heads on at once and you will probably get to the hot pretty darn sudden. Nice that the sinks aren't on the same line.

LOL....

We will have two valves up front and one in the back...

One runs the 4 massage heads
Second runs the two shower heads with a diverter to choose either or both
Third in the back with a bench with a hand held


Dang fixtures are costing an arm and a leg!!!! DW is going with some expensive German brand that has temp control and water pressure on different handles... the cheaper ones are like the ones in hotels where you just turn one handle to the temp you want and get full blast no matter what volume you might want...

[calmloki]

I ran across some Speakman brand heads and installed them after removing the flow restrictors. Very high marks to Speakman for shower pleasure. read some reviews:

https://www.amazon.com/Speakman-S-20...an+shower+head

[samclem]

Obviously, be sure the cold line is also taken care of--esp that you aren't sharing a small-ish line with something upstream (toilet, sink, etc). It sounds like you plan to be using a lot of hot water and have a large hot water line going to the shower. If there's just a 1/2" cold line line, it might work just fine until someone flushes a toilet upstream of it. THEN you'd glad to have those pricey temperature-compensated anti-scald valves.

[Texas Proud]

Well, the plumbing rough in is done so it is what it is...

We have 3/4 going into the two faucets for the shower heads and massage heads. Then from the faucet it is half inch. I am not sure if they can do 3/4 from the faucet to the heads so that could be the limiting factor.



Good thing we are doing this. The tub was leaking all over the place. The base plate was rotted out along with some other wood that was around. It leaked into my closet and some shirts that were touching the carpet wicked up the water and they were ruined. I never wore those shirts so I never noticed... it was maybe 15 shirts in.... but, that then meant the carpet had mold and had to be replaced....

The increases just keep coming

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem Obviously, be sure the cold line is also taken care of--esp that you aren't sharing a small-ish line with something upstream (toilet, sink, etc). It sounds like you plant to be using a lot of hot water and have a large hot water line going to the shower. If there's just a a 1/2" cold line line, it might work just fine until someone flushes a toilet upstream of it. THEN you'd glad to have those pricey temperature-compensated anti-scald valves.

Paid to have both lines to 3/4... and the lines are dedicated to the shower...

Now, they did use the old 1/2 inch line to the hand held that is in the back... Hmmm, have not looked at how they did that... they went from copper to PEX.....

[Masquernom]

My wife can look at 100 options for any item, and without seeing the prices, decide she has to have the most expensive one. It's an unbelievable talent. I don't know how she does it, but it never fails....

[KCGeezer]

DW has the same skill, doesn't matter what the potential purchase is, she calls it "the finger" when the price surprises her too.

[Texas Proud]

OK, now a problem has shown itself.... what to do??


They had to change out the pipes on the water heater to get the new ones attached... just a bit ago I noticed that water was dripping out the overflow valve.... the likely culprit is that they put on a pipe that restricts water backing up to the cold water line, so higher pressure in the tank...


Is it OK to live with the overflow?

The pipe runs to the outside of the house, so no big deal in that.... but I wonder what else can happen... just starting to read...


BTW, no place to put an expansion tank unless I tear out some shelves that is over the heater.... and the heater is on the floor so replacement means they get ripped out also....