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Author Topic: water pressure  (Read 9334 times)

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Offline kat

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water pressure
« on: April 08, 2011, 10:14:16 PM »
can anyone help...?
pressure problems in the shower...
We turn on the shower, and the pressure is low, leaving the water running, I go to the
laundry and turn the cold on, and wait til the pressure changes, then turn it off, i then go back to the shower...and
magic....the pressure is now good, hard n fast.
Why does this happen?
Never use to do this...
Driving me nuts..... How do I fix it?
Had two plumbers round, and both have never seen it happen before....
Hope this makes sense....
Cheers
Kat

Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/q-and-a-water-pressure/50/water-pressure/620/

Offline spud

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2011, 10:24:28 PM »
I it a shower mixer or a shower stop tap?

Offline Thunderhead

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2011, 11:27:47 AM »
Do you have a pressure limiting valve in the house?...i only say this cus we had one job once where the persons kitchen tap was loosing pressure but if you went and opned the hose tap then closed it the pressure would come back to acceptiable pressure...then you would turn off the kitchen tap and then back on and blamo the pressure had dropped again....after much ripping down of jib we found the old limiting valve installed half way across the garrage??? it was shot and so we replaced it and all was fine....

im just wondering if the increased flow demand is forcing the faulty limiting valve open with the increased flow and after you stop all the water the faulty valve is resetting so you have crap pressure...cus what your experiencing sort of sounds the same as what happned at this other persons place...

when/if you find the problem please post solution here because im very intrested to know what your issue was please

cheers  Thunder

Offline kat

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2011, 11:58:13 AM »
hi, thanks for yr reply,
Thunder...are you meaning a return valve, cause the plumber did mention something about a spring in the valve?
will let you know for sure...
When you say under the garage... does this mean you had to dig it up....?
we have already got one hole in the wall....OMG! 

And the shower is a mixer, if that helps...

cheers

Kat

Offline kat

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2011, 08:54:41 PM »
Hi,
ok. so the plumber has been, and this is what he has done....
he located the pressure limiting valve (i think) off...
now the pressure is back to where it was YAY!
even more pressure on some taps
I do fear that this may cause another problem, but time will tell i guess..??
Any thoughts or opinions welcome..
 Cheers

Kat

Offline robbo

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2011, 09:06:56 PM »
hi guys,i have not come across this problem with a pressure limiting valve before, i have learned something new. Does this count as 4 points against c.b.licencing? if so please pass them on to the pgdb,cheers

Offline woody

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2011, 10:59:55 PM »
Thunder, Kat thanks i also learnt something new as have never come across that sort of problem to date..

On a slightly similar topic has anyone had issues installing a Foreno unequal low pressure kitchen mixer??
Ive replaced an old kitchen mixer with a new Foreno mixer, and the hot pressure is now about half of what it used to be at the mixer... The supplier says the HWC pressure is not enough but the pressure at the tap is well above the minimum rated pressure for the mixer!! Any thoughts??
Maybe I should turn the hose tap on at the same time like Thunder  :D

Offline Jaxcat

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2011, 11:18:08 AM »
Robbo - 4 points for you - and a BEER!
Have you learned lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you?  Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you, and disputed the passage with you?  (Walt Whitman 1819-1891)  American Poet

Offline robbo

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2011, 05:02:51 PM »
hi guys, thanks jax that is how it should be,as you know we learn every day and it is a sad day when you don`t learn anything. it should be as easy as the 16points i got for doing the rinnai assessment,cheers

Offline Thunderhead

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2011, 06:16:19 PM »
yea...the origional job where we found the problem took like 4 visits and alot of querring other plumbers at the local merchant to pin point the actual problem...the main pointer for us was the fact there was a mains pressure cylinder installed with all the other valves but no limiting valve to be found anywhere so we had to be sure before opening up walls and tracing lines...one wall open and 3 holes in the ceeling big enough to poke a head and torch through and there to our relief was a old limiting valve(anyone would have thought we had won lotto!) with a drip of water on the bottom and smiles all round that day!!!...my boss reckoned he had never had to replace a limiting valve before...maybees the first of em are reaching there lifes end...FREE CPD points for all that read this post...lmao...

And thanks kat for posting a reply very much apprieated :)

Offline kat

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2011, 08:27:22 PM »
Hi Thunder,
hey do you know...now that we have no limiting valve, will this mean we will go through
the water a lot quicker, especially the hot water?
Also, should we really replace the limiting valve with a brand new spanky one?
cheers
Kat

Offline robbo

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2011, 09:35:27 PM »
hi kat,if the valve has not been replaced i would get it done, there is no need for monstrous pressure. If an Apex limiting valve is installed it can be adjusted with a phillips screw driver and if ever it becomes faulty the whole valve does not have to be renewed,cheers

Offline Thunderhead

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2011, 03:04:13 PM »
yes kat you must replace the limiting valve because this protects the hot water cylinder(if it is a mains cylinder) and the rest of the house from over pressure spikes most common at night time when no one is using water...Gee i would have thought the plumber would have already replaced the one he removed?...If you have a mains pressure cylinder then by code you need a limiting valve...Normaly situated where the water supply enters the house to protect the whole plumbing installation...Im with robbo put one in please as it sounds like you have very strong supply pressure.

Offline kat

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2011, 10:49:34 PM »
Hi Thunderhead and Robbo,
holy shit....I will get on to it tomorrow....I didn't think it was right not to have one put back on....
Oh well, another job we have to fix ourselves...Hmmn
Thanks
Kat



Offline Thunderhead

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Re: water pressure
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2011, 03:53:37 PM »
Yes kat i thought one would have been put back in to replace the origional...but i wasnt there so im not privy to the whole situation...just call the plumber who ripped it out and ask as to why it was not replaced...there may be other reasons as to why he didnot replace the origional...maybees your mains cylinder already has one in the valve gear off the cylinder?...anyways a copple of hundred should see it replaced...it might seem alot but remember a new one should last another 15-20+ years so in the big picture it not alot for the length of service you should get from it.
anyways good luck kat
Thunder


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