|
Thu, Sep 29, 11 at 15:15
| We're installing a shower and the shower valve assembly we selected just came in. It has an outlet going up and down and a cap to go on the bottom if the shower doesn't also have a tub spout.
Looking at the outlets that go up and down, the downward facing one has two smaller holes in a soldered-in circle in the pipe and the upward facing one has one small hole in a soldered-in metal circle. I'm guessing these are flow restrictors. Can we put the valve in upside down since we don't plan to have a tub spout so we have a bit more water going to the shower? It looks like there are instructions for back to back mounting that might let the handle go hot or cold with the turn of part of the valve. Hot and cold come from the same side, so we can feed it however we need. Any thoughts? |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by jakethewonderdog (My Page) on Fri, Sep 30, 11 at 8:38
| Don't install it upside down. Do it right. Usually the actual flow restrictor is in the showerhead. 2.5 gpm is plenty for a shower - you really need to think through how much water and $ you want to dump down the drain. |
|
- Posted by jeniferkey (My Page) on Fri, Sep 30, 11 at 11:03
| If the flow restrictor is in the shower head then why are there more holes for the tub spout? We have low pressure in the house as it is. It's irritating in our current bathroom to not get enough water to rinse my hair out properly in the shower. If I can increase the flow to get the same result then I'd like to do that. I don't have a sprinkler system or water my lawn so I don't think a bit of extra water to rinse out my hair would be a big deal. I'm not wasting thousands of gallons of drinking water fracking a well. My question is if it will not work in the shower system if it's mounted upside down. If it needs to be right side up I guess I could drill out the reducer. If I can rinse my hair faster, then I can have a shorter shower and use less water. Sorry, conserving water is a pet peeve. Why does someone deserve to fill their swimming pool but I can't rinse out my hair properly? |
|
| Any restrictions in the valve body may be part of the pressure and temperature balancing of the valve itself. |
|
- Posted by woodbutcher_ca (My Page) on Sun, Oct 2, 11 at 21:23
| Hi, I understand your concerns. I bought a Moen kitchen faucet and the volume is super slow. ( I have worked maintenance for over 40 years from heavy industrial to houses so I can pretty well figure things out)The first thing I did was remove the aerator it made no differance in the flow. I took the whole valve apart and discovered the port in the valve to the spout was about 1/8 inch. The valve was constructed so I could not drill if out. So now as I fill my coffee pot which takes at least twice as long as it should I don't think of all the water I saved but rather my life slowly slipping away. With a big pot I fill it in the deep sink in the garage. My suggestion to you would be return the valve and find one that will deliver flow. Good Luck Woodbutcher |
|
- Posted by weedmeister (My Page) on Mon, Oct 3, 11 at 16:07
| Good luck finding one since all the new ones are made this way. |
|
- Posted by jeniferkey (My Page) on Mon, Oct 3, 11 at 16:45
| We installed it in the wall without hooking it to the waterlines this weekend. We put it right-side up. I think I'll run a test. With the hot and cold hooked up, run a line from both outlets. I can get a bucket and measure to see if the output from the bottom is better than from the top. If it is, then maybe I could run a flex line out the bottom and up to the shower head. Or I could put the outlet off the bottom to an angle with a hand-held shower head on a flex line. |
|
- Posted by jakethewonderdog (My Page) on Tue, Oct 4, 11 at 9:27
| Good idea to test the actual output. Put the shower head on and check to see if you are getting 2.5 gpm out of the shower. If not, perhaps you need to address the actual problem rather than trying to make a work around. Keep in mind that the valve will be sealed behind a tile or surround wall - my argument for doing it right. |
|
- Posted by jeniferkey (My Page) on Tue, Oct 4, 11 at 11:43
| Luckily the wall is open on the other side for now. We will have access if we need it. Eventually we'll insulate that wall and it will be more difficult to access, but for now we have time. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Plumbing Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.