Talk to me about shower diverter valves please

[BendyBones]

We are getting a replacement bathroom fitted in our new house, and I want to keep it fairly simple. A thermostatic shower over the bath (we have a high pressure system with combi boiler), combined with a two-way diverter to switch between the shower and a bath overflow filler - so no taps on the bath (very hard water area so I'm keen to minimise the amount of cleaning required!). Must be an exposed valve due to the space and wall type. I am struggling to find an exposed thermostatic control that is also a diverter suitable for a bath filler. Ideally I want a fairly modern style but not overly fussy. Most diverters seem to be recessed. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Aqualisa used to do a thermostic bath filler with shower diverter that fitted on the end of the bath. You could ask if they do a wall one, or if it can be mounted like that. I can't really visualise it though. It would be quite big.

Thanks PigletJohn. This type of thing, I'm assuming that it could feed up into the shower, or divert down to the bath filler (which I want in the middle of a double-ended bath). www.aqva.co.uk/Bathrooms/80471. I just can't find much choice. Most diverter showers are between handheld and overhead showers, not diverting down to the bath. Would a deck mounted diverter work instead, with a standard thermostatic shower?

shower mixers are smaller and have much less flow than bathtaps. It would take a long time to full a bath from a shower. Try it.

Deck bathtaps with diverters don't have thermostatic control AFAIK, apart from that one Aqualisa I've seen, but they divert the water after it's been mixed, so wouldn't work with a thermostatic shower mixer.

Aqualisa do this one Quartz Digital which would do the job. I don't especially want digital though, but no-one else seems to do a similar package. I don't like only having a choice of one! Seems odd that there aren't more options to do this, I thought it would be fairly straightforward.

Mechanically it probably is quite simple, but most people have taps, so little demand for the product.

I am installing a grohe euro smart cosmopolitan diverter - sorry o link but that is the name on the box. Is a simple round lever.

Amazon might have them. Can't remember where I got it from

Sure you have thought of this, but could you have recessed if you put the controls on the other wall? we have our shower and bath controls on the long wall rather than under the shower head, iyswim.

Crumpet thanks, but that is a recessed valve I think. We have a single layer brick wall, and the fitter reckons it will have to be an exposed fitting as there simply isn't enough space to recess it. Same with the wall along the back of the bath, and the facing wall is a window. Plus I prefer exposed fittings, as they are easy to get to if something goes wrong! The walls will be tiled, don't fancy having to redo it if something leaks. I don't want taps under the shower, as that will be the head end of the bath (facing the window), but I suppose I could put them at the foot end (middle wouldn't work as I'd have to climb over them to get in). I really like the simplicity of the overflow filler, but apparently its not as simple as I first thought!

Am rushing out but I think you mean you want this

That link takes you to a bathroom rip out and install, which has the diverter. He actually has the install videos on YouTube which show he takes a bath mount tap and turns something round, then it becomes the wall mount one.

I will try to come back to this later but search Ultimate Handyman and wall mounted taps, there are 2 or 3 videos and he shows you in one of them how to turn the tap from bath mount to wall mount.

I've been searching for you OP but can't find any that do what you want.

I think I know what you mean - you want exposed thermostatic shower controls, with an extra lever which turns on a separate bath filler/exofil (ie where the water comes out of the overflow rather than a bath tap). Doesn't seem to exist.

Two compromise options:

1. exposed thermostatic shower controls with integrated bath tap

2. exposed thermostatic shower controls only, and then a separate deck mounted lever which controls your bath filler/exofil

I think I'd go for option 1) as it keeps brassware to a minimum - the integrated tap is usually pretty small and unobtrusive - also less plumbing under the bath to go wrong

We don't even have a washing machine! :') we rely on MIL and my DF congrats on the tumble dryer :D

did you see these two?

www.aqualisa.co.uk/mixer-showers/bath-shower-mixer-with-exposed-fixed-head/

www.aqualisa.co.uk/hiqu-xt/hiqu-xt-bath-shower-mixer/

At the price I would have a bath filler and a shower mixer though

You can put them on the long side of the bath rather than at the end.

I did thanks Piglet, but I'm trying to avoid taps completely. I just noticed this though Aqualisa Bath Fill, I hadn't realised they did it separately. I could fit that with the control on the wall at the head of the bath, and have a totally separate shower. Avoids the issue of diverters and taps completely :) Until someone tells me it won't work anyway...

Bendy that will work fine. But it's a recessed control for the bath filler, will that work with your walls?

If so, there are lots of companies that do a bath filler with its own recessed wall mounted control however. So if you don't want digital you don't have to go for the aqualisa one.

minipie it isn't a recessed control - the pipework goes into the processor box which can be fitted under the bath, behind the bath panel. The digitial controller just connects to the box via a data cable, so no problem running that through the wall. I haven't seen anyone else supplying these - can you point me at different makes? I'd like to have a choice!

Ah I see - hadn't realised there was just a cable in the wall and no pipework. Have a look at Crosswater Solo - jolly expensive though and not sure if it's the same.