Shower issue, can anyone help me understand?

[User2638483]

I’m hoping one of the lovely knowledgeable posters such as @pigletjohn might be able to help me with this

I get really good pressure and temperature from the handheld attachment, but not from the overhead shower. In order for it not to be too hot I have to turn down the power and it’s dribbly.
The weird thing is I’m sure it used to be ok and I always used to use the overhead one.

I’ve attached a front pic of the shower and the mixer, and also what goes on behind.

We don’t have a combi boiler we have megaflo tanks.

👍 I always always thought the half open one was the hot.

Ok so will try experimenting with opening the valve more fully. Maybe the hot wasn’t as hot when that note was put on….

Why heat the water to such a high temperature?

I know it has to be hot enough to prevent Legionairres Disease, but surely overheating it is very wasteful in fuel terms.

Is it worth you checking what temperature the thermostat is set to on the tanks before you adjust the flow valves?

I'd possibly just set your boiler for less time so if it normally goes on for an hour set it to half an hour and aim for a tank of non scalding water. Also I get the plumber who does the boiler check to clean the shower filters. Need to turn off water supply (I think they use bungs) first, he once found a wasp in one it must of wiggled into the cold water tank drowned and eventually made it's way to the shower.

@womaninatightspot

I'd possibly just set your boiler for less time so if it normally goes on for an hour set it to half an hour and aim for a tank of non scalding water. Also I get the plumber who does the boiler check to clean the shower filters. Need to turn off water supply (I think they use bungs) first, he once found a wasp in one it must of wiggled into the cold water tank drowned and eventually made it's way to the shower.

there's no need to reduce the timer. The cylinder has a thermostat so it will turn off the heat once it reaches target temperature.

Update on my morning shower:
I opened the valve on the cold pipe a bit more so that it was a bearable temperature with the shower fully turned on.
It was better 👍
But still ‘feels’ much less pressured than the hand held one. But am I just being a bit dense is it partly just because it’s a big head with big holes? Whereas the handheld one is small with small holes 🤔

Ok just did the bucket test, at ‘pleasant hot shower’ temperature

45 seconds for the hand held (and taps were not at full pelt but it was a good temp mix)

1 min 18 seconds for the overhead shower fully on,

Bucket was 10 litres I’m pretty sure

I think perhaps there is something obstructing flow

please show closeup pics on any valves on the pipes to the shower

look out particularly for any like this

observe that the barrel in the middle is not as fat as this better one

I can only see this from the front

Unfortunately I can’t see anything directly behind the shower
There is a cupboard that backs into it but it’s at a lower level if you see what I mean so the pipes disappear and must be behind the tiling.

From the cupboard that backs onto the wall where the shower and taps are:

Pipes disappearing vertically and perpendicular

Sorry those close ups are probably really unhelpful
This is a better view of the pipe work in the cupboard. My hand shows the floor level of the bathroom.

@User2638483

I can only see this from the front

Unfortunately I can’t see anything directly behind the shower
There is a cupboard that backs into it but it’s at a lower level if you see what I mean so the pipes disappear and must be behind the tiling.

the vertical pipe looks quite small. Pipes are usually 15mm diameter (finger size) or 22mm (banana) to bath taps.

smaller bore pipes carry less water flow.

Just measured it, its 15mm. As are the ones in the cupboard

what size are the pipes to the bath mixer?

The bits I can see all appear the same size

hmmm, can't see what the trouble is.

How big is your bucket? Try the test on fully hot and on fully cold. Usually, fully cold is more flow than fully hot, because there is less plumbing in the way.

In UK, a shower flow of 12litres per minute is considered pretty good (it's as much as most combis can do) and anything above that, powerful. So calculate litres per minute please.

I believe it’s 10 litres, it’s a vileda mop bucket.
So by that reckoning the pressure in the taps is good, which is my sense.

That would make it 13.3l per minute with the hand held. And 6.8l per minute with the overhead. If my maths is right and the bucket capacity measurement means up to the brim.

Will try with cold but the stupid overhead shower only has the one control for on off so can’t really do full pelt cold. Or could try at a time when water not been pre heated.

I do appreciate all your help thank you

If all else fails I’ll get DH to put a fixing for the hand held on the wall 😂

@User2638483

Bucket was 10 litres I’m pretty sure

oh I see that now

so handheld flow is good, and drencher is less flow than you would expect.

unscrew the drencher head and try flow from the open pipe.

just in case there is something obstructing it

some shower heads have rubber pimples on the holes that you can rub to dislodge limescale

If the water is coming direct from the mains, with no cold water storage tank, the pressure should be high enough that the slight height difference of the drencher head is immaterial.

I can’t work out how to screw off the shower head, DH recently put it on so will get him to take it off when he’s back. It’s a new head but maybe there’s gunk inside the pipe.
There is quite a build up just on the hot side here so wonder if it is scaled inside too.

I find hot taps get more watermarks and scale, I presume because the heat evaporates off the water and the scale precipitiates.

I can polish up a cold tap with a toothbrush, but not a hot tap.