Symmons Temptrol - Use tub outlet for second shower?

[Nsherman2006]

Hi all,

I am redoing a bathroom and adding a shower meant to be used by two people at the same time. I have two Symmons Temptrol tub/shower combo valves already, and I'm trying to keep the budget down, so I'd like to reuse one or both of them (plus, I've had great luck with Symmons product support). I also have a matching hand shower system.

My current thought is to install the hand shower system on one side of the shower, and then set up the other side with a tub/shower valve with the shower side plumbed to a standard shower head and the tub side plumbed in to a ceiling rainfall showerhead.

From my research, I understand that adding a restriction to the tub outlet will cause water to flow out of the shower. I'm fine with this, as long as it's not just a drip and it leaves the shower spray at a reasonable volume (so the options would be just the single showerhead or both rainfall/shower, without the option of just rainfall). Theoretically, this seems to make sense, as the tub output is supposedly 7gpm and both showerheads would only be 5gpm, but does anyone have any practical experience with this?

Also, are there any benefits to allowing the shower to drain? I was thinking I could install a small tub spout with diverter on the tub outlet to use to fill buckets and also allow the two showerheads to drain, but I don't want to add unnecessary complications.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

-Neal

 

[Jadnashua]

If you don't want the rainshower and handheld on at the same time, the diverter on a tub spout probably still won't will work. If the lines don't drain, there will always be a slug of cold water in them, and, depending on the slope of the supply to the rainshower head, it could end up dripping for a long time. It's hard to say without experimenting, but a showerhead will partially act like the tub spout restrictor, and I think you'd probably end up with at least some out of the rainshower head all of the time the valve was open. In this case, you probably really need a separate diverter valve. You could then use the tub outlet, and have enough volume, with the right diverter, to get A, B, or A+B operating. That solution would still allow for the tub spout if you wanted.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Nsherman2006]

Thanks for the reply!

I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. The hand shower will be plumbed entirely separately with its own valve.

The other side of the shower will have a regular shower head, but since I have the tub/shower valve already I feel like I might as well take advantage of the tub outlet. I really don't have any need for a tub spout, so I was thinking the rainfall shower would be a good option.

So that shower valve would have the standard shower connection and then the tub outlet would just be connected to the rainfall head. I know that this would make both showers operate at the same time, which is ok as long as they would both get adequate flow.

Any idea what the flow would be like in this scenario? I don't want to get it all tiled in and then regret it.

Thanks again!

 

[Jadnashua]

Unless that particular valve has a built-in diverter, I'd probably just use the tub outlet and feed both heads. Most shower valves have a restricted outlet for the shower, and a full-bore outlet for the tub. Because of the restriction in both of the heads, there MIGHT be enough volume to feed each at the same time, but one would be getting the restricted volume outlet and they may not function the same. Since both would be going up and there probably wouldn't be more than about a foot difference, just gravity will make the rainhead, assuming it's coming out of the ceiling, about a half pound less, so that's in the noise. Your typical 1/2" shower valve is rated to supply about 6-gpm out the tub spout, so with the federal restrictions on showerheads being a max of 2.5, they should both get more than they need, and that lets things be maximized. That might not be the issue once you add in the restrictor in the valve.

So, just run one 1/2" line up and put a T on them to feed both. You could still put in a toe tester (tub spout), and that would let both lines drain. Some valves will let you install them 'upside down' which would put the bigger port pointing up. In that case, you'd install the cartridge 180-degress out. Not all can do that, though.