Pressure loop

[jpiazza]

Hi. I've seen two diagrams on how to pipe a pressure balancing loop for three body sprays. One has the outlets all on one side of the loop with the inlet on the other side and the other has the outlets in the middle with the loop shaped like a figure 8. Is there a difference with these two designs? Also does it matter where the inlet comes into the loop? Does it have to come in pretty close to center of the loop or can it come into it from anywhere in the loop say at the top next to the first outlet. Thanks in advance.

[hj]

It does make a hill of beans difference, in fact the loop is worthless and just a lot of busy work unless you have a very complex system.

[jpiazza]

So what's all the fuss over this loop? How should it be piped? The system has a shower head, a hand held and 3 body sprays.

[jimbo]

Usually the manufacturer of these foo-foo systems provide recommendations about how to install. Check with the dealer where you bought this stuff for help on that, or contact the manufacturer directly. They may even have it on a website.

[hj]

Hydraulic pressures do not care about "loops" all they have to worry about is relative distances above the floor because that is what makes a difference and a loop does not do anything to change that. I install a tee in the middle and pipe up and down to the heads, but it is just cosmetic because any other arrangement would work just the same.