gpm compatability

[pkirkes]

I have found a 12" rain shower head with a 4.0 gpm flow, am remodeling to shower only bath..........................do mixing valves have varying gpm ratings? and is it necessary for the gpm rating of a shower head to be compatable with that of the mixing valve?

[ToolsRMe]

I have found a 12" rain shower head with a 4.0 gpm flow, am remodeling to shower only bath..........................do mixing valves have varying gpm ratings? and is it necessary for the gpm rating of a shower head to be compatable with that of the mixing valve?

When I was researching mixing vales I don't remember seeing any with a GPM rating lower than about 6. I wasn't looking hard because I was looking for mixing valve with > 12 gpm capacities.

As far as I can tell (I am not a professional) all you need is a mixing vale vthat can deliver more than 4 gpm. Of course, that will mean that your inputs should each deliver better than 4 gpm ... but that's a pretty low bar.

[hj]

That must be a very "piddling" shower head. 4 gpm through it would be an almost nonexistant "shower". A common single orifice head uses about 2.5 gpm, and your head could have a hundred or more although each is much smaller.