Low flow Woes...Suggestions?

[Sincraft]

Last year I remodeled one of our bathrooms and am going to attack the last bathroom of 3 to finish this place.
I put in a nice Delta tub spout and shower head combo, a nice tub with caulkless walls and a nice clear sterling and nickel door.
Tiled the floor with real Italian marble, and matched everything else in the bathroom with equally impressive items such as the furniture vanity and a super flush toilet.

THEN - opened day. I took a shower. I hated it.
Took me an hour to get all the soap of my big head.

We have GREAT water pressure coming in. Probably too high even.
I ripped everything down and check for loose solder in the main valve possibly limiting the water flow. Nothing.

This low flow garbage sucks eggs.

SO , now that I am going to work on another project here soon. What about these systems that have a few body sprays built into them near the shut off arm? Am I going to get the same lack luster results?

I don't think there is anything I can do to increase my water pressure on the bathroom I'm upset with. From what I can tell, it's limited inside the main valve itself based on size and controls.

Suggestions for a REAL shower experience that will get me in and out in 5?

THANKS!

[jimbo]

Some shower valves have a slight restriction on the outlet to the shower head, but the principle restriction is that every showerhead sold in the US must be rated at 2.4 GPM maximum. If you don't like it, you have to talk to Al Gore.

We hear from lots of people hear who are putting in the showers with multiple body spray, etc etc. We know they are complicated to plumb, becaue you have to balance flows with loops, and you need adequate water supply pipe. 1/2" won't do it. The other thing is , the cost of these needs to be estimated in cubic dollars.

[Sincraft]

Hey I'm all for conservation to some point. At the rate we are growing we surely will run out of stuff eventually. But there are methods to make things renewable and FUN instead of just conserving and not living! Water I am not so sure of as it IS the same water we have been using for many many years.

Al Gore's entire life is based around his proposition that we are all going to die (or our children) if we do not follow his nonplan. After people such as myself laughed at his claims of inventing the Internet, he needed something else to invent.

I'm not sure the purpose of the body sprays then or, the need for 3/4" pipe if the pressure is going to be THAT low I would like to then just go bath in the creek.

Can I post links to the big box stores on here to show you guys what I am talking about? Doesn't appear to need too much special piping, although I'm up for a challenge.
basically without linking to it, it has two 30 degree adjustable body sprays from mist to massage on the outside of the center knob which controls hot/cold/onoff. Nothing really special. Was just thinking maybe that would allow for more water flow.

EDIT: SO it's my SHOWHEAD then? Not the valve? Can I pickup a shower head from another country like the Commando 450 as seen on Seinfeld?

S

[Peanut9199]

If your showerhead isn't giving you enough water than remove the flow restrictor. I have done it in my shower head and handshower.
There is nothing that says you can't, the only problem is some shower heads feel like oins and needles because the pressure is to high.
I have a Grohe with a "Rain" selection that works great.

[jadnashua]

If this is a tub/shower, you can measure the valve's and pipe's ability to supply water. Stick a bucket under the tub spout and measure how much comes out in a minute, or if it is say a 5gallon bucket, time how long it takes to fill. Your should get about 2.5gallons in a minute out of the showerhead. Do you know what your water pressure is? The flow is spec'ed at a nominal pressure; if you pressure is higher, your flow will be, as it will be lower if the pressure is lower.

1/2" pipe shouldn't be asked to flow more than about 6gpm, or the flow rate can start to erode the pipe from what I hear. Anybody know for sure? This would imply that it should work with up to about 2, maybe 3 showerheads, since you'll be likely mixing some cold, and not just hot which will up the volume a little depending on your water heater's setpoint.

[Sincraft]

I'm starting to wonder if my flow is now regulated at the valve mixer now as I've already removed the restrict and am only getting MAYBE another .5 gallons .....per hour lol.

I am going to remove this and ensure there is no solder in the mixer from a heavy solder joint down low (first attempt in many many months to solder once again).

Amazing. I always start soldering like a complete idiot, then but the 5th or 6th joint, it looks very nice and the proper amount is used and done in the correct time...how I slip back to stupidity is beyond me.

SO this time, before I solder anything in my other bathroom, it's down to the garage with some cheap fittings and some scrap pipe and I'll do a few joints before I start the 'real' work.