custom shower flow rate

Posted by Jim Melvin on December 13, 2001 at 17:11:45:
I will be building a home with a custom shower including 2 body sprays, a shower head, and a hand shower on a slide bar. I plan to have 3 separate volume controls. This home will be in the country on well and septic. I have talked to one of the local well drillers who recommends a shallow well for our area in Florida. The well should deliver a guaranteed 25 gpm minimum. We are talking about having a 1HP pump, a 100g pressure tank, and an 80g hot water heater. I think this setup will allow a 40-60psi range. I have been looking at combinations of mixing and volume control valves. I am confused about the flow rate of a 3/4" mixing valve with 3/4" inlet pipes vs. 3/4" mixing valve with 1/2" inlet pipes vs. 1/2" mixing valve with 1/2" inlet pipes. I am looking to get a maximum flow of 10gpm (2 sprays @ 2.5gpm ea., 1 showerhead @2.5 gpm, 1 hand shower @ 2.5 gpm). Do I need to have 3/4" piping installed for the inlets at this shower or can I get by with 1/2" inlets? Would you recommend using a 3/4" or a 1/2" mixing valve?

Posted by Jim Melvin on December 13, 2001 at 17:11:45:

I will be building a home with a custom shower including 2 body sprays,
a shower head, and a hand shower on a slide bar. I plan to have 3
separate volume controls. This home will be in the country on well and
septic. I have talked to one of the local well drillers who recommends a
shallow well for our area in Florida. The well should deliver a
guaranteed 25 gpm minimum. We are talking about having a 1HP pump, a
100g pressure tank, and an 80g hot water heater. I think this setup will
allow a 40-60psi range.

I have been looking at combinations of mixing and volume control valves.
I am confused about the flow rate of a 3/4" mixing valve with 3/4" inlet
pipes vs. 3/4" mixing valve with 1/2" inlet pipes vs. 1/2" mixing valve
with 1/2" inlet pipes. I am looking to get a maximum flow of 10gpm (2
sprays @ 2.5gpm ea., 1 showerhead @2.5 gpm, 1 hand shower @ 2.5 gpm). Do
I need to have 3/4" piping installed for the inlets at this shower or
can I get by with 1/2" inlets? Would you recommend using a 3/4" or a
1/2" mixing valve?

Replies to this post

There are none.