Rain shower heads - advice, please

[redrabbit]

We've just had a new shower fitted, and replaced the previous shower head (speakman-style nozzle) with one of those rain/drench dinner plate things. The flow is way down, even allowing for the expected change of 'intensity'.

There's about 2.5 bar to the system, which was more than adequate before. The head is a Crosswater MPRO which I thought would be up to spec, but it's very lacklustre. The handheld that runs of the same mixer works just fine.

Does anyone have experience or recommendations for a low pressure rain head, or are they all just a bit st?

Thanks in advance!

[GasEngineer]

Some of them have a little gauze filter where the head connects to the stem. May have caught some installation debris restricting the flow.

[redrabbit]

GasEngineer said:

Some of them have a little gauze filter where the head connects to the stem. May have caught some installation debris restricting the flow.

Interesting, thanks - i will take a look. I guess it's more that it's intermittent - it surges one minute, then more of a dribble, then surge again. As I said, no issue with the handheld on the same mixer.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

The smaller the head, the greater the power, I have found. So either go for the usual round type, but choose one as thin as poss, or use one of these mini style ones, that actually work really well.

[redrabbit]

Yes that's probably where we will end up, with another nozzle head. I bowed to my wife's preference despite my better judgement. I'll wait until she's as fed up with it as I am, and replace it then, I expect

[sherman]

Just a thought.
The flow to the head is fully open and not turned down anywhere?

We have a 30cm rainfall head that runs of directly off our gas combi boiler.
Has more than enough power.

[Stretchly]

some of them also come with "adaptors" where you can "increase pressure" to allow for different types of shower units. I had to remove mine completely for my Methven Aurajet as there was barely anything coming out.

[redrabbit]

sherman said:

Just a thought.
The flow to the head is fully open and not turned down anywhere?

We have a 30cm rainfall head that runs of directly off our gas combi boiler.
Has more than enough power.

Nope, no restriction to the flow that i can think of. I have a number of thoughts on what's going on, including distance from mixer valve to head (which changed in the new installation), the fact it's a pumped system, etc etc.

I thought to start with it could be air working its way through the new installation, and the fitters agreed, but it's been a couple of weeks so I'll be getting them back for another look, I think.

[GasEngineer]

redrabbit said:

GasEngineer said:

Some of them have a little gauze filter where the head connects to the stem. May have caught some installation debris restricting the flow.

Interesting, thanks - i will take a look. I guess it's more that it's intermittent - it surges one minute, then more of a dribble, then surge again. As I said, no issue with the handheld on the same mixer.

Have you tried running it with the shower head removed?

[Jeremy-75qq8]

Pressure and flow rate are different things.

Get a smaller head or increase the flow.

[rossyl]

Take it off
There will be a small plastic "filter" looking thing near the input. This is a flow reducer, for eco purposes.
Just remove it.

See if that is sufficient for you, if not, you'll need to go for a smaller head.

A Speakman is an entirely different experience, it's basically a "club" jet style shower, so will take getting used to a rainfall head.

[Caddyshack]

Jeremy-75qq8 said:

Pressure and flow rate are different things.

Get a smaller head or increase the flow.

Beat me to it. I suspect it’s a flow issue.