Lower Water Pressure Problems/Cleaning Shower Heads

[Artisi]

Just to put some numbers against flows and pressure,

Pressure varies as the square of the fllow rate, to double the flow rate thru the pipe and the pressure required to achieve this will be 4 times higher.

Change the pipe size and the friction losses in the pipe system vary as D^5 for the same flow - if you change from 1/2"pipe (18mm) to 3/4"(20mm) the friction loss will be approx 30% less - this results in more flow if the pump is capable of delivering the higher flow rate.

[powderpuff]

Good eye Pib.

Here is the pump. This is not theoretical. I actually own this pump. It is my second one. I wanted more volume like the Grundfos has. Buy this way I can control the pressure. This pump with controller is about 8000 baht. Made in Italy. Super awesome pump.This one is rated at 750 watt 1 horsepower. I can get 4 bar with no problem. No pipes burst yet. Touch wood.

[powderpuff]

My Masterflow pump can be connected to a header tank if desired. This is my old one & maybe a 100 liter S/S expansion tank.I don't use a tank anymore.

[powderpuff]

Same rig different view.

[powderpuff]

Artisi - you are quite right. However according to my ruler 1/2 inch is closer to 13 mm. Double the D square the flow.

[katabeachbum]

Just to put some numbers against flows and pressure,

Pressure varies as the square of the fllow rate, to double the flow rate thru the pipe and the pressure required to achieve this will be 4 times higher.

Change the pipe size and the friction losses in the pipe system vary as D^5 for the same flow - if you change from 1/2"pipe (18mm) to 3/4"(20mm) the friction loss will be approx 30% less - this results in more flow if the pump is capable of delivering the higher flow rate.

to put it another way, the flow in one 3/4 inch pipe equals the flow in three 1/2 inch pipes

[Pib]

powderpuff,

Thanks for the info/pictures. You definitely got a Ferrari of a water pumping system. What a person has to go through to get good water pressure in Thailand can sure be challenging and frustrating sometimes. Sometimes I think that if I was still living in the States my residence would just be hooked up the street water main (no pumps, no storage tanks, etc) running at around 60psi (4 bar) and water pressure, shower strength, hot water, etc., was never an issue...it was just one of those things that was so reliable you just didn't think or talk about it. But hey, we now live in part of the world were the water distribution system has its challenges and we do talk a lot about how to overcome those challenges.

Cheers,

Pib