Electric Shower Head Advice Please

[cobraboy]

Yeah I do have a pump, but it doesn't work as well - I need to revise the whole setup. My setup is as follows. Have a large cistern, pump and pressure tank sit atop, from there pipe goes out to tinaco on top of the house and then from tinaco comes out the pipe that distributes water to the rest of the house. I'm not a plumber, but it seems that with the tinaco in the middle of the setup the pressure is going to be lost. The plumber assured me that's the way it's supposed to be, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Is this how you guys have it if you have a Tinaco?

No.

My pump feeds both the tinaco and the pressure cannister from a cistern fed by a neighbors well (she pumps water into it for RD$150 a month.) If the tinaco is not full (it has a toilet-type float shut-off mechanism) the pump fills it. If it's full, the pump shuts off when the pressure cannister is pressurized to the set psi.

When we have no electricity (the inverter doesn't work because the pump is 220) all we have is gravity flow water. The first flow is much higher pressure because of the cannister. Then it slows to gravity pressure, much lower.

BTW-we do have a pump switch in the house. The only time we turn the pump on is for showers and to fill the tinaco.

Few tinacos, unless installed really high (increases head pressure), will have good pressure at the tap/shower.

IMO, pressure is your problem.

 

[suarezn]

Hmmm...Ok. That's pretty much my setup as well. My question was more whether the one pipe coming out of the pump/canister goes just to your tinaco or does it feed the pipe that distributes water to the rest of the house? Man wish I had some pics...In my case it just fills the tinaco and I guess in theory when the tinaco is full and if there's power the pump would come on when you open a faucet and provide pressure. So it's like this...Cistern ===>> Pump/Canister ===>> Into Tinaco ===>> Out from Tinaco ===>> House faucets. Anyhow don't want to hijack thread, just wondering how people had theirs setup.

 

[cobraboy]

Hmmm...Ok. That's pretty much my setup as well. My question was more whether the one pipe coming out of the pump/canister goes just to your tinaco or does it feed the pipe that distributes water to the rest of the house? Man wish I had some pics...In my case it just fills the tinaco and I guess in theory when the tinaco is full and if there's power the pump would come on when you open a faucet and provide pressure. So it's like this...Cistern ===>> Pump/Canister ===>> Into Tinaco ===>> Out from Tinaco ===>> House faucets. Anyhow don't want to hijack thread, just wondering how people had theirs setup.

Pump goes to both the tinaco and pressure cannister. Both the pressure cannister and tinaco go to the house. There is a anti-backflow valve betweem the pressure cannister out and tinaco out to keep the pump/pressure cannister from pumping into the tinaco out.

Therefore:

• Pump fills the tinaco until full and pressure cannister until pressurized. House pressure is increased during the tinaco fill cycle.
• Tinaco feeds house with gravity pressure until pump is turned on.
• Pressure cannister fills house until cannister internal pressure is equal to tinaco head pressure.

Make sense?

It soundslike your pump just fills the tinaco and all you have is gravity pressure.

 

[SantiagoDR]

No.

My pump feeds both the tinaco and the pressure cannister from a cistern fed by a neighbors well (she pumps water into it for RD$150 a month.) If the tinaco is not full (it has a toilet-type float shut-off mechanism) the pump fills it. If it's full, the pump shuts off when the pressure cannister is pressurized to the set psi.

When we have no electricity (the inverter doesn't work because the pump is 220) all we have is gravity flow water. The first flow is much higher pressure because of the cannister. Then it slows to gravity pressure, much lower.

BTW-we do have a pump switch in the house. The only time we turn the pump on is for showers and to fill the tinaco.

Few tinacos, unless installed really high (increases head pressure), will have good pressure at the tap/shower.

IMO, pressure is your problem.

The problem with doing it this way is that the water in the Tinaco sits for a long time and is used only when there is no electricity.

If you look at the pipes up at the Tinaco you will probably find them filled with mold (Green Slime), as the water sits too long and mold (Green Slime) grows in the pipes......

I recently installed a second larger Tinaco and that is what I saw when I cut the pipes to install the second Tinaco.

SantiagoDR

 

[Bryanell]

Hmmm...Ok. That's pretty much my setup as well. My question was more whether the one pipe coming out of the pump/canister goes just to your tinaco or does it feed the pipe that distributes water to the rest of the house? Man wish I had some pics...In my case it just fills the tinaco and I guess in theory when the tinaco is full and if there's power the pump would come on when you open a faucet and provide pressure. So it's like this...Cistern ===>> Pump/Canister ===>> Into Tinaco ===>> Out from Tinaco ===>> House faucets. Anyhow don't want to hijack thread, just wondering how people had theirs setup.

We have ours set up more or less the same way, but to maintain good and steady pressure in the house we cut the tinaco out of the daily circuit. The pipe from the vacuum controlled pump/pressure tank goes into the house and has a take-off for the tinaco controlled by a ball-valve shutoff (llave de paso). When this valve is open the pump keeps the tinaco full but allows water from the tinaco to flow back into the house circuit. We only use the tinaco for emergency like in an apagon when the pumps does not pump and the pressure tank loses pressure fast. So then we shut-off the water coming from the pressure tank and open the tinaco valve allowing water into the house circuit by gravity feed. When the power comes on again we open the shut-off allowing the pump/pressure tank to fill up the tinaco and when that's full again we isolate the tinaco from the circuit. Our 2500 gallon cisterna is filled from the mains (CAASD) and we get water 2 or 3 days a week from that source. Since we are a relatively small household, it's sufficient.

 

[cobraboy]

The problem with doing it this way is that the water in the Tinaco sits for a long time and is used only when there is no electricity.

If you look at the pipes up at the Tinaco you will probably find them filled with mold (Green Slime), as the water sits too long and mold (Green Slime) grows in the pipes......

I recently installed a second larger Tinaco and that is what I saw when I cut the pipes to install the second Tinaco.

SantiagoDR

Not really.

We only turn the pump on for showers. All other water used-dishes, toilets, washing machine, car/bike washing, pet washing, garden watering, etc.-is from just the tinaco. And often Alida doesn't turn the pump on for her shower, she's OK with the head pressure.

We've had the tinaco run out before, so I think we're OK...

 

[suarezn]

Pump goes to both the tinaco and pressure cannister. Both the pressure cannister and tinaco go to the house. There is a anti-backflow valve betweem the pressure cannister out and tinaco out to keep the pump/pressure cannister from pumping into the tinaco out.

Therefore:

• Pump fills the tinaco until full and pressure cannister until pressurized. House pressure is increased during the tinaco fill cycle.
• Tinaco feeds house with gravity pressure until pump is turned on.
• Pressure cannister fills house until cannister internal pressure is equal to tinaco head pressure.

Make sense?

It soundslike your pump just fills the tinaco and all you have is gravity pressure.

That makes more sense to me. I always thought there should be two pipes out of the pump (one to Tinaco and other directly to house feeding pipe). This way when there's power the water would come directly from the pump/canister and when not from The Tinaco. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[cobraboy]

One problem with pressure is I've seen houses here built with 1/2" and 3/4" water lines FROM THE PRESSURE SOURCE, not 1".

 

[the gorgon]

waytogo says

cb, I've been using them for 2 years and never had a problem. Dons photo is really extreme. As long as everything is wired, sealed, and taped correctly you won't have a problem.

the second part of the sentence is wherein the rub lies. my buddy had one of these things in his bathroom, and i once received a nasty shock turning on the tap. i hardly believe you could buy these devices over the counter in the USA.

 

[cobraboy]

waytogo says

cb, I've been using them for 2 years and never had a problem. Dons photo is really extreme. As long as everything is wired, sealed, and taped correctly you won't have a problem.

the second part of the sentence is wherein the rub lies. my buddy had one of these things in his bathroom, and i once received a nasty shock turning on the tap. i hardly believe you could buy these devices over the counter in the USA.

And keep in mind that possibly MOST houses/apartments in the DR are NOT grounded, and most if not all pipes for plumbing are pvc and not iron or copper, so there isn't much to ground a showerhead electrical item to.

 

[AlterEgo]

One problem with pressure is I've seen houses here built with 1/2" and 3/4" water lines FROM THE PRESSURE SOURCE, not 1".

Yup, someone told my husband to change the water line to a larger size, we're going to do that next trip. Glad to hear a second opinion that agrees.

AE

 

[SantiagoDR]

Not really.

We only turn the pump on for showers. All other water used-dishes, toilets, washing machine, car/bike washing, pet washing, garden watering, etc.-is from just the tinaco. And often Alida doesn't turn the pump on for her shower, she's OK with the head pressure.

We've had the tinaco run out before, so I think we're OK...

Well, turning the pump off, is basically the same as "When there is no electricity".......

As long as you maintain the routine to turn off the pump, then you have less mold problems.

Just don?t forget to turn off the pump after the shower.
I have a timer on my water heater and there is also a bypass switch.

When the wife wants a shower in the evening, she turns on the bypass switch, but, most of the time never remembers to turn off the bypass switch again. lol

SantiagoDR

 

[SantiagoDR]

Yup, someone told my husband to change the water line to a larger size, we're going to do that next trip. Glad to hear a second opinion that agrees.

AE

Should be interesting changing the water lines inside the concrete block walls and concrete floors.......

(Assuming your home is concrete block construction)

______

_______
SantiagoDR

 

[Hillbilly]

AR: Water pressure is a key element. Without it, the things do not work and if there is too little flow, but just enough to close the circuit to the heating element, YES you can get VERY HOT water....uncomfortably hot water.

I would suspect that in that gruesome photo there was a short circuit or the circuit did not open when the pressure went off and the heating element just melted everything.

Dirty water can cause this, of course.

However, even in Mao, a truly provincial little town, I had no trouble with them.

My house IS grounded. A long 9' copper rod driven into the ground and connected to the circuit box....makes for better night's sleep...

HB

 

[mountainannie]

Wow WHO
knew that there were so many unexpressed water issues?

Getting back to my issue - which is in a third floor apartment -

there is an old electric hot water heater in the linen closet with a switch on the wall

now something happened with this ... as one can see from rust on the bottom

and when I got the place there was an old plastic shower head...

there was never great pressure from the straight pipe that goes into the shower

but as i said

there is great pressure from the tinaco into the sink

so

perhaps the best thing is to get a good plumber

(do those exist here? yes, they must)

and have him look at the old heater and see what can be done?

I know that the landlady would have just done the cheapest thing since this apartment is her only asset and she never does repairs)

Question..

even if the hot water heater died.. WHY would there just be this pipe which sticks out two feet from the wall // for the shower head..>?

 

[cobraboy]

Question..

even if the hot water heater died.. WHY would there just be this pipe which sticks out two feet from the wall // for the shower head..>?

Can you take some pics?

 

[MikeFisher]

there should be 2 pipes arriving where you have the handle to control the water mix Hot/Cold, and from there should be one Pipe coming out and end where you mount a showerhead.
at an ole 3rd floor appartment I would await that at least a 'few pieces' of the plumming on all the way from Groundfloor to 3rd floor are PVC/Plastic, so much for the Grounding.

Mike

 

[bienamor]

Pump goes to both the tinaco and pressure cannister. Both the pressure cannister and tinaco go to the house. There is a anti-backflow valve betweem the pressure cannister out and tinaco out to keep the pump/pressure cannister from pumping into the tinaco out.

Therefore:

• Pump fills the tinaco until full and pressure cannister until pressurized. House pressure is increased during the tinaco fill cycle.
• Tinaco feeds house with gravity pressure until pump is turned on.
• Pressure cannister fills house until cannister internal pressure is equal to tinaco head pressure.

Make sense?

It soundslike your pump just fills the tinaco and all you have is gravity pressure.

This is right on the money. your pump is raising to the tinaco, from then on out your at gravity pressure, you need to do as CB says split and feed both the pressure tank and the tinaco from the pump not the pressure tank only all that is doing is raising the water up to your tinaco.

 

[bienamor]

Wow WHO
knew that there were so many unexpressed water issues?

Getting back to my issue - which is in a third floor apartment -

there is an old electric hot water heater in the linen closet with a switch on the wall

now something happened with this ... as one can see from rust on the bottom

and when I got the place there was an old plastic shower head...

there was never great pressure from the straight pipe that goes into the shower

but as i said

there is great pressure from the tinaco into the sink

so

perhaps the best thing is to get a good plumber

(do those exist here? yes, they must)

and have him look at the old heater and see what can be done?

I know that the landlady would have just done the cheapest thing since this apartment is her only asset and she never does repairs)

Question..

even if the hot water heater died.. WHY would there just be this pipe which sticks out two feet from the wall // for the shower head..>?

Invite me over and will see whats up. even better than pictures

 

[dv8]

i do not know how can one go without hot water.
i set up my living standards prior to coming her: no matter what i gotta have how water for my showers.
so far so good. in our house we have a water heater and we switch it on twice a day for about an hour. water gets really hot and plenty for two. the heater was already here when we bough the house but in the future i would like one of those gas water heaters so that i could use hot water for washing dishes and clothes, most importantly. well, i already can as hot water is connected to the washing machine but it would dry the tank in no time and hike up electricity bill
water pump itself is always on and it is connected to the inversor.