Shower Power Booster
Information Leaflet
This very quiet efficient shower booster has achieved acclaim from
Universities for its clever use of science. It continues to win prizes and grants.
Our pump is different because it is unique (nothing else comes close). It is the
only in-line shower booster which can ‘intelligently’ boost yet not impede
existing flows, with no risk of cavitation, or burning out when it runs dry, or
when it runs against a closed valve. These are all problems we have solved
with this invention and our rivals have not. This amazing new solution is a
brilliant way to solve an age old problem – dribbly taps and showers.
Shower Power Booster
All Shower Power Boosters are factory tested to 5 bars pressure and the flow
switches checked to be working. Please carry out checks before fitting just to give peace of mind
before you fit. We have put many videos on YouTube to help you. Just type in the title of the video into
a YouTube or Google search, all video titles are listed below in red.
‘SHOWER POWER BOOSTER – Pre fitting checks’
Plug in the 3 pin plug into a standard plug socket. Plug the male connector from the transformer
directly into the female plug which comes directly from the back of the motor (white barrel). If the pump
runs then all is well with the pump and transformer. PLEASE NOTE THAT WHEN FITTING THE SPB
DO NOT HOLD THE BARREL WHILST YOU TIGHTEN THE COMPRESSION JOINTS AS THIS
MAY OVERSTRESS THE PUMP AND CAUSE FRACTURE.
If on a horizontal pipe make sure you can fit the pump so the white barrel is not higher than the pipe.
If fitting on 22mm pipe do not push the 22mm pipe in too far or it WILL BLOCK THE PUMP INLET.
‘Shower Power Booster – Flow Switch Check’
For the SP2, with the power on - unplug the male transformer socket from the back of the white motor
barrel and plug it into the only other female socket which is hanging loose from the flow switch. The
light on the flow switch shines constantly. Connect up the male plug from the flow switch into the
female plug from the white motor barrel. Blow and suck repeatedly for 4 seconds through the fitting
which should spin the flow rotor (unseen). The light on the flow switch fllashes quickly and the pump
turns on – all is well.
Shower Power Booster is different!
How can a small pump doing the same job as a pump X20 bigger be otherwise?
Thank you for buying this product – visit our websites and tell your friends about us.
Our customer helpline number is 01298 77211
www.showerpowerbooster.com
www.showerpowerbooster.co.uk
www.showerheadhosesmixers.co.uk
Manufactured Under License In The UK
UK Patent Granted
Invented By
Alan Wright BSc(Hons) CEng M.I.C.E
Shower Power Booster - Fitting Instructions
A Shower Power Booster will improve flows and pressures in an existing system without
overwhelming what you already have. You can fit a shower power booster in any position but on
a horizontal pipe rotate the pump down to stop it trapping air. Remove 115mm of pipe, insert the
pump. Use jointing compound very sparingly as it will foul the flow rotor. DO NOT USE PTFE
TAPE. ‘Shower Power Booster – How To Make A Compression Joint’
Our Chrome finished pumps are designed as slip joints which make fitting them very easy but
make sure you do not push a 22mm pipe too far into the fitting and block the feed to the pump!
If you have old imperial size pipework (Southern Ireland, Australian, New Zealand, India, and
those with old Victorian plumbing systems), you may need imperial olives (available if preordered from our web site). You will need copper inserts if fitting on a plastic pipe.
For Gravity Pressure Systems a single Shower Power Booster on your hot feed should
balance a lower cold pressure. A good mixer tap will control hot and cold with a pressure
differential of 4 to 1. We have designed the pressure and flow of our shower power booster to
complement a gravity system for gravity hot and cold so that a single pump will not normally cause
imbalance. If hot and cold supplies are very low pressure then go for balanced flow (One
automatic switch on the hot controlling 2 pumps (hot and cold)). You can always try a single pump
on the hot and upgrade later.
For a whole house solution fit one of our pumps on the 22mm hot pipe near the cylinder.
It also works great on individual 15mm pipes to individual taps and showers. If you fit it near the
hot water cylinder every tap and shower in your house will benefit from better flows and
pressure. If you fit it on a pipe which just feeds a single tap or shower then that tap or
shower will continue to flow even if someone turns a tap on elsewhere in the house.
Fit the pressure booster under the bath - it is fully water tight, low voltage, and safe.
Power Supply ‘Shower Power Booster – Explanation Of Power Supply’ Take a spur off the
lighting rose and fit a 3 pin socket to plug the transformer in so it comes on and off with the
lights.
Use an existing 3 pin plug socket (we provide the plug). A remote control on/off is also available
through our shopping cart.
For a mixed gravity / pressure system where the hot is gravity fed and cold is mains fed
you should only need one pump to increase the pressure on the hot and it should balance with
the cold. For very high mains pressure or a mixer unable to balance, an upgrade to a double
boost will sort it.
For electric showers ‘SP2 – Shower Power Booster For Electric Showers’ fit a shower
power booster on the cold feed to the shower. It works if you have low mains pressure below
0.8 bars (8 metres head). A single pump adds 4 metres pressure but a double boost adds 8
metres. An electric shower is an ‘instantaneous’ heater so a 9.8 kW electric shower gives can
only heat a maximum of 4.7 litres a minute, a 12.5 KW shower gives 6.0 litres. An electric
shower shuts down if the pressure is too low and a shower power booster solves this. If you
want more water than an electric shower can heat, then the shower itself will cut down the
pressure and no amount of boosting will help.
For Combi Boilers ‘SP2 – Shower Power Booster For Combi Boilers’ the shower power
booster needs to be on the hot water pipe after the boiler. This pump is ideal if you have a
dribbly tap or shower in any system and the pressure was lost over a long pipe run. The shower
power booster is the only pump you can buy that will boost the hot pipe from a combination
boiler but it is also for boosting individual taps and showers so if you are running more than one
tap or shower at any time it is likely to deactivate the pump and water flow will revert to what it
was before you fitted the pump. If you fit the pump close to the combi boiler, it will boost every tap
and shower in the house. If it is just a single tap or shower which is giving you trouble, then fitting
the pump on a pipe dedicated to that tap or shower will give you the best results.
FOR CHALLENGING SITUATIONS:- If you have the wrong mixer tap or shower mixer for a
gravity system (some mixers are described as ‘ideal for combi boilers’ but need a minimum of 0.5
bars pressure), change the mixer tap to one that needs 0.1 bar (1 metre head). There are plenty
of great mixer taps out there so check the specification.
For challenging situations you can always add a second shower power booster in series
to ‘double boost’ the pressure added.
Fully Automatic Flow Switch. We were unable to buy a flow switch with the high efficiency and
low resistance we wanted so we had to make one ourselves. A magnetic rotor and a hall detector
give us a high tech solid state solution. We currently have three flow control switches supplied to
customers:
Programme One - Green LED
This program works for all situations where air entrainment is not an issue. The switch detects
water movement every half a second and if in every half second period for 2 seconds the water
moves then the pump is switched on. When you stop using water the pump switches off.
Programme Two - Yellow LED
The switch detects water movement every half a second and if in every half second period for
4 seconds the water moves, then the pump is switched on. When you stop using water the flow
switch switches the pump off for 8 seconds before it starts looking for another 4 seconds of water
flow. For houses with air trapped in the pipework the air expands and compresses with the extra
pressure provided by the pump. When the pump stops or the pressure changes when you open
another tap in the house, the air expands and pushes water past the pump. The pump thinks you
want water so turns on, compresses the air again, so the pump would run continually. The new
programme allows the system to settle down and reset ready for the next time you need it.
Programme Three - Red LED
A 20 second delay after pump stops instead of 8 seconds so that your system can fully settle
down. This is a special that will only be supplied to customers with excessive air entrapment in
their systems.
Program Four - Blue LED
Two second delay with a 20 second delay between pumping cycles. Suitable for systems with air entrainment
and for both positive and negative head situations.
CONSTANT LIGHT - POWER ON
SLOW FLASHING LIGHT - TRANSFORMER FAULT
FAST FLASHING LIGHT – PUMP RUNNING
Fault Diagnosis, Serviceability, Warranty & Returns
The main causes for the pump starving are:
(Search titles in red on YouTube to see these videos or visit our website)
‘Shower Power Booster - Fault Diagnosis’
‘Shower Power Booster - Air in Systems’
‘Shower Power Booster Pump Motor Replacement’
‘Shower Power Booster Upgrades and Repairs’
‘Shower Power Booster - Warranty and Returns’
Pump running but no difference in flow Have you fitted it on the wrong pipe or before
the vent pipe from the hot water cylinder to the cold tank? Simply run the tap or shower and feel
the pipe to see if it gets hot. If the tap runs hot and the pipe gets hot as well – it’s the right pipe. If
the vent pipe to the cold water tank gets hot the pump is the wrong side of the vent pipe. Is the
22mm pipe pushed in too far and is blocking the pump port? If fitted on a horizontal pipe, the pump
barrel should be flat or above the centre line of the brass fitting. You should be able to see through
the clear plastic connectors to tell if air is present. Loosen the compression joints, rotate the brass
fitting so that the pump volute is no longer a high point – tighten the joints again.
Pump Running all the While
Check ‘How To Wire Up A Shower Power Booster’ ‘Shower Power Booster - How To Wire Up A
Shower Power Booster’
Small pieces of debris, limescale, and even bits of plastic and loft insulation can find its way into a
hot water system. Debris in the non return valve can cause the pump to run all the while and the
pump will stop boosting the water - the fault can easily be cleared with a simple biro. ‘Shower
Power Booster - Blockage in Non Return Valve’
Pump running but little difference in flow
Is the 22mm pipe pushed in too far so it is partially blocking the feed to the pump? Is the mixer tap
suitable for gravity pressures? The pump will work with good and average mixer taps, but a small
number of shower and tap mixers need a huge amount of pressure to work. A typical shower
mixer (manual or automatic) will need 1 metre head (0.1 bar), to work. A SPB adds a further 3
metres head so you have 4 metres head which is 4 times the minimum – A GREAT SHOWER. It is
possible to buy shower mixers which need a minimum of 5 metres head (0.5 bar) and I have even
come across a customer who bought a tap which needed 2 bars (20 metres head). These high
pressure mixers were developed for the European Market where many have showers running off
mains pressure. SPB will improve any shower or tap and we have sold many SPBs to people who
have high pressure shower mixers and are happy with the smaller increase in flow we give.
The pump is running slow then fast then slow
The water pressure increases when the pump runs slow and then it drops when the pump runs
fast if the pump is starved of water. When the pump starts up it will take up to 9.2 litres a minute
but if there is not 9.2 litres a minute coming from the hot water cylinder, it will take water from the
expansion pipe. The water level in the expansion pipe drops until you draw air into the pump. The
pump is unable to pump because the volute is full of air and starts to spin quickly. The water from
the cylinder is now reaching the pump faster than it is pumping away so the water level in the
expansion pipe rises the SPB re-primes and starts pumping – the cycle repeats.
• Existing valve shut or faulty. You turned the cold water feed to the bottom of the hot water cylinder off when you fitted the pump – did you turn it back on again? (you will not be the first to have
done this!)
Standard valves are clockwise close – anticlockwise open.
• Sediment in the hot water tank? It is possible that sediment which has built up over a number of
years accumulates in the bottom of the cylinder and reduces throughput.
• Is the hot temperature too hot? –If the hot water is above 60 deg C then mixer taps shut down to
protect you from being scalded (the pump pulses in a similar way to a starved pump).
The hot overwhelms the cold at the mixer tap:
Good mixer taps will balance dif-ferentialpressure up to 4 and 5 to one but occasionally some will
not. We had one customer who had no problem for months and then suddenly the mixer tap went
wrong. Feel the cold input to the mixer and if the cold feed gets hot then this is the problem and there
are solutions:
• Buy a second shower power booster for the cold (existing customers can upgrade from an SP2
to an SP21S at a significant discount).
• Double Boost the hot (existing customers can upgrade from an SP2 to an SP21S at a significant
discount).
• Buy a new mixer
SP2 runs intermittently when a Mixer Tap Runs
The flow switch will turn the pump on when the flow rate to a tap exceeds 1.8 litres a minute. A
mixer tap mixes hot and cold water so it is important that the SP2 is fitted on the hot feed when
fitting a SP21S balanced flow. If you find the SP2 is cutting in and out when you operate a mixer
tap/shower mixer it could be that the hot water flow is close to the minimum. To rectify this you
could find that decreasing the temperature of the hot water is all you need (so the mixer calls for
more hot water and less cold). To check if the flow switch is operating correctly measure the flow
at which the pump cuts in as it may be there is a obstruction in the flow switch which is interfering
with the flow switch rotor. If the f low rate cannot be improved by changing the water temperature
and the 1.8 litres a minute cannot be achieved then the flow switch can be bypassed and the SP2
operated as a SP1 (manually activated)
In November 2014 we introduced the SP22S with a power bridge which uses 2 fully automatic
pumps. When the flow switch on the hot or on the cold activates, both pumps pump together. This
can overcome the effect of ‘hunting’ mixer valves as a balanced flow and pressure is achieved
even when the hot or cold flow falls below 1.8 litres a minute.
Problems or advice? Your new shower power booster is very easy to fit but if in doubt please give
us a call or there are fitting instructions, installation videos, and lots of information on our web site:
Information Videos
General Interest Videos
(Search Titles In Red On YouTube to see these videos or visit our website)
Search titles in Red on YouTube to view or visit our website
General Fitting Hints
(Search Titles In Red On YouTube to see these videos or visit our website)
‘Shower Power Booster – Which Pipe To Fit it On’.
If in doubt as to where to fit the pump, this video is a must.
‘Fitting a shower power booster – avoid trapped air’.
On horizontal pipes the white pump barrel should be rotated fl at or angled down.
‘Shower Power Booster – How To Make A Compression Joint’
Do not use PTFE tape, and use compound very sparingly or not at all.
‘Shower Power Booster – Draining Pipes’.
If in doubt as to how to drain the pipes to fi t the SPB, then this video is for you.
‘How to convert a 22mm shower power booster for 15mm pipe’
3 part adaptors are supplied with every pump we supply.
‘The Benefi t Of A Good Mixer Tap Or Shower’
Avoid a lemon!
‘Replacing an Existing Power Shower with a Shower Power Booster’.
Using the existing fl exi connectors to an existing power shower.
‘Shower Power Booster – Avoid Blocking Inlet Port to the pump’.
For easy fitting the SP2 is designed with a slip joint but be careful not to push a 22mm pipe into
the fitting too far.
‘Shower Power Booster – How do I tell gravity cold from mains cold’
‘Shower Power Booster – New Invention’
A 38 second summary
‘How much additional flow will I get with a shower power booster?’
‘Shower Power Booster – How do I tell gravity cold from mains cold’
‘Shower Power Booster – Quiet In-Line Booster Pumps’
A brief product summary 2 minutes and 4 seconds
‘How To increase low water flow in a shower/bath’
Demonstrator made for appearance on Dragons Den
‘Shower Power Booster – Explanation Of Power Supply’
‘Shower Power Booster History Of British Plumbing’
An explanation as to why Britain and Southern Ireland are different from the rest of Europe.
‘How A Shower Power Booster Flow switch Works’
‘Shower Power Booster For Negative Head Application’
Ideal if you have a fortic tank or a shower in a loft conversion
Pump Specification:
Product Videos
(Search Titles In Red On YouTube to see these videos or visit our website)
‘Manual Activated Shower Power Booster SP1’ Gravity Systems
‘SP2 – Fully Automatic Shower Power Booster with Flow Switch’
‘SP22D – Two Shower Power Boosters with Flow Switches’
‘Spare Transformer For Shower Power Booster’
‘SP1 – Shower Power Booster (Manual) For Electric Showers’
‘SP21S – Shower Power Booster Balanced Flow’
‘SP4 Radiator Booster (From Shower Power Booster)’
‘Shower Power Booster High Performance Shower hoses’
‘SP2 – Shower Power Booster For Electric Showers’
‘SP21S – Shower Power Double Boost’
‘SP4 – Reconditioned Shower Power Boosters’
‘Shower Power Booster High Performance Shower hoses’
‘SP2 – Shower Power Booster For Combi Boilers’
‘SP11S – Shower Power Double Boost’
‘Spare Shower Power Booster Pump Motor’
‘Shower Power For Negative Head’ – Radio Remote
Weight of Pump 180 grams
Weight including Brass Fitting 625 gms
Size Of Pump 75mm x 35mm
Length Of Brass Fitting 150mm
Maximum Head 5.2 metres to 6.0 metres
Typical output at 5 litres a minute = 3.1 metres head
Power Consumption at 5 litres a minute = 12.6 Watts
Power Consumption pumping against closed valve = 9.5 Watts
The 12 volt pump is brushless with neodymium bearing and has a 3 year replacement parts
warranty. The pump can be replaced by simply screwing out the old motor and screwing in
a new pump