Anyone here installed a whale gulper 220 pump as a shower pump using off the
shelf controls?
I ask because the pump is only ~£90 but when you buy a kit its ~£700.
I think the kit is overkill and includes things like flow sensors and a
variable speed controller to stop it slurping ( do they slurp loudly?).
I was thinking a flow switch and a run on timer would do if the slurping
isn't too bad.
Maybe even a level switch in the drain would do the job?
Its for a shower for an 87 year old with limited mobility.

Any help appreciated.

On Apr 4, 7:58*pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
Anyone here installed a whale gulper 220 pump as a shower pump using off the
shelf controls?

Yes.

I ask because the pump is only ~£90 but when you buy a kit its ~£700.
I think the kit is overkill and includes things like flow sensors and a
variable speed controller to stop it slurping ( do they slurp loudly?).
I was thinking a flow switch and a run on timer would do if the slurping
isn't too bad.
Maybe even a level switch in the drain would do the job?
Its for a shower for an 87 year old with limited mobility.

The pump or ideally the whole kit can be had more cheaply off Ebay.

If you get the bare 24v pump it should run OK from a suitably rated
laptop power supply (off Ebay too)

An adjustable 15v-24v laptop power supply would allow the pump speed
to be tailored to the shower flow.

I 'd try a pull switch nearby the shower, I turn mine on when getting
in then let it run on until I've dried myself.

If the user forgets and leaves it on, then look at other options. The
pumps are supposed to be able to run dry without damage.

cheers,
Pete.

On Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:58:51 +0100, dennis@home wrote:

Anyone here installed a whale gulper 220 pump as a shower pump using off the
shelf controls?
I ask because the pump is only ~£90 but when you buy a kit its ~£700.

Why? You can get a pretty good Salamander pump off Screwfix for about the
same money.

--
John Stumbles

Blamestorming
Sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed
or a project failed, and who was responsible.

"John Stumbles" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:58:51 +0100, dennis@home wrote:

Anyone here installed a whale gulper 220 pump as a shower pump using off
the
shelf controls?
I ask because the pump is only ~£90 but when you buy a kit its ~£700.

Why? You can get a pretty good Salamander pump off Screwfix for about the
same money.

Different job, the pump is for the waste water, sorry if I wasn't clear.

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Apr 4, 7:58 pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
Anyone here installed a whale gulper 220 pump as a shower pump using off
the
shelf controls?

Yes.

I ask because the pump is only ~£90 but when you buy a kit its ~£700.
I think the kit is overkill and includes things like flow sensors and a
variable speed controller to stop it slurping ( do they slurp loudly?).
I was thinking a flow switch and a run on timer would do if the slurping
isn't too bad.
Maybe even a level switch in the drain would do the job?
Its for a shower for an 87 year old with limited mobility.

The pump or ideally the whole kit can be had more cheaply off Ebay.

If you get the bare 24v pump it should run OK from a suitably rated
laptop power supply (off Ebay too)

An adjustable 15v-24v laptop power supply would allow the pump speed
to be tailored to the shower flow.

I 'd try a pull switch nearby the shower, I turn mine on when getting
in then let it run on until I've dried myself.

If the user forgets and leaves it on, then look at other options. The
pumps are supposed to be able to run dry without damage.

cheers,
Pete.

Have you any thoughts on using a PIR switch like
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/80538/..._-PIR-_-80538#
It looks like it might do what I want.
Then it would be pump, PIR and drain, a lot less than the £700 for the
dry-deck digital.

On Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:39:14 +0100, dennis@home wrote:

Different job, the pump is for the waste water, sorry if I wasn't clear.

You weren't :-)

I think the saniwaste (or whatever they call it) is about £200.

--
John Stumbles

87.5% of statistics are made up

"John Stumbles" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:39:14 +0100, dennis@home wrote:

Different job, the pump is for the waste water, sorry if I wasn't clear.

You weren't :-)

I think the saniwaste (or whatever they call it) is about £200.

ITYM sanishower, I have one on order from screwfix along with a sanicompact
toilet, however I think it will be canceled.. I read the spec and it needs
about 130 mm between the bottom of the shower and the bottom of the
sanishower for it to work properly.
The whale only needs 35 mm so the floor can be 4" lower and I need a smaller
ramp/step.

On Apr 4, 11:03*pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

Have you any thoughts on using a PIR switch likehttp://www.screwfix.com/prods/80538/Lighting/Floodlights/PIRs-Photoce...
It looks like it might do what I want.

Doubt it, google 'ip ratings'

Has the person to use it stated a strong preference for something
automatic over a pull switch?


One other thing to bear in mind is the non return valves in the pump
aren't always perfect, and can let water from the outlet side back to
the inlet side.

So it might be /ideal/ to have a narrower hose on the outlet side, and
a wider/longer hose in the inlet side, to accomodate any water without
it backing up through the shower drain.

The pump has 22mm pipes which should take braided 3/4" PVC hose with a
bit of persuasion (heat hose in boiling water). A stepped hose tail
will then convert to the size you want.

If you need a low profile trap a caravan accessories supplier may have
what you want, but the pump is 'self priming'

cheers,
Pete.

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Apr 4, 11:03 pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

Have you any thoughts on using a PIR switch
likehttp://www.screwfix.com/prods/80538/Lighting/Floodlights/PIRs-Photoce...
It looks like it might do what I want.

Doubt it, google 'ip ratings'

Its IP44 so its protected against sprays.

Has the person to use it stated a strong preference for something
automatic over a pull switch?

He doesn't know what a shower pump is, I did think of putting the pump on
the light circuit so it comes on if he switches the light on.



One other thing to bear in mind is the non return valves in the pump
aren't always perfect, and can let water from the outlet side back to
the inlet side.

I don't expect this to be a problem, it only needs to lift 500 mm and then
it can fall away to the drain.


So it might be /ideal/ to have a narrower hose on the outlet side, and
a wider/longer hose in the inlet side, to accomodate any water without
it backing up through the shower drain.

The pump has 22mm pipes which should take braided 3/4" PVC hose with a
bit of persuasion (heat hose in boiling water). A stepped hose tail
will then convert to the size you want.

22 mm is the size I need, do you know what fittings it comes with?


If you need a low profile trap a caravan accessories supplier may have
what you want, but the pump is 'self priming'

I can get a wet room trap which is 35mm deep and 22 mm out without much
trouble so I will probably use that, thanks.

What I did wonder is if I should just pump it into a washing machine stand
pipe, it should be OK.

The loo has to go into a separate 38 mm pipe to the stack which shouldn't be
too difficult, I hope.

All this for a temporary fix. ;-)

On Apr 5, 1:26*pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

...

On Apr 4, 11:03 pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

Have you any thoughts on using a PIR switch
likehttp://www.screwfix.com/prods/80538/Lighting/Floodlights/PIRs-Photoce...
It looks like it might do what I want.

Doubt it, google 'ip ratings'

Its IP44 so its protected against sprays.

Have a look at:

http://www.domestic.lumoslighting.co.uk/ip-ratings.html

22 mm is the size I need, do you know what fittings it comes with?

I'd expect that the bare pump is just that. Might be possible to get a
kit of some sort off Ebay.

cheers,
Pete.

Is it an electric, pumped or gravity fed shower BTW?

cheers,
Pete.

"Pete C" wrote in message
...

Is it an electric, pumped or gravity fed shower BTW?

Gravity with a Mira thermostatic mixer.

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
On Apr 5, 1:26 pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

...

On Apr 4, 11:03 pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message

Have you any thoughts on using a PIR switch
likehttp://www.screwfix.com/prods/80538/Lighting/Floodlights/PIRs-Photoce...
It looks like it might do what I want.

Doubt it, google 'ip ratings'

Its IP44 so its protected against sprays.

Have a look at:

http://www.domestic.lumoslighting.co.uk/ip-ratings.html

So if its 0.6m away from the shower area its OK.
I might not do it that way anyhow, I have been looking at a small float
switch that I can mount in a piece of pipe in the drain to switch it on/off.


22 mm is the size I need, do you know what fittings it comes with?

I'd expect that the bare pump is just that. Might be possible to get a
kit of some sort off Ebay.

Does that mean I can use 22 mm pushfit connectors on it, I wonder?

On Apr 5, 5:23*pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:

Does that mean I can use 22 mm pushfit connectors on it, I wonder?

Yes, it's ideal for that.

If the user is infirm, my concern would be what happened if the shower
was left trickling.

Some sort of float switch and/or water level alarm on the shower drain
might be well worth having.

cheers,
Pete.