Diverter for body spray + shower head + handheld shower wand?

11 years ago

Hi all,

I've been getting different answers from different plumbing shops, so I thought I'd try the experts here.

For our master bath, we would have 2 little body sprays, a rain shower head, and a handheld shower wand. We would like to be able to use the following combinations:
- all at once (or at least the body sprays and the rain shower head)
- just the rain shower head
- just the handheld shower head

Different plumbing shops have said we can only do one at a time or two at a time full blast or two at a time but only half pressure on each. Some say I need the volume control, others say I don't (I really only care to have off and full blast, so don't need volume control).

We'd like to use a less expensive Grohe or Hansgrohe line if possible, but am open to other lines if that's the only way to go.

Is there a diverter that will do what I'm looking for? If so, can you give me the info (brand, model number)?

Thanks in advance for any and all help!!

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Comments (6)

onlinehomehelp
11 years ago
Hi GH, All of that water demand will, most likely require a 3/4" water line, instead of the standard 1/2" water line, be piped to the shower to deliver additional volume and pressure. Without that, you will not have good performance from using multiple sprays, regardless of the valve type or diverter option. And yes, the volume is cut in half with shared functions from a diverter, but depending on the shower heads, may still be adequate. It's a balancing act, and will depend on your water pressure from the street. For a standard 1/2" diverter, to just switch between functions, the Delta R11000 rough-in body is reasonable and good quality. Then you choose the type of trim option and a 6 function cartridge. Otherwise, if 3/4" water line is at the shower, separate volume controls will allow all the functions to flow at full blast.
mydreamhome
11 years ago
We have the Delta rough-in and 6 function cartridge which runs the rainshower head on a standard shower arm, the overhead rainshower head and a handheld. We can run 1 or 2 at a time in any combination. The pressure does go down some when we turn on the second head, but it's really not too noticeable. We have been happy with our Delta fixtures in all our baths. Our shower is the Lockwood line, the sinks and tub have the Addison line and the kids have the Dryden line.

When you say rainshower head, do you mean one overhead coming out of the ceiling or one on a standard shower arm coming out of the wall?
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Since this is a "medical" and as such might be a temporary need, and you say you have no desire to run more than one head at a time, the simplest and least invasive would be to replace your existing shower head with a hand held retrofit kit. Yes, you can buy additional brackets so the head can be mounted elsewhere on the wall. And you are correct, the bracket needs to be matched to the head, they are not necessarily universal. A lot of showers I build, I also make a teak bench for them. In addition to an extra bracket or two on the wall, often times I'll add a bracket to the edge of the bench. I'd look for the longest hose you can find. Personally I find the segmented metal hoses lay flatter and loop over themselves less than the plastic hoses. Plastic versus metal head? Plastic is fine in a decent head, but in a $9.00 head the entire thing might be too lightweight and spray water everywhere regardless of what material it is made from. Mongo
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I used a single thermostatic valve made by California Faucets that has a large temperature control in the center of the bezel, flanked by two smaller levers for water volume control, which allow the two showerheads to be used together or alone in any proportion, with all three levers contained in one valve unit. They're available with round or rectangular metal backplates, in several colors/finishes, with numorous style choices for the knobs and levers. Like it a whole lot.
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You must be a real blast at parties with how negative you always are. Can you please just not comment on my posts? on demand hot water heater does 5gal/min, shower heads are 1.8-2.0, body misters are .08gpm @45psi and i'd have 6. my pressure tank keeps my pipes at 45+psi no problem. My plumber said they dont care about dual valves where i live and since i'm doing class K, I only have a final inspection which is a walk through to make sure the house isn't going to tip over. Thanks for your very insightful, and once again wrong contribution to the conversation.
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This thread is old but maybe this comment will help someone else who has decided they want a hand held. Don't listen to the naysayers. You don't need to buy a new valve with a diverter and a cover plate. The valve that you have has 4 ports. One for hot water, one for cold and a third one goes to the shower head. The fourth, down to the tub spout would normally be capped if you don't want a tub spout. (You can go in through a wall behind the shower so that you don't destroy the tile.) Instead of capping it, sweat solder a short piece of tubing that extends off to the side. Onto this tubing, solder a brass elbow with female pipe threads (just like in the wall at the shower head). Screw into this elbow a short brass nipple that will extend through the shower wall to a nice chrome attachment mounted on the wall to which you can connect the shower hose. You'll need a diamond hole saw to cut through the tile cleanly. (Then mount the hand held anywhere you want, like in the picture.) Easy peasy. Any plumber would understand these instructions. The water will normally come out the hand held (just like with a tub spout), but by pausing the hand held, water will come out the shower head. The hose is is only under pressure when the pause function is engaged and the water is running. You'll be in the shower if it breaks.--no risk of water running during your 2 week vacation. If the hose has to be replaced in 3 or 4 years, so what? The pause function on the hand held means that the hose was designed for intermittent city water pressure. It's a Delta. The hose will be of good quality. ...Now just repair the drywall in the adjoining room.
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GreenHighlighter
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks, onlinehomehelp and mydreamhome. It's a new bathroom, so there isn't piping yet. I just asked my contractor and he said 3/4" pipes are no problem. I'll check out the Delta stuff. Thank you!!!
lillo
11 years ago
I am doing your same setting. I bought the hansgrohe axor Montreux thermostatic valve 3/4" , a volume control and a quatro diveter. I can use each function separate or any 2 together . If you want to use the three together than you have to forget about the diverter and get 3 separate volume controls .
GreenHighlighter
Original Author
11 years ago
We ended up just getting individual volume controls. The plumbing store folks said that I might have water pressure issues if I went another route, and the cost was pretty similar, I think (amazing how quickly I forget things!!).
raehelen
11 years ago
Green,

Are you installing an Instant-On Demand hot water heater? If you plan to use two or even three outlets at the same time, you can run out of hot water pretty fast! We have 3/4" pipes, and so the water pressure is fine with two outlets on at the same time, but I will run out of hot water. Just something to consider since you're doing a new build. (And your municipality may have some kind of energy rebate program for an on-demand heater...)

Diverter for body spray + shower head + handheld shower wand?

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onlinehomehelp

mydreamhome

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Diverter for body spray + shower head + handheld shower wand?

Comments (6)

onlinehomehelp

mydreamhome

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GreenHighlighterOriginal Author

lillo

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raehelen

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