Using a Pressure Gauge All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[acsimpson]

I have a mira miniduo mixer shower which makes a squeeling noise when turned down. (It is also prone to knocking when turned on or adjusted although I think this is due to pipework being plastered over without clipping it.)

I phoned Mira about the problem and they said it was probably due to exesive water pressure, so I bought a pressure guage from Screwfix. I tried it on my garden tap but due to the non return valve it didn't give a reliable reading so I attached it to the dishwasher tap under the kitchen sink and got a reading of 3.2 bar dropping to 2.5 when the kitchen tap is turned on. This is well within the maximum 5 bar maintained pressure limit on the shower.

Can someone please confirm if I am using the pressure gauge correctly and if not how I should take the measurements of static and maintained pressure for the shower.

Thanks

[htg engineer]

Basically as you've done - connecting to the mains cold water will give you the pressure - the pressure will be the same whatever size the pipework is.

Try closing the mains cold water stop tap slightly, see if the squealing noise reduces, if it doesn't and the shower is under warranty, send it back to Mira.

The banging noise is down to the pipework, clip and lag where possible to prevent pipes touching other pipes, joists etc.

htg

[plumbbob]

The pressure reading is exactly as would be expected.

In a high pressure system, flow restrictors need to be fitted. Have they been correctly installed by the fitter? Check the installation guide for details of what and where they should be fitted.

I have fitted the Mira Miniduo in the past and have not been aware of the symptoms you describe.

Noises from water flow can be notoriously difficult to identify and cure.