Just installed my freehander and have very little water pressure in the outer head even when the back head is turned off. Where doe I start troubleshooting?
Let's see if I have that right. You purchased a Grohe brand, handheld showerhead nozzle--that brand often seems to be available at discount (or should I say, make-believe-discount), which leads me to generalize, that they not expensive but also not in demand, in spite of the Euro look. Anyway, now installed as a side diverter attachment adjacent to the already present fixed (back) shower head, you anticipated that once the fixed head is "shut off" (as you put it) the "do me up close" nozzle should have full flow and even-better-up-close tingle because all the water is flowing that way now. Right? Wrong.
Let's look first at your statement that the fixed head has been "shut off"; that all water flow is fully diverted to the Grohe is another way to put it. As a general plumbing stricture, and by law (plumbing code) in most if not all states, shower shutoff valves (used in your case as a diverter device) SHALL NOT fully shut off water flow through a shower head, but must allow some amount of reduced flow (trickle) through the shower head--in your case through at least one and possibly both. In otherwords, functionally speaking, water under pressure must not be allowed to back towards the open, manual shut-off valve on the shower wall. (Why that is I am not sure, but it might be to remove any chance of shock hazard...should water escape into a wall cavity and find its way to an electrical source with bather standing in water.) What that rule means, then, is that if you have "tee'd in" your Grohe upstream of the original nozzle, and are using a fixed nozzle "shut off" (the kind that people use to soap up or just to save on water usage) to divert water to the hand nozzle, you will not be getting all flow to the handheld. Another--this is a product specific--problem is that the Grohe fixtures typically utilize reduced tubing/channel sizes; a way to make them more cheaply so they can be sold more cheaply. In many instances, the lower water flow is acceptable given the lower price because excessive pressure and flow volume is not needed for something like, say, filling a small lavatory sink...which is not the case for you in that great big shower, even when it's not your own back needing to be rinsed.
So, where you seem to have "gone wrong," perhaps, is in trying to preserve and avoid sacrificing the original, fixed shower head. My guess would be that your Grohe came with a support accessory which will allow it to be used in non-hand-held, fixed position--just like the nozzle you did not remove. I think your only solution (besides replumbing your house to maybe gain a little better flow and pressure) will be to remove the fixed (the back) shower nozzle and install the Grohe directly as the fixed and movable shower head. See if that does not solve your problem adequately, even with possibly slight flow diminishment. If you want a "shut off" valve, and the Grohe does not have an integrated shut-off, then install one on the main sower head tube, and the Grohe to it. Remember, you will see by pass flow out the Grohe but it should not be a problem. Save the removed, old, fixed shower head for....for a drawer filler.
Testimonial: "Flow restrictions were plugged with debris. Cleaned them and both heads are working great now. Thanks"
SOURCE: Grohe shower assembly leaking
hiit sounds as though the diverter valve is sticking in the mid position although you have turned it to the floor spout as you call it!!
Also it sounds as though the seals are possibly leaking causing the plasterboard (drywall) to get we, or possibly a joint may be leaking. Advice access the pip-work valve etc run shower & check with torch (flashlight) to see where its coming from?
Rectification work replace seals/repair leak...replace diverter valve assembly.
Kindly
Richie (UK)
SOURCE: I have a movatio shower head with a grohe allure
not the shower head ..its the hot and cold handles...
SOURCE: leak where Grohe shower head attached to the threaded pipe
using a pair of vice grips wrapped in a soft towel( to prevent scractching) turn the shower head in a counter clockwise direction to remove it then apply liquid teflon (real-tuf) to the threads on the shower arm and tighten the shower head but dont over tighten it liquid teflon is more effective at sealing leaks than teflon tape and it can be wiped clean
SOURCE: low water pressure in grohe hand held. Is there a
1 Check if the holes in the hand held shower are not clogged with scum which generally happens over prolonged use. Clean them with a pin. 2 If this does not help, then check the the pipe connecting the shower to the water outlet. It should be clean and not clogged with foreign material which restricts the flow of water. 3 It still it does not help then you may have to fix a booster pump or raise the level of the water reservoir.
SOURCE: freehander leaks at shower heads
Hi
Thank you for your query
If you just grab the showerhead with one hand and then unscrew anticlockwise the pipe underneath it should just screw off, once this has been done simply replace the O ring and rescrew
I hope this has been useful
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Found the answer with plugged flow restrictions. Cleaned out and it it working great now. Thanks!
where is the flow restrictor located?
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