Shower head restrictor

[Dadillac]

So I use a rainfall shower head. When I first got it I removed the water restrictor and my showers were awesome. High pressure to quickly wash away the soap so that I don't have to rub and rub the soap away. Problem here is the water usage. My house has a 40 gallon water heater and it can't keep up with the shower head and no restrictor. So I bought another of the same shower head that comes with a 1.75 gpm and a 2.5 gpm restrictor. I am using the 2.5 and I am not happy with it. I need something between the 2.5 and the deleted restrictor. Has anyone ever modified a restrictor so that it will flow somewhere in the 3.5 gpm to 4.0 gpm? If so what is the best approach? I thought about drilling a few small holes through it but I am not sure that will actually work. Please advise if you can. Thanks

Don

 

[Rand]

drill a hole in the restrictor instead of removing it?

Try a 1/8" hole and go from there.

I think my last one I did 2 or 3 holes.... you can always drill more holes but not less..

 

[4WD]

So I use a rainfall shower head. When I first got it I removed the water restrictor and my showers were awesome. High pressure to quickly wash away the soap so that I don't have to rub and rub the soap away. Problem here is the water usage. My house has a 40 gallon water heater and it can't keep up with the shower head and no restrictor. So I bought another of the same shower head that comes with a 1.75 gpm and a 2.5 gpm restrictor. I am using the 2.5 and I am not happy with it. I need something between the 2.5 and the deleted restrictor. Has anyone ever modified a restrictor so that it will flow somewhere in the 3.5 gpm to 4.0 gpm? If so what is the best approach? I thought about drilling a few small holes through it but I am not sure that will actually work. Please advise if you can. Thanks

Don

Does the head have threads ?

https://www.build.com/product/summa...MI273_q9r5jgMV4yzUAR0fGjPoEAQYASABEgIQwfD_BwE

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

So I use a rainfall shower head. When I first got it I removed the water restrictor and my showers were awesome. High pressure to quickly wash away the soap so that I don't have to rub and rub the soap away. Problem here is the water usage. My house has a 40 gallon water heater and it can't keep up with the shower head and no restrictor. So I bought another of the same shower head that comes with a 1.75 gpm and a 2.5 gpm restrictor. I am using the 2.5 and I am not happy with it. I need something between the 2.5 and the deleted restrictor. Has anyone ever modified a restrictor so that it will flow somewhere in the 3.5 gpm to 4.0 gpm? If so what is the best approach? I thought about drilling a few small holes through it but I am not sure that will actually work. Please advise if you can. Thanks

Don

Drill baby drill!

 

[Egg_Head]

Really? Get a bigger HW heater or go tankless. I have Speakman shower heads throughout my house and have drilled out the Al Gore pleasure-restrictors. LIfe's too short not to enjoy your shower time.

 

[burbguy82]

did the internal restrictor have a small little o ring ......and if you remove the o ring, it reveals a thing that puts you in mind of a strainer?

 

[IcarusLSC]

Check out the difference in size between the two restrictors you have and maybe try drilling it out more and see how it goes? You can always keep going bigger/test/trial and error?

 

[ka9mnx]

Take shorter showers?

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

For 10 cents you can make a custom restrictor and have whatever flow you want. Take a dime and start with 3 1/16 holes. Put the dime between gasket and shower head. Enlarge holes until desired flow achieved

 

[ripcord]

That's it!! I'm out of here. This place is full of felons. Next ya'll will be advising folks to remove the tags from throw cushions!

 

[Rob_Roy]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cash-Acme-...p.ds&msclkid=b7e005804b22109716426d152be789b9

Install a mixing valve and set the tank temperature at 140F.

 

[ripcord]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Cash-Acme-...p.ds&msclkid=b7e005804b22109716426d152be789b9

Install a mixing valve and set the tank temperature at 140F.

That's awesome! I didn't know those existed.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

That's it!! I'm out of here. This place is full of felons. Next ya'll will be advising folks to remove the tags from throw cushions!

No the cushions are no issue.....mattresses! Go big or go home.

 

[mikeduf]

I will have to chime in on this post, because I recently purchased a Kohler shower head that was something like 1.4 GPM water flow rate.

So as I stand in the shower twice as long to get fully cleansed my neighbor is running his outdoor sprinkler with no concept of timer and is having a flood down the street pretty much every day!

My point here is yes we're trying to conserve water in SoCal but I see this as if anybody remembers
the cigarettes that were low nicotine with a special filter to reduce the tar.

It was like smoking an air cigarette you had to smoke three to get the benefit that you were looking for.
I know this might be a strange analogy but standing in the shower twice as long and using the same amount of water reminds me of that when I used to smoke.

Long story short the restrictor came off and I also called the manufacturer and they sent me out another one with a better flow rate. Just my two cents here.

 

[thastinger]

3.5-4gpm is a whole lot of flow from a shower head.

 

[Dadillac]

Does the head have threads ?

https://www.build.com/product/summa...MI273_q9r5jgMV4yzUAR0fGjPoEAQYASABEgIQwfD_BwE

This may work. Water heater is set one step down from hottest temp. When I removed the restrictor the pressure from the shower head was amazing. Made the shower curtain flap around. Not sure what the gpm was without the restrictor but I figure it was at least 5 or 6 gpm. Probably more. The current 2.5 gpm just isn't enough. I need more but not a lot more. And to the member who suggested taking shorter showers. My normal shower time is about 4 minutes. Unless I am shaving my head and then it goes up by about 3 minutes. So my shower time isn't terribly long. I forgot to add that with the restrictor in place the water heater keeps up perfectly fine. I will give the valve a shot and cross my fingers.

Don

 

[oil pan 4]

I hog out the flow restrictor and take shorter showers.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

The typical size tank is 55 gallon. I had a 75 gallon installed when I bought my house. Builder thought I was nuts... Women take long showers. Wanted to make sure if I was last in line for a shower, I had hot water...and I do. Everytime. Too many cold showers when I was growing up. Wasn't happening again !!!! PTSD !!!! LOL