Thread: DrAndy's Rachman-style apartments

I think 50 litres per minute is a lot over the likely useage

that website specifies 1" pipe for the big pumps, maybe 1.25 for the smaller non-induction ones

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by Maxion

You might want to consider a single pump with separate bladder tanks sized to match demand

no idea how that works? more please

Combination pump/bladder units have limited flow capacity and may be unsuitable for larger services. This can be overcome by zoning with several pumps but to do this you will have to run separate feed lines for each zone back to the source.
Larger installations employ separate pump and bladder tank. The pump capacity and bladder volume are sized to suit the service demand.
What you are really looking to avoid is electric showers dropping out through low pressure or flow.
It’s also a good idea to fit balancing valves at each level so that the lower levels don’t take the lions share.
Below shows a pump complete with pressure switch (available in many sizes) and various sizes of bladder tanks. The two are simply piped together and are ready to go.
These items are readily available in Thailand and a good Bangkok plumber will be familiar with this type of setup.
I stress again, whatever system you go for, don’t skimp on the feed pipe size. It’s a common error that Thai plumbers make and difficult to rectify if later you find more delivery is required.

I run 1.25 with 15 out let at ground level& a good flow rate.good luck with the water supply for your units.

Originally Posted by Maxion

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Originally Posted by Maxion

You might want to consider a single pump with separate bladder tanks sized to match demand

no idea how that works? more please

Combination pump/bladder units have limited flow capacity and may be unsuitable for larger services. This can be overcome by zoning with several pumps but to do this you will have to run separate feed lines for each zone back to the source.
Larger installations employ separate pump and bladder tank. The pump capacity and bladder volume are sized to suit the service demand.
What you are really looking to avoid is electric showers dropping out through low pressure or flow.
It’s also a good idea to fit balancing valves at each level so that the lower levels don’t take the lions share.
Below shows a pump complete with pressure switch (available in many sizes) and various sizes of bladder tanks. The two are simply piped together and are ready to go.
These items are readily available in Thailand and a good Bangkok plumber will be familiar with this type of setup.
I stress again, whatever system you go for, don’t skimp on the feed pipe size. It’s a common error that Thai plumbers make and difficult to rectify if later you find more delivery is required.

If you run this pump & pressure switch then (no bladder tank required)
as the switch works on flow of water, when you open a tap there is a small drop in pressure the pump will start & when you turn the tap off the pump will run 10 -30 seconds then stop till the next tap is opened.

Originally Posted by Ratchaburi

If you run this pump & pressure switch then (no bladder tank required)
as the switch works on flow of water, when you open a tap there is a small drop in pressure the pump will start & when you turn the tap off the pump will run 10 -30 seconds then stop till the next tap is opened.

You are correct my choice of pump picture was wrong as I should have shown a pump with pressure switch only. Would have been better to show 3 separate components - pump, switch and bladder tank.

my local pump man is offering me an Italian pump with a pressure switch he will attach, much cheaper and better flow....he says

Originally Posted by DrAndy

my local pump man is offering me an Italian pump with a pressure switch he will attach, much cheaper and better flow....he says

Sounds like you are on the right track. Italy is famous for making pumps and if its anything like my old bilge pump it will run forever.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

my local pump man is offering me an Italian pump with a pressure switch he will attach, much cheaper and better flow....he says

I use the blader pump for 2 year but had many problem low air pressure the pump switch on off on off then the blader leaks & went to the pressure switch 4 year not a problem.
Look forward to see your units finished

back to the pipes

it is going to be difficult to hide a lot of the pipes from the bathrooms, they cannot be recessed in, and boxing them in will not make a very nice feel

maybe I will just paint them white and hope they blend in, or stick diamonds all over them for a bit of bling

^^ If painted the same colour as the surronds, pipes can look better than trying to cover them, they sorta blend in. Or painted a different colour, to make a pipe feature.

yeah, quite

unfortunately, the bathrooms on the second floor are going to be real "pipeworks", the others not too bad

pics later

Shame about the pipes, on a new build you would have had a riser through the floors but on a re, hash well have to do the best you can , still great flats though.

You can always hang your towel on them

Originally Posted by DrAndy

You can always hang your towel on them

I tink it would be a little hard on the ground floor.

It is mainly the waste pipes that are being a nuisance, esp the 6" soil pipes

here are the latest pics, hot from the bike

the ground floor back bathroom pipes;

not too bad as they can be boxed and a false ceiling fitted, which will be a little lower than wanted but still OK





The bathroom above that on the second floor; the pipes are a bit lower so maybe a partial celing over the worst and let the pipes show a bit

after boxing the vertical pipes, the shower may be moved to a better position on the RHS and the basin put on the LHS





the second floor front bathroom (to be); a similar situation that a false ceiling should solve, plus some boxing for the verticals



OK a new view - the rear of the building, never painted and maybe I won't bother either




a few nice shacks dotted about. A very fat man lives in what I would say was a garden shed. His neighbour, a rickshaw driver, lives in this tin shanty

It would be a idea make a capboard to with a door each side of the pipe.

Look forward to seeing the Thais boxing them pipes in ,, will be a good idea to leave some access ports

once the pipes are in, there is usually no reason to need to access them

if there was a leak, then the boxing could be taken off easily enough

They have started building the roof terrace entrance/exit

seen from below




and from the other end; unfortunately, they have not yet built the stairs, which may have made it easier for them

new thoughts on the pipes; we will probably build block walls around the vertical pipes, then the shower wall can extend from that. That can all be tiled and will, hopefully, look good

no access should be required as the verticals have no joints where they are to be blocked in

here we are, they have started already


the shower seems a little small, but you don't need to stand right next to the wall

It seems to be quite OK when I stood in the space




from the outside, the shower wall divides the space quite well

I am thinking of a false ceiling to hide the other pipes



this approach will work well for the other bathrooms with pipe intrusions, except the rear of the second floor where there is quite a low 2" pipe going across

paint it white....

Jeez so thats how the Thais do it ,,, thats some serious boxing in , makes my inch by two inch plus some chipboard look positively inadequate

well, it needed to be solid as that area has to be tiled and waterproof