Tub spout to hand Spray

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Dhal

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I have a tub with spout and shower. I would like to attache a hand spray to the spout. What do I need to buy? Ultimately I would like to remove the spout completely and only have a hand spray in it`s place. I asked a plumber and he said he can change the spout to a spray, however he can`t find something with a converter so we ca still convert the water to the shower head. Any advice would be appreciated.

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Basement_Lurker

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I believe you are looking for something like an "Add-a-shower Diverter Tub Spout." I have seen them for sale at home depot. If you use one of these in an existing tub/shower installation (I haven't actually installed one myself), I think you will also need to replace your showerhead with one that also has a diverter in it to stop the flow so that the handshower will function when both the spout and existing showerhead are blocked off.

52cfe489-4f43-4a94-b2de-5c55e6853c2e_400.jpg
 
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C NUMB

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You could do this: remove the showerhead from the arm and install a diverter, then re-install the showerhead and install the hand shower hose on the side inlet.
This is just an example, most all faucet companies make a them.
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Dhal

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I stopped by Home Depot today and found someone whom was knowledgable, however the news was not what I wanted to hear. He did recommend the diverter above for the shower head, however I have installed a rain shower, so this will not work. In regards to the faucet with attachement for hose and converter. This would mean I will need two diverters as you said, one also for the shower head. I can`t believe with all the tub out there with both faucet and showerhead, no one has come up with a system. I guess my only option at this point is to just find a store that has old fashing rubber hoses that go over the faucet. Lol! I am even willing to get rid of the spout and attache a hose with a spray, however they don`t make them like faucets one where you must press for it to work, only Kithcens..

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C NUMB

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There is another way.

You will need 2 of these:
http://www.grohecatalog.com/product/95866/
28035aOOOc.jpg


Remove the tub spout and place a short chrome nipple attach this volume control then add a vacuum breaker :
http://www.grohecatalog.com/product/07911/

07911OOOc.jpg


Attach the other volume control on the arm before the rainhead.

It will not be the ideal setup but will work without tearing the wall apart and replumbing.
Note: the volume control will not shut the water flow completely off but it will stop it to a drip as by code.
 
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nerakmh

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Dahl, did you get this setup to work?

Dahl, I have the same situation - a rainshower head and tub spout. I would like to add a handheld but apparently cannot attach the diverter to the shower arm. Did you find a set up that works?

thanks!
 

hj

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faucet

I take it you have not figured out, that if you put a hand held on the spout connection it will be EXACTLY like a diverter and your rainfall head will be running all the time. That is the reason nobody has even bothered trying to make something to do it.
 

WillH

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Hi,

I have the exact need. I recently had a tub/shower converted to a shower only (new tile, floor, etc..) and the plumber re-used the existing in-wall plumbing because it was almost brand new. He moved the control valve higher up the wall and put a diverter for a hand shower where the tub basin spout used to be. I have since learned that instead of plugging the control valve for the tub spout, he simply used the same pipe and installed a diverter. I guess he didn't realize that the overhead shower would still function when the diverter was turned to the hand shower due to the back pressure when using the hand wand. When you unscrew the hand wand hose, it works fine: Water comes out the wand pipe and not the overhead shower; However, when you hook up the hose, the water comes out of both even though the diverter is turned to the wand. So when the water flows through the diverter unrestricted by a smaller hose or hand wand, it doesn't flow from he overhead shower arm. He and I think it must be because of just enough back pressure through the diverter valve to cause the pressure equalizer in the control valve to force water up to the overhead shower.

Short of making the plumber rip-out the wall tile and replumb this thing (neither one of us wants this at the point), does anyone have any suggestions. I saw the post about the Grohe vacumn breaker and I was wondering if I could simply put one of these on the hand held shower? I thought about experimenting with different hand wands to get one that wasn't restrictive but this is wastefull and could get expensive and still not solve the problem.

The overhead shower part works fine by the way.
 
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Redwood

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Your best option is to break open the wall from the back side and install a diverter valve on the shower riser. This valve will then be able to select the rainshower or, the handheld, or even both.
 

WillH

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As I noted in my post but probably not clearly enough, I already have a diverter valve. The diverter valve is where the tub spout used to be. I do not want to add yet another diverter to the upper head too, especially at the expense of tearing out the wall.

I am thinking I am somehow going to have to shut off the water to the upper head or greatly reduce it so that most of the water will go to the hand-held.

I can easily buy a shut off valve to fit to the upper shower head as already noted in an earlier post by someone else, but I was wondering if anyone has a better solution??

Seems like I could buy a bigger hose for the handheld or something to get more volume to the handheld which would keep the balancing feature from diverting to the upper shower head.

Thanks.
 

hj

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shower

Seems like I could buy a bigger hose for the handheld or something to get more volume to the handheld which would keep the balancing feature from diverting to the upper shower head.

Don't waste time looking for it. There is no way to make that work. Your handheld shower head will ALWAYS create the backpressure that will cause water to flow from the rainfall. In fact the hose itself will do it without the head attached. And if you put a shutoff valve on the rainfall, then you will have to open or close it everytime you want, or do not want, to use it. You are trying to do a very unwieldy thing.
 

Redwood

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On the wall where the valve is...
What is on the back side of that wall?

A closet maybe?:eek:
That is usually what I find, and they are a great place to make a hole for access.:cool:
 

WillH

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The plumbing is located on an exterior wall and that is brick. Not able to come in from that way and I don't want to destroy the new ceramic tile wall.

The plumbing pressure is pretty good so there is sufficient pressure when both the hand wand and the overhead are used together.

I guess I will just have to live with it or install a shutoff valve on the overhead showerhead.
 

Redwood

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I guess thats the good thing about living in the frozen north...
No plumbing in exterior walls.

Many companies make remodel plates...

Symmons-RC-rw-58690-16547.jpg
 
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WillH

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Well, I bought a volume control valve that attaches to the showerhead and this solves the problem. We don't use the handheld wand that much so it isn't that big a deal to turn the diverter handle and then turn the valve on the showerhead. It actually gives us more control over the water anyway so it turned out OK.

Thanks.
 

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hj

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diverter

After seeing the picture of your installation and rereading your problem, it does not make sense. THAT diverter is the one which is usually used for "multiple" devices and when installed correctly you can choose any one of them, and sometimes a combination depending on the valve and how they are piped.
 

WillH

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Don't know how it is plumbed inside the wall. With the handle turned up it only comes out the upper showerhead. Any other position it comes out both the upper showerhead and the handheld. I do remember seeing the valve and it had 2 inlets and 2 outlets but I believe he must have plugged 2 of these (don't know which).

At this point, I have it working fine with no problems.

Thanks.
 
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