2nd Shower Head - Creative Retrofit Ideas

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Rossn

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Looking for creative ideas on installing a second (hand) shower head in the master shower, which currently has an interaktive shower column.

The bathroom is not being remodeled, but the downstairs is gutted, and I could somewhat access the back side of the north wall (built-ins).

Which would be the less wierd... 2nd shower valve left of the existing shower column or Installed in the front side of the bench (easier to access)?

Can anyone recommend a compact valve that is good for a retrofit like this (maybe even something small, surface mount)?


master_shower_2nd_head.jpg
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Interaktive shower column = Hansgrohe external mount thermostatic with overhead fixed shower and handheld all in one... just installed similar.

You have hot and cold in the shower wall supplied to the Column... In order to get another outlet on the same wall, you could install some form of tee on the handshower outlet with a push button shutmost valve on the second handheld.. To not look too weird they would have to be on the same wall or on the adjacent wall mounted close to the corner so the hose doesn't drape through the middle of the shower.

To get an outlet on the other side of the shower you're going to need to run hot and cold up to another mixer.
 

Rossn

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Hi, thanks for your thoughts. Since we do not use the body sprayers, my initial thought was to disconnect those and use the outlet on the valve to run a pex line beneath the bench (remember downstairs ceiling is currently open), and have a hand sprayer outlet mounted where the bench meets the wall, then a hand sprayer attached to that.

I then saw the whole thing is supplied by 3/8" braided lines, and was questioning the pressure drop, and also know I ran 3/4" copper to the area, and was then thinking it may be cleaner to just install a second mixer valve and then do the same as above. However, I'm not clear as to what valve may be easiest to install through an existing shower with restricted back access and preventing any moisture moving through the wall.

Any thoughts on that?
 

Tuttles Revenge

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So this is one of those boxes with the entire system built in that hangs on the wall? If it is, then I would think your idea of disconnecting the body spray hoses to divert to a handheld unit should work..

I know we've done some repairs on one of those units where one of the hoses burst and we replaced it with pex.
 

Rossn

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Yes, it is. The valve can run both the sprayers and shower head at once, though I don't know what that will do to water pressure with a watersense shower head as the second. Maybe it will be just fine. It is just really tight working in that space with Pex! I'm assumig that fitting is something like 3/8" MIP x barb. Any ideas on how to immediately turn and go through the wall with PEX-A (Uponor)?

interaktive_valve.jpg

Edit to add pic
 

Rossn

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Maybe it has to be 3/8" Pex. Looks like Uponor makes the below items... it is awful tight in that space, to also add a 3/8" adapter. Someone must make a Elbow Adapter 3/8" Pex-A/Expansion x 3/8" MIP or a 3/8" Pex-A/Expansion x 3/8" barb.

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Tuttles Revenge

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I haven't used 3/8 pex in years. Not even sure I have a 3/8 head anymore. The white lines are the tubes that feed to each of the outlets right? they are all low pressure because they're never subjected to your static pressure. So maybe it doesn't need to be pex, but maybe something closer to what they have already.
 

Rossn

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I was thinking of using 1/2", but noting that the existing fittings were 3/8". Inside the shower, I wouldn't mind if a leak is sprung, but under the bench (to the hand shower outlet) is a different story! That said... I do have to order some 3/8 pex to get hot water to a few lavs quickly enough, and maybe that would reduce the number of fittings in that space... but that sure is small for a shower head.
 
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