Foster 15480001 accumulator

Booster pumps raise the pressure and flow of cold water where the incoming supply cannot meet demand, for example where a combi boiler, unvented cylinder or mixer shower performs poorly on low pressure. The range runs from domestic boosters and accumulator sets to multistage pumps and packaged booster sets for flats, offices and other larger buildings, plus accumulator vessels and spare tanks.

Main types

• Boosters with a storage tank: a pump and cold water tank in one unit. The tank has a type AB air gap, so the pump draws from the tank rather than straight from the mains.
• Accumulators: pressure vessels that store mains water under pressure and release it to add to the incoming flow when a tap or shower is opened. Unpumped versions need a static mains pressure of around 2 bar or more; pumped versions add a pump for weaker supplies.
• Multistage pumps and booster sets: single or three phase pumps, alone or in multi-pump sets with controls, for commercial and multi-storey buildings.

Regulations

In England and Wales, under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, you must notify the water supplier and get consent before fitting a pump or booster that draws more than 12 litres per minute, directly or indirectly, from a supply pipe. Electrical connections should be made by a qualified electrician. In England, a new circuit is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so use a registered competent person or notify building control.

Check the description

Some accumulators listed here are hydraulic or refrigeration parts rather than vessels for water supplies, so check the application, size and connections before you choose.

For the full range, see pumps; for pumps that boost a single shower, see shower pumps.