# Low flow shower ARM?



## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Anybody make a low-flow shower arm? 

In some of the rentals, the "landlord" pays the water bill. I have installed low-flow shower heads to help keep the bill down. It has come to my attention that some tenants change out the shower head to one they like better, or put on a hand shower. Since I favor making things idiot-proof, I'm not really going to be a shower head Nazi and police the tenants- IF.... someone makes a flow restricting shower arm. The tenants can change the shower head to their heart's delight if the shower arm is setup to only put out a certain number of GPM's. 

Ring a bell for anyone?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

I once took out a shower arm that
had the "ball" part of the joint cast
on the end.
It had a low flow looking, smallish 
opening.
Maybe some of the plumbers will 
know what it was?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

You could always braze a low flow
washer into the drop ell end? :laughing:


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

neolitic said:


> You could always braze a low flow
> washer into the drop ell end? :laughing:


Ya... that would be a ton of fun.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

It's the kind of "out of the box"
thinking that got me where 
I am today.

Glad to share. :laughing:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Most single unit shower sets/cartridges have flow control screws in them........


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Most single unit shower sets/cartridges have flow control screws in them........


Um... I thought they were just shutoff valves you used a screwdriver on? 

In any event, wouldn't work anyhow. Most of this stuff is antique. Surely somebody, besides me, has had this flow restricting shower arm idea before. I swear I saw them advertised someplace not too many years back.


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

mdshunk said:


> Um... I thought they were just shutoff valves you used a screwdriver on?
> 
> In any event, wouldn't work anyhow. Most of this stuff is antique. Surely somebody, besides me, has had this flow restricting shower arm idea before. I swear I saw them advertised someplace not too many years back.


Exactly what they are......But they do wonders for flow control! Might whistle a bit, but will restrict the flow to YOUR demands.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

if you change the shower valve most of the new shower valves are flow restricted without doing anything to them form factory


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=161301&sku=413877&










Put this between the flange and the arm and no one will ever be the wiser!


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

rbsremodeling said:


> if you change the shower valve most of the new shower valves are flow restricted without doing anything to them form factory


I could do that, but the payback would probably be 30 years. If someone makes a trick shower arm, that would probably only cost 10 bucks. The payback would be this year, probably.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

MALCO.New.York said:


> http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=161301&sku=413877&
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Now we're getting closer, but not enough thread to go back in the wall. Not even enough thread to get through the escutcheon, probably. If I used that on the shower head end, it would be gone in a flash. Getting warmer....


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## CA PLMBR (Sep 13, 2008)

Between writing my post and posting it you guys had already come up with a great idea. I had googled for a bit to find something but I had no luck. That device appears to be the ticket.:thumbup:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

If you place it on the arm with the Beauty Ring/escutcheon in between then, it should be a piece of cake to thread it in. (a bit bigger hole in the rock and lots 'o t-tape)


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> Now we're getting closer, but not enough thread to go back in the wall. Not even enough thread to get through the escutcheon, probably. If I used that on the shower head end, it would be gone in a flash. Getting warmer....


Put that in the wall and stub out a piece of copper from it for the shower head


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

rbsremodeling said:


> Put that in the wall and stub out a piece of copper from it for the shower head


Three cheers for thinking outside the box, but that would look like sin. :laughing:

We're on a roll now...


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> Three cheers for thinking outside the box, but that would look like sin. :laughing:
> 
> We're on a roll now...


I was assuming Malco's piece would be in the wall unseen and then a copper stub to connect the shower head to or a copper stub in the wall and that piece outside connected to the shower head. 

Could that work?

Last time I try to help your ungratefull ass


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

rbsremodeling said:


> Last time I try to help your ungratefull ass


:laughing: I hope you're kidding! I assume you're kidding. 

I thought you were just brainstorming out loud. I appreciate it, just the same. Think "slumlord". Easy, simple, and cheap. :thumbsup:

The thing is, with the number of these that would need done, there can be no guarantee that the distance between the drop ear and the face of the escutcheon would be the same. The flow restrictor pictured might hold the escutcheon off the wall on some, and be completely inside the wall on others. 

Keep it coming. Surely there's an easy, simple, and cheap solution.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> :laughing: I hope you're kidding! I assume you're kidding.
> 
> I thought you were just brainstorming out loud. I appreciate it, just the same. Think "slumlord". Easy, simple, and cheap. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


You know I am :thumbsup:


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=161301&sku=413877&
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This combined with Red Loctite is your answer, not even the Europeans make a reduced flow arm.


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