Shower Manufacturer Introduce Shower Type

In the bathroom industry, I have come into contact with many friends who are decorating in the past few years, and I have found that everyone has a lot of doubts about how to choose a bathroom shower. So this year it took some time to gather everyone’s doubts. Organized into one article. I hope you can have a clear idea on how to choose a shower.

As for what is “good”? I personally think that “the one that suits you is the best.”

Many friends asked, “Is the all-copper good or something good?” This is the choice of shower. I recommend that you can start from your needs. After all, the material issue is only a question of budget and price, I think the functional requirements are worthy of consideration first. After all, the function is not selected right, even if the best material is used, the experience may be extremely poor! Therefore, the first requirement I recommend to consider is: Is a constant temperature function required? It’s a question of “what kind of water heater do you plan to install at home?”

1. Constant temperature
Many friends do not understand what a thermostatic shower is. Some people even think that it cannot adjust the temperature. Here we give a little example of what is a thermostatic shower:

For example, a storage-type electric water heater or solar water heater. The water temperature is set to 70°C. If you use an ordinary traditional non-thermostatic spool shower, you must first start with cold water when you turn on the water, otherwise we are easily burned by the water at 70°C. Therefore, you can only slowly increase the amount of hot water mixed after turning on the cold water until the temperature is adjusted to the right. If you wash for a while at this time, the water in the water heater tank will drop from 70°C to 60°C. Due to the decrease in the temperature of the hot water end, the hot and cold mixing ratio adjusted just now will be colder. At this time, it is necessary to re-adjust the handle to increase the amount of hot water and reduce the amount of cold water to return to a comfortable temperature. If other members of the family are washing dishes in the kitchen at this time, the pressure of the cold water is lowered, and the cold water supply in the shower in the bathroom is insufficient, then the water will be hot again. We have to adjust the handle again to a comfortable temperature. At this time the bowls in the kitchen have been washed, and the faucet is turned off. The cold water end returned to normal water pressure, and the water from the shower was cold again. We also readjust the handle to a comfortable temperature. Slowly, the water in the water heater tank has dropped to 55°C… we need to adjust…

This is repeated, cold and hot. No pleasure in taking a bath…

But if you use a thermostatic shower, the situation is quite different. We can set the shower valve to 40°C (assuming the comfortable temperature is 40), and the thermostatic valve core can automatically balance the mixing ratio of cold and hot water by relying on memory metal springs or paraffin heat-sensitive components to keep the outlet water temperature constant at the set 40°C. After using it for a while, the temperature of the water in the water heater tank slowly dropped from 70°C to 60°C. The thermostatic valve core will automatically adjust the mixing ratio of hot and cold water during this process. In order to maintain the temperature of the outlet water at 40°C. The water pressure changes mentioned in the previous example will not affect the water outlet temperature. This is called “constant temperature”. Of course, if you wash to the point where the hot water end is less than the set temperature of the shower, the shower valve body cannot heat you up. This is beyond the scope of ability…Haha, live up the atmosphere. Don’t make it look like an academic paper

and so. Thermostatic showers have also become the best choice for solar water heaters, storage electric water heaters, air energy water heaters…a family. Or larger villas, duplexes, self-built houses…This kind of situation is faced with multiple people using water and the water pressure may change at any time. Generally, a shower with a constant temperature function is recommended.

As for the thermostatic valve core, the first-generation thermostatic valve core uses wax element (Wax Element). The second-generation thermostatic valve core uses a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring. Japan’s TOTO, KVK, INAX… all use SMA memory alloy structure for thermostats, while German brands (including Hansgrohe) and domestic high-end thermostats still use wax-sensitive spools. The difference in body sensation is only the speed of water temperature reaction, and there is little difference in actual use. Most domestic high-end thermostatic products use French VerNet (Wan Nai) spool

But pay attention when choosing a thermostatic shower, the hot and cold water in the home must be “hot left and cold right”. Secondly, water heaters such as solar energy are not suitable for products using wax-sensitive valve core components. Because the water temperature is too high and the pressure of cold and hot water is unbalanced, one will damage the paraffin components, and second, it may make the constant temperature invalid.

For families with one or two bathrooms and gas water heaters, they can use ordinary showers in terms of function selection. One is because the gas water heater provides a hot water end with a constant temperature, and the other is that the fluctuation of water pressure has relatively little influence, and even many people hardly realize that the water temperature will change.

Can the gas water heater also be equipped with a thermostatic shower? Of course, even I use it. In terms of function, this is purely superfluous. But what I think more about in the shower is only the simple and atmospheric appearance of thermostatic products, and the aesthetic matching with decoration. This is also like the meaning I said at the beginning, “The best for you is the best.”

But it is worth noting whether the water heater used at home can be started under a small amount of water, and whether it will turn off under a small amount of water!

After removing the ordinary mixing valve core and handle, the appearance of the thermostatic shower is generally simple and elegant, with a strong sense of design

2. Top spray
Why recommend the top spray in the second consideration? Because this is also a relatively large functional divergence point. There are generally two reasons for choosing top spray, one of which is definitely to use it. For people who have the habit of using top spray or like to use top spray for bathing, this is a necessary function. The second thing that many people did not expect is aesthetics. For example, you rarely or never use a top spray, and do not like showering from head to toe. But the mansion at home is very large. After all, the shower head without the top shower occupies a small area, and it is especially easy to appear empty, and the bathroom looks stingy. From the perspective of aesthetic collocation, you can also choose a shower with top spray.

There are four classification functions

1.Thermostatic top spray
2.Constant temperature without top spray
3.Non-temperature-controlled top spray
4.Non constant temperature and no top spray

OK, after the constant temperature and the top shower have been drawn up, I believe everyone has a big framework for the choice of shower. Then we can begin to elaborate on some of the details.

In addition to providing a large area of invigorating rain experience, the top shower can also add visual beauty to the bathroom

For users who do not have the habit of using top spray or have a smaller bathroom, the simple shower without top spray is also a good choice.

The big frame of the shower selection is finished, and then there are details. These details determine the final overall quality and product price:
a. Main body material: copper, 304, zinc alloy, plastic
What material is the first lecture? Because almost all the accessories on a set of showers can be replaced, and now with the rise of e-commerce, shops are becoming more specialized, and spare parts are also easy to buy. But this is the only material that cannot be replaced once we buy it.

1. Copper: Copper is currently the more mainstream and more durable main material. The colors are also very rich, such as chrome plating, zirconium gold, rose gold, brushed gold, black, white, gun gray…The better copper among the copper materials has the national standard HPb59-1 grade, also commonly known as 59 copper. This is a relatively medium-to-high grade material for domestic copper products, roughly equivalent to the European standard CuZn39Pb1. Export copper materials with higher standards include DR copper (Australian standard), CW602 (European standard), CZ132 (British standard), C35330 (American standard), etc. These grades are roughly equivalent to domestic HPb63-3 grades. The worse material will have some 55 copper or even 53 copper miscellaneous copper. Although the shower water is not for drinking, the low copper content means that the material is harder, the texture is more brittle, and it is easier to break during installation and use. . The other specific production processes are similar to those of the faucet, so I won’t repeat them here. If you want to know, you can refer to the faucet post:

304 stainless steel: As the technology matures, it has gradually become a mainstream product with high cost performance. It’s just that there are still a lot of fake 201 materials on the market, so this idea is just fine. There are other more detailed content about the process and stainless steel grade identification in the previous article. However, the 304 stainless steel material usually has a brushed appearance. If the bathroom space is not well matched, it is easier to look old and may have a very low feeling. Many products with black appearance are made of stainless steel, but the point is that it is enough to distinguish between 201 and 304, and the difference between the two is about 1/3.

Zinc alloy: Zinc alloy material was also mentioned in the previous article. In the bathroom industry, zinc alloy material is mainly used for the production of switch handles. If it is used as a faucet material, it is very harmful in terms of drinking water and is not recommended. But as a shower valve for bathing, it is fine. The appearance and color are as rich as copper products. If the budget is relatively low, the price of zinc alloy products is cheap, and it is more suitable for decorating some middle and low-end hotels and rental houses. However, the corrosion resistance of zinc alloy parts in contact with water is relatively poor. Inferior zinc alloys are basically corroded by water for 1 to 2 years, and the main body material is very soft, and there is a relatively large risk of bursting. But if it is a high-quality zinc alloy, there is no problem in normal use for 3 to 5 years or even more than 8 years.

Plastic: Plastic used to be just an auxiliary material, but now plastic has gradually become a new type of material into the main field of our shower. Among them, ABS plastic material is the main material for hand-held top spray. Because of its good molding and processing performance, the shower nozzle made of plastic material is more comfortable and the water is more perfect. PPA material is a new type of composite material, high pressure resistance, anti-aging, environmental protection, no harmful substances, etc. Compared with metal, it has a huge quality, so many products exported abroad are also increasingly using plastic parts , Because they are easier to pass environmental protection standards such as lead-free certification. Although the current market share is low, the future potential is huge.

b. Processing technology
The level of craftsmanship of a product can also explain why a shower can be sold from 500 to 5,000. Taking the shower valve body as an example, the one made by gravity casting under the same material is definitely better than the welded one, and the one processed by CNC machine tool is better than ordinary lathe. Why? Good consistency and high precision! Fully automatic CNC polishing Niu x, why? The appearance is flatter! The line effect is better and smoother! In short, why are those brands so expensive? Because so many machinery and equipment, fine assembly workers… these inputs are all money.

c. Electroplating process (appearance process)

Chrome plating: In order to achieve lasting brightness as new, it is necessary to have a good plating process. Good electroplating is also more conducive to cleaning and maintenance, usually with a soft cloth to wipe off, the scale is gone. Of course, if you haven’t wiped it once for a year or a half, when the scale is thick and crust, it’s no use. Generally speaking, electroplating must reach at least three layers: copper plating on the bottom layer, sealing the substrate and increasing adhesion; nickel plating in the middle, oxidation and corrosion resistance (high-end products also use multi-layer nickel plating); chrome plating on the surface to increase gloss . The process is good, the plating is thicker, and the surface is very bright and smooth, without pitting and blistering. Poor electroplating is half the thickness, and some can’t even cover the traces of polishing. Why do I talk about the process before plating? Because if the process and substrate are not good, then electroplating will definitely not be any better! The shortcomings are even more obvious. First of all, the surface product is not particularly smooth and the touch is rough. The surface is uneven, and the body lines are not smooth.

Wire drawing: Wire drawing and chrome plating need to be plated several layers first, and then the last layer of chrome plating is plated with bright chrome, which produces a mirror effect. For drawing, a layer of nickel is plated, and then a fine drawing texture is rubbed on the nickel layer, and then a layer of vacuum coating (PVD) is made on the outside of the texture to achieve the effect of anti-oxidation, discoloration and anti-fingerprint.

The same is true for zirconium-plated gold and rose gold, and the chromium layer in the electroplating step is changed to gold respectively. The golden product does not match well with the coconut paste translation, which looks particularly earthy. Therefore, some new colors are brushed in gold, which creates a more luxurious and refined feeling.

Black is currently more popular, but there are many pits. Think about why those big brands don’t make black? Because paint film is paint film after all, its durability is incomparable with the “metal film” of electroplating! Many of the ordinary and cheap black products are painted, which is easy to peel off, and it will be ugly if the paint falls off later. There is a better process called “water plating”, which is relatively expensive and has a low market share. The black thing is a gust of trend, although it is popular, it is mixed… It is better to choose carefully

Gun gray: Gun gray is also a new color that takes both color and durability into consideration. Those who like dark hardware can take a look, the current market share is not high.

d. Salt spray test

The salt spray test is currently mainly for electroplating finishes. The process is developing too fast. Many products in colors such as black, white and gun gray are still outside the standard.

According to national standards, the electroplating layer of sanitary equipment must pass the salt spray test. What is the salt spray test? It is to put the product in the test equipment, spray it with corrosive salt water continuously and then settle on the surface of the product for 24 to 48 hours. Then observe the degree of corrosion on the surface. The smaller the corroded area, the higher the pit corrosion level of the product. If the degree of surface defect is less than 0.1%, it can reach level 9. The flawless ones are at level 10. The salt spray test is divided into “acid” and “neutral”. Acid is more corrosive, so the standard of acid is higher than that of neutral. According to the national standard, a 24-hour neutral salt spray test above level 6 is judged as “qualified”. Products that can pass the 24-hour acid salt spray test (above level six) will not rust after five years of normal use or more!

It is mentioned here that many online merchants said “Ten-level electroplating” but did not mention the test time and neutrality and acidity. “The 6-hour neutral salt spray test reaches level ten” and the “24-hour acid salt spray test reaches level ten” are not the same thing!

e. Ceramic valve core (non-constant temperature)

Although it is said that “spool is like the heart of a faucet”, I did not rank it first here. The reason is also mentioned earlier, these parts of the shower include the valve core, although they can be replaced if broken. But the quality of the valve core will directly affect the experience and feel of the shower, which is undeniable.

The most common ones in shower equipment are the “hot and cold mixing valve core” and the “water diversion valve core”. The function of the mixing spool is mainly to open and close and mix hot and cold water, which is the one on the main handle. The water diversion valve core is mainly to switch the upper and lower outlet modes. At present, the most mainstream is the ceramic valve core, commonly known as ceramic valve core. Many friends do not understand, and think that the entire valve core is ceramic. In fact, the valve core is made of high-quality plastic + high-hardness ceramic chips. Plastic is responsible for the overall mechanical structure, and ceramic chips are responsible for opening and sealing.

A good valve core can open and close 500,000 times or more without water leakage. This number can be opened and closed 100 times a day for 13.7 years. The better domestic spool brands generally include Zhejiang Wanhai, Mingdi (current name: Xinmingdi); Taiwan’s Jiujiu, Hanyou, Kangqin; Guangdong’s Hante, Yizhan… Commonly imported Spanish circuits , Kellos, Hungary, etc. Good valve core tiles have very high hardness, and some are also designed with lubrication grooves. Therefore, the amount of lubricating oil used is very small, and the environmental protection and health are more durable. The poorer valve core uses a large amount of lubricating oil to camouflage the smooth feel due to insufficient precision. The reduction of lubricating oil after long-term use can easily make the feel astringent, or the inferior plastic shell will break. For general household use, the high-quality domestic valve core can fully meet the demand.

f. Air injection
Speaking of showers, it is impossible not to mention air injection. The German brand Hansgrohe has a technology called air injection, or “air boost”. It is said to be “boosting” but this function is actually the most important thing to save water. It is to mix 70% water with 30% air, so that users can wash two liters of water into three liters. If a shower without air boost is like watering flowers, then a shower with boost air is like rain! Therefore Hansgrohe gave him an elegant name called “Flying Rain”. Other brands also have this kind of technology, but there will be some problems, but only the effect is worse, not as bad as the price! If you haven’t experienced it, you can go to the counter or some high-end hotels to try, most of the counters actually have nozzle tests. But those are added with booster equipment, and the experience is also good under normal household water pressure. It’s just that the water pressure at home is too low, and I hope that this thing can be improved, so dispel this idea.

g. Shower pipe (the vertical hard pipe, usually only with the top spray)
The shower pipe is also called “shower column”. Among them, it can be said that there are more tricky, so let’s focus on the most prominent points. The first is the material problem. The medium and high-end shower pipes are basically copper pipes. Because the copper tube needs to be bent into various shapes, it needs a relatively soft H62 copper tube for processing. The copper content of H62 is higher than that of 59 copper, so the price naturally goes up. Therefore, in order to reduce costs, many brands of ￥699, ￥799, or even ￥899… These low-end products use stainless steel electroplated pipes. What about stainless steel plated tubes? In fact, if the craftsmanship is done well, there is nothing wrong with it itself. But as far as the coating is concerned, the adhesion of the coating to stainless steel is not as good as copper. If it is a small workshop product with poor electroplating, it may peel off beyond recognition in one or two years. There are many businesses selling steel as copper! From all aspects of describing the price and material… this is very unkind. Or like many well-known brands, all descriptions avoid mentioning the material of the shower pipe, and most of those are stainless steel electroplated pipes.

The shower pipe is also called “shower column” or “L pipe”

h. Shower hose (connect to the hose of the hand shower)

This one can be replaced if it is broken, so I put it at the end. But this is also almost one of the most frequently replaced parts, so it is necessary to arrange a good hose. At present, many brands are also equipped with traditional stainless steel double button pipes. The outside is a stainless steel electroplated double buckle structure, and the inside is an EPDM rubber tube. Inferior small workshops will replace the inner tube with a cheap plastic material, and the durability will be significantly lower than that of rubber. At present, the better hose is a one-piece PVC hose, generally a five-layer structure with high-quality PVC material inside, and then reinforced with a high-strength nylon braided mesh, and then covered with an explosion-proof layer, and the outside is plated with silver powder or colored decoration. The outermost side is protected by a transparent layer. This kind of tube is beautiful, durable and resistant to dirt… it is easy to clean, just wipe it with a towel. Unlike the traditional double button tube, there is almost no way to clean it after it is dirty. A good pipe will also have a universal joint. In this way, the hose will not be twisted when using the hand shower.

Now including Hansgrohe, Kohler, Grohe…many international big names have this configuration

In-wall
The in-wall shower system is actually a very good choice. But it is necessary to start designing the water and electricity steps before tiling the tiles. The main thing is that the decorator must be careful when installing. Install the decorative panel and control handle only after installation and tile. In the future, if the spool assembly is damaged, it will be easy to replace. Many concealed control valves are designed with a water stop valve. The replacement of the spool assembly does not even need to close the main valve.

The concealed shower has many advantages: for example, the accessories can be freely matched by DIY, which is beautiful and elegant, simple and fashionable. Small apartment can also save a lot of space.

Three-function concealed shower

At present, there are relatively few users of such products on the market, and the reference materials are relatively limited. But the effect is absolutely great! Next time, I will start another post specifically on concealed showers.

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h. Shower hose (connect to the hose of the hand shower)

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