Shower Diverter Valves

The shower diverter valve does not automatically turn on and off the water. Instead, they change the direction of water flow to different outlets. For instance, your water may at first encounter a straightforward on and off valve. For example, a diverter valve can be installed if you want to move this mixed water from your fixed shower head to a wall-mounted shower handset.

This can also be accomplished in other ways. For instance, a shower valve with two or three outlets can manage the flow, the temperature, and the necessary outlets from the same valve. However, separate flow, temperature and diverter valves can be chosen and placed at practical spots in your bathroom for a more modular appearance.

Shower Diverter Valves Explained

2 Way Shower Diverter Valve

The 2-way shower diverter valve is a type of valve used in a shower system to direct the flow of water between two different outlets. This valve allows you to switch the water flow between two different shower features, such as a standard showerhead and a handheld showerhead or a showerhead and a set of body jets.

Here's how it would typically work:

1. You turn on the water using the main shower control, which mixes the hot and cold water to your desired temperature.
2. The water initially comes out of the first output (like the showerhead), which is usually the default setting.
3. If you want to switch the water to the other output (like a handheld showerhead), you would turn or pull the 2-way shower diverter valve to redirect the water flow.

This type of valve does not typically allow for water to flow to both outlets at the same time. The water can be directed to one outlet or the other, but not both. This is a key difference between a 2-way and 3-way diverter valve. In a 3-way diverter valve setup, you might have the option of having water flow to multiple outlets simultaneously, depending on the design.

A 2-way diverter valve can be located in different places: it can be part of the main shower control, it can be a separate knob on the shower wall, or it can be located on the showerhead or handheld unit itself.

Overall, the main purpose of a 2-way shower diverter valve is to provide more options and customization for your showering experience.

3 Way Shower Diverter Valve

The 3-way shower diverter valve is a type of valve used in a shower system to direct the flow of water between two or three different outputs. This type of valve allows you to control whether water comes out of a single fixture (like a shower head or handheld shower), or multiple fixtures at the same time.

For instance, in a shower system with a fixed shower head, a handheld shower, and body jets, a 3-way diverter valve would let you choose to run water to:

1. Just the fixed shower head.
2. Just the handheld shower.
3. Just the body jets.

You could also choose to run water to multiple fixtures at once, depending on the capacity of the valve. Some 3-way diverter valves may allow you to run water to the shower head and handheld shower simultaneously, for instance. It depends on the specific design and functionality of the diverter valve.

It's important to note that the term "3-way" refers to the number of paths the water can take, not the number of different outputs. So a 3-way diverter could have 2 outputs and 1 input (the hot/cold water feed), or 3 outputs if it's designed to allow water to all three at once.

This feature enhances the flexibility and functionality of a shower system, allowing for a more custom shower experience.