I installed an antique clawfoot tub in a tiled & grouted sunken recess (originally a built-in japanese-style soaking tub) which required me to install an s-shaped tub outlet, so as to clear the lip of the tub as shown in the photo.
To divert flow up to the shower head, I tried installing a shower flow diverter valve on the end of the s-pipe, but the flow through the diverter is so restricted that when I want to fill the tub, only a thin jet of water exits the valve outlet into the tub while water backs up all the way to the shower head, which then dribbles like crazy.
I did a temporary fix by screwing a pipe cap onto the end of the s-pipe to block it completely when I want to use the shower head and then unscrewing it when I want to fill the tub, which yields unrestricted flow into the tub with no dribble from the shower head.
This is a clumsy fix, but I cannot find a diverter valve for the end of that s-pipe which provides full flow (like the ordinary tub spout diverter with the pull knob, which will not fit on the end of that s-pipe) without backing up and causing the shower head to dribble.
Does anyone here have any ideas about how to address this problem, short of plumbing in a completely new faucet set/flow diverter/shower head assembly?
Best Answer
Since the "look" is already rather "industrial" just put a 1/4 turn ball valve on the end of the pipe. Hole the same size as the pipe when open, shuts off fully when shut.
The picture implies that you could also possibly remove the blind cover from a hole in the tub to get a more direct path for a straight pipe stub that would take a normal tub spout, if you'd like a "less industrial" appearance.
Or replace the coupling and "S-bend" with two elbows and two straight nipples, which would allow the normal tub spout to screw onto the end of the second straight nipple.