Delta 9-Spray Slide Bar Hand Shower Review: Flow Rate and Hose

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If you are considering the Delta 9-spray slide bar hand shower, the first questions are how much water it uses, how it mounts, and what the flow rate means for the shower you get. A shower head sets the flow, but it does not add pressure. Your home’s supply pressure still decides how strong the spray feels. This review covers only what the listing states about flow, settings, hose, mounting, weight, warranty and included parts. It does not report any test of the shower, and it does not claim the spray is stronger than the listing describes.

Quick answer

The Delta is a chrome hand-held shower on a slide bar, with 9 spray settings and an 82-inch hose. The listing gives a flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute and notes WaterSense certification. The EPA’s WaterSense label applies to showerheads that use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute, so 1.75 gallons per minute is below that ceiling. The listing gives a lifetime limited warranty for the faucet and finish, and an item weight of 5.2 pounds. The bullets recommend mounting the slide bar on wood blocking where possible.

What to check in a slide bar hand shower

Four details decide whether this shower fits. Each one can rule it in or out.

1. Flow rate and the WaterSense note. The specs and bullets give 1.75 gallons per minute. The EPA says standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons per minute, and that WaterSense labeled showerheads must demonstrate no more than 2.0 gallons per minute. The figure in this listing sits below that 2.0 ceiling. The EPA also says WaterSense labeled showerheads are independently certified for water coverage and spray intensity, so check the certification mark on the product page rather than relying on the bullet alone.

2. Pressure and spray. A showerhead does not add pressure the plumbing does not supply. The listing’s wording about the spray, such as “powerful” and “intensely powerful full body spray,” is the maker’s description, and this review does not test it. Read the flow rate as a measure of water use, not of how hard the spray hits.

3. Hose and reach. The specs give an 82-inch hose, and the bullets describe a 60-to-82-inch stretchable hose. The bullets also say the shower includes an 82-inch hose. Check that the hose reaches the spot where you stand, and that the slide bar height fits the user.

4. Mounting and stability. The specs list the installation type as wall mounted. The bullets say the non-rotating bars improve stability and meet ADA standards, which is the listing’s claim. The bullets also say mounting on wood blocking behind the wall surface is preferable, so check the wall behind the bar before you install.

Use these rules to choose:

• Choose this shower if you want a slide bar with a hose and a 1.75 gallons-per-minute flow rate, and your wall can take the bar.
• Choose a different shower if you need a stated spray pressure, because the listing does not give one.
• Choose a different shower if your wall has no blocking, and you cannot mount the bar securely.

For other slide bar choices, the best hand held shower head on slide bar guide covers that category, and the best water efficient hand held shower heads guide covers low-flow designs.

The Delta slide bar hand shower

The Delta is a round, transitional-style hand shower in chrome, made of plastic, with a non-slip grip handle. The listing gives a model number of 51900 and an item weight of 5.2 pounds. The included components are the hand shower, the hose, the slide bar and a wall elbow. The bullets list the spray settings as full body, fast massage, full spray with massage, shampoo rinsing, shampoo rinsing with massage, soft drench, soft drench with massage and soft full, and the specs give nine settings in total. The bullet text is cut off after the eighth setting, so check the product page for the full list.

The shower fits a reader who wants to move the head up and down a slide bar, with a hose that reaches the spot they stand, and a low flow rate. The bullets describe the nine settings as a way to choose the spray, and the shampoo rinse settings are a listed option.

The listing has several things to check. The specs list one jet, while the bullets and features describe massaging jets. The assembled dimensions in the bullets give 9-15/16 inches high, 1-1/2 inches deep and 3-3/4 inches wide, and the item dimensions field gives 1.5 inches long and 3.75 inches wide. Those figures are not in the same order, so measure the spot before you order. The bullets say the shower supports up to 500 pounds of force, which is a maker’s description of the bar and not a rating for a user.

Who should skip it: a reader who needs a stated pressure figure, a reader whose wall has no blocking or cannot take a wall-mounted bar, and a reader who needs a stated flow rate below the listed 1.75 gallons per minute.

Installation and the wall elbow

The kit includes a wall elbow, and the bullets say mounting on wood blocking behind the wall surface is preferable. Turn off the shower before you start, and do not over-tighten any connection. The listing does not describe the steps for the bar or the elbow, so follow the maker’s instructions. If the install needs more than swapping the head and the arm, such as moving the supply line, hire a licensed plumber.

Worked example: how a 10-minute shower compares at two flow rates

Compare the water used at the listed flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute with the water used at 2.5 gallons per minute, the EPA’s figure for a standard showerhead.

• Water at 1.75 gallons per minute: 1.75 times 10 = 17.5 gallons.
• Water at 2.5 gallons per minute: 2.5 times 10 = 25 gallons.
• Difference in this example: 25 minus 17.5 = 7.5 gallons.

Check the arithmetic again. 1.75 times 10 is 17.5. 2.5 times 10 is 25. 25 minus 17.5 is 7.5. The example shows that a 10-minute shower at the listed flow rate uses 7.5 gallons less than one at the standard 2.5 gallons per minute. It does not show the spray strength, and it does not show your home’s water bill.

What WaterSense means for this flow rate

The EPA says standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute, and that a showerhead must demonstrate no more than 2.0 gallons per minute to earn the WaterSense label. The listing states 1.75 gallons per minute and a WaterSense note, which sits under the 2.0 ceiling. The EPA also says WaterSense showerheads must be independently certified against criteria for water coverage and spray intensity, so look for the certification on the product page rather than relying on the bullet alone.

The EPA also says pressure compensation keeps a showerhead’s flow at a minimum across a range of household water pressures. That is a feature that the listing does not describe for this model, so do not assume it. The flow figure tells you about water use, not about how hard the spray hits.

Five common mistakes

1. Reading the flow rate as pressure. A showerhead cannot add pressure beyond what the plumbing delivers.
2. Mounting into nothing. The bullets recommend wood blocking behind the wall surface.
3. Trusting one dimension set. The bullets and specs give the size in different forms.
4. Ignoring the jet count. The specs give one jet, while the bullets describe massaging jets.
5. Overtightening the connection. Turn off the shower first, and do not over-tighten the fittings.

FAQ

What is the flow rate?

The listing gives 1.75 gallons per minute, and the bullets note WaterSense certification at that figure.

How long is the hose?

The specs give 82 inches, and the bullets describe a 60-to-82-inch stretchable hose.

How many spray settings are there?

The specs give nine settings.

Does it come with a warranty?

The specs give a lifetime limited warranty for the faucet and finish.

Does it add water pressure?

No. The showerhead cannot add pressure beyond what the plumbing delivers. The listing’s wording about strong spray is the maker’s description.

What comes in the box?

Bottom line

The Delta 9-spray slide bar hand shower suits a reader who wants a slide bar with an 82-inch hose and a listed flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute, with the WaterSense note, and whose wall can take a secure mount. The listing gives a lifetime limited warranty and a 5.2-pound weight, and it does not state a pressure figure. Check the wall blocking, measure the bar’s spot, and confirm the certification on the product page.

Sources

• EPA WaterSense: showerheads: standard showerheads use 2.5 gpm; WaterSense showerheads use no more than 2.0 gpm and are independently certified.
• WaterSense showerheads, EPA: standard showerheads use 2.5 gpm; WaterSense showerheads use no more than 2.0 gpm and are independently certified; showering is about 17 percent of residential indoor water use.