Installing a new shower- gas or electric?

2

Comments

  • Vincenzo
    Vincenzo Posts: 526 Forumite
    tabath wrote: »
    Explain to me how the flow rate for an electric can be less than a combi when the electric will be plumbed straight off the mains cold feed?

    Oh and btw I am a gas/plumber corgi reg.

    I'd always have a electric shower as well, if you get a decent one , a mira there will be no difference in the flow.


    Canucklehead has kindly answered for me....

    I had a 10.5kw Aqualisa at my previous property. Now I have a shower run of my new combi boiler. There is absolutely no comparison. Granted, both systems work off the cold feed but the electric shower simply cannot heat the water as quickly as a combi, hence the difference in flow rate.

    I find it slightly worrying that a CORGI plumber does not recognise this.
  • One thing is for sure is that if you choose a low powered shower (7.5kW) then the flow rate will be low, but higher powered ones will give a better flow (10.8kW) for example.
    I am having the same dilema at the moment, to either stay with electric shower when I have my bathroom done, or go for a mixer.
    However having an alternative heat source if the boiler fails isn't a concern of mine as I will have an electric immersion element installed in my hot water tank (can't do that on a combi of course!) so I can always get hot water if the boiler fails.
    It does sound like mixers are more more powerful (if your tanks are in the correct place) and cheaper because you're heating the water from gas rather than electric.
    The only other downside is if you live in a busy household, will there always be hot water in your hot water tank? Of course if you have a combi boiler this is not an issue.

    One thing I would like to know if anyone out there knows, is what height should your header tank be compared to the shower head if you've got a hot water tank? My header tank is in the bathroom above the hot water tank and the shower head will be around 1.8m from the floor, so I suspect flow rate will be pathetic.

    Thanks
  • Hi there

    In response to whether incoming purchasers will prefer elec shower or not, I would say definitely not. I let flats to tenants, and people always ask about water pressure. Elec showers should be left to naff b&b landladies - if you are doing your bathroom up, do a proper job and run shower off the combi. In the unlikely event that your boiler packs up, you will have bigger problems than showering...
  • Canucklehead
    Canucklehead Posts: 6,254 Forumite
    One thing is for sure is that if you choose a low powered shower (7.5kW) then the flow rate will be low, but higher powered ones will give a better flow (10.8kW) for example.
    I am having the same dilema at the moment, to either stay with electric shower when I have my bathroom done, or go for a mixer.
    However having an alternative heat source if the boiler fails isn't a concern of mine as I will have an electric immersion element installed in my hot water tank (can't do that on a combi of course!) so I can always get hot water if the boiler fails.
    It does sound like mixers are more more powerful (if your tanks are in the correct place) and cheaper because you're heating the water from gas rather than electric.
    The only other downside is if you live in a busy household, will there always be hot water in your hot water tank? Of course if you have a combi boiler this is not an issue.

    One thing I would like to know if anyone out there knows, is what height should your header tank be compared to the shower head if you've got a hot water tank? My header tank is in the bathroom above the hot water tank and the shower head will be around 1.8m from the floor, so I suspect flow rate will be pathetic.

    Thanks

    Good evening: lots of info here. Have you considered an Aqualisa Quartz Digital or Mira Platinum?: a regular mixer shower will generally give poor performance on gravity, though many choose this option for reasons of cost.

    HTH

    Canucklehead
    Ask to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)
  • mikey72
    mikey72 Posts: 14,680 Forumite
    One thing is for sure is that if you choose a low powered shower (7.5kW) then the flow rate will be low, but higher powered ones will give a better flow (10.8kW) for example.
    I am having the same dilema at the moment, to either stay with electric shower when I have my bathroom done, or go for a mixer.
    However having an alternative heat source if the boiler fails isn't a concern of mine as I will have an electric immersion element installed in my hot water tank (can't do that on a combi of course!) so I can always get hot water if the boiler fails.
    It does sound like mixers are more more powerful (if your tanks are in the correct place) and cheaper because you're heating the water from gas rather than electric.
    The only other downside is if you live in a busy household, will there always be hot water in your hot water tank? Of course if you have a combi boiler this is not an issue.

    One thing I would like to know if anyone out there knows, is what height should your header tank be compared to the shower head if you've got a hot water tank? My header tank is in the bathroom above the hot water tank and the shower head will be around 1.8m from the floor, so I suspect flow rate will be pathetic.

    Thanks

    A power shower, even a small pump, gives about 1.5 bar, which is a 50ft head of water.
    I've fitted all types of shower, power, gravity, combi, and electric, each have there good and bad points.
    Combi, good, until someone fills the sink, and then puts on the washing machine.
    Power, good, unless you're the third person in the queue.
    Gravity, actually no good points, unless you count the fact they don't use much water.
    Electric, good, unlimited water, quite a good flow even from 8.5 kw. (much more than a gravity fed shower)
  • paul123
    paul123 Posts: 45
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Hi
    My other half is a dog groomer working from home. We are at present going through an electric shower every 12 months, the heating element keeps going. I recently fitted a triton opal shower 9.5 kw hoping it would last a bit longer but no difference. I reckon it is used about 12 times a day.
    Thought about having a gas fitted shower from our conventional boiler ( if possible) but have no idea of cost. Does anyone know of a possible long term solution or do I just keep replacing the shower every 12 months? Always goes just after the 12 month guarantee lapses !!!
  • ic
    ic Posts: 3,291
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Mortgage-free Glee!
    Forumite
    Another vote for running of the combi. :)
  • Innys
    Innys Posts: 1,881 Forumite
    paul123 wrote: »
    Hi
    My other half is a dog groomer working from home. We are at present going through an electric shower every 12 months, the heating element keeps going. I recently fitted a triton opal shower 9.5 kw hoping it would last a bit longer but no difference. I reckon it is used about 12 times a day.
    Thought about having a gas fitted shower from our conventional boiler ( if possible) but have no idea of cost. Does anyone know of a possible long term solution or do I just keep replacing the shower every 12 months? Always goes just after the 12 month guarantee lapses !!!

    Why not just buy an extended warranty and keep quiet about the amount of use you put it to?
  • Recently switched from broken electric 8.5KW to shower/bath thermostatic mixer running from gas combi - can't get over the difference. Unit cost less than £60 (without the riser bar etc) and was fitted in no time at all. Would recommend it to anyone in the same situation.
  • Moocow5
    Moocow5 Posts: 460 Forumite
    I have a really basic shower run off my combi boiler - plumber at the time advised me to get a 'no frills' one as there's less to go wrong. Bought it in a sale for about £50, which included the riser rail!

    My neighbour has just had a very posh bathroom upgrade and was using my 'facilities' whilst her water was off. She's just told me that her new electric shower isn't a patch on mine:D

    On the bad side, I had a boiler breakdown just before Christmas a couple of years ago - the boiler was beyond economic repair and I spent a couple of weeks carrying hot water from my neighbour's house. Nightmare.

    That said, a shower would be used many times per week - hopefully, a boiler breakdown would be very infrequent in comparison!
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