What's more powerful - electric shower or mixer combi shower?

ahfh1

Hi,

I'm having a new combi boiler (not decided which one yet, but likely to be a Worcester Bosch) installed and am after a powerful performing shower. Just wondering how to go abouts getting the most powerful shower experience? Should I be looking at an electric power shower with the highest wattage? My experience of electric showers are that they give a weak spray.

I believe that water pressure and water flow rate are important, but how do I go abouts measuring these to find the best 'fit' for the new boiler and shower?

Cheers.

macman

You would do better with a power shower, but of course then you can't use a combi, you need a conventional boiler.

jhe

hi,we have a worcestor bosch and we get blasted in the shower. its very powerful. our shower head rotates to give different type of flow

macman

How near to the boiler will your shower be? Above it, or on same floor? Lots of variables, even with same boiler.

ahfh1

macman wrote: »

How near to the boiler will your shower be? Above it, or on same floor? Lots of variables, even with same boiler.

The boiler will be in the kitchen (ground floor) and the shower will be on the first floor above it. The size of the house is a 3 bed semi detached.

Does anyone also know what boiler 'teams' up well with which shower? E.g. Worcester Bosch 28i Junior boiler works well with a Mira Excel shower.

Mankysteve

Mixer shower would most likely be more powerfully and cheaper to run.

jhe

ahfh1 our worcester is also in the kitchen and bathroom above, we have a 3 bedroom semi. i am no expert on boilers and showers but our shower could not be anymore powerful than it is.

darich

I have a worcester combi....i think it's a 28i too.
We have a mixer shower.
Effectively it's a like a mixer tap build into the wall with adjustment for power(or flow rate) and temperature.
It runs cold for a few seconds until the cold water in the system is pushed out but then it's hot water from the combi for as long as you want it.
Amazing pressure too
Best shower I've ever had in any house.

ahfh1

darich wrote: »

I have a worcester combi....i think it's a 28i too.
We have a mixer shower.
Effectively it's a like a mixer tap build into the wall with adjustment for power(or flow rate) and temperature.
It runs cold for a few seconds until the cold water in the system is pushed out but then it's hot water from the combi for as long as you want it.
Amazing pressure too
Best shower I've ever had in any house.

Sounds like what I'm after. Do you know what make and model you shower is?

darich

ahfh1 wrote: »

Sounds like what I'm after. Do you know what make and model you shower is?

Like I said - it's more like a built in mixer tap that simply adjusts the flow and temperature from the combi.

We bought from Plumbworld and this is it
http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/architeckt-como-manual-mixer-3273-15909
Delivery charges can be a bit high but the service was great.
It comes with the kit that allows both the hot and cold pipes to be seen coming out the wall (the larger view of the handle) but we opted for the hidden version so all we have visible is the handle with the round metal plate.

And if you go through quidco you'll get a decent reduction. We bought our whole bathroom suite from plumbworld along with the shower, screen etc and saved something like £50

Result!!


EDIT: Just thought I'd point out something that might not be obvious- my amazing pressure is down to high pressure from the mains and not the combi or shower. The combi simply heats the water as it passes and the shower controls how hot and how much.

House_Hunter

A well timed edit there methinks...

To a cxertain extent, it doesn't really matter what boiler or showr you have if your mains supply is rubbish...

My firsts thoughts would be - whats your connection to the mains like? Old lead pipes of nice new low friction blue plastic?

You can buy/hire a flow meter and pressure gauge set - tip if you've got an outside tap test it on that one , saves spraying water all over the house!

Tip 2: most utility companies will measure the flowrate/pressure of your supply if you get them round for a quote Npower/BG etc etc...obviously you wouldn't pick them unless you have more money than sense, but saves you a few quid having to hire a meter...

Then I would ask what your piping to the bathroom is like 18mm or 15mm pipes?

As obviously pressure and flowrate vary with them both - 15mm will give a lower flowrate but better pressure maintance, where as 18mm will give you a drop in pressure but higher flow rate....

Finally I suppose it also depends what type of shower rose you want? I have the Wb 30cdi, which gives out about 11-12 litres/min of HW. With that flow rate you can get a fairly big dump shower going......