Electric shower

Loganfire

At the moment i have two mixer showers that are powered from the combi-boiler, we had problems with them since they where fitted some years ago. I had a plumber around who says I may be better replacing them both with electric showers, so my question is what is the bees knees of electric showers and what is the difference between power showers and electric showers?


thanks for any help u can give

Canucklehead

Loganfire wrote: »

At the moment i have two mixer showers that are powered from the combi-boiler, we had problems with them since they where fitted some years ago. I had a plumber around who says I may be better replacing them both with electric showers, so my question is what is the bees knees of electric showers and what is the difference between power showers and electric showers?


thanks for any help u can give

Good evening: see here for an explanation.....the OH recommends the Aqualisa Quartz electric.

But...a single thermostatic shower running off mains pressure (eg. a combi) should be superior to any electric shower.
HTH

Canucklehead

P.S. Have you found anyone yet?

WestonDave

You may want to read the other thread running further down (started yesterday) about running two electric showers - in short if you are going to do it you need a hefty water mains pressure and a 100A supply fuse (not a 60A - and it can't be changed easily without digging up the street!) - or some kind of electrics to prevent both being on at once.

To answer your other question - an electric shower has the equivalent of a kettle element in it and as the cold mains water passes over it, it heats it up. The amount it heats the water depends on the power of the shower - normally rated in kw - normally come in the range 8-10.5kw (NB you will need to ensure the right cabling is fitted especially for the higher power ones), the temperature of the incoming water (so colder in winter) and the amount of water passing through it - more water equals cooler water. Unless you get a really hefty one in the 10kw bracket expect poor water pressure out at any decent temperature. Mira is probably the best known reliable make. The other problem with these is that often they will cut out if someone turns on a tap or flushes the toilet (the reduced water flow to the shower makes it overheat and the thermal cut out operates so you suddenly feel it go hot and then ice cold!). In order to fit one of these you will need cold water supply to the bathroom (which you will already have) and a dedicated circuit with cable running direct from the fuse box to the shower via a switch - this will almost certainly involve tile/wall damage.

A power shower is a bit like your mixer shower but has a pump built into it for non combi boilers - i.e. it pumps water out of the hot water tank.