Showers

teajug

Which is the most economical to use, already combination boiler in use for heating and hot water in bathroom. Got an electric Mira Advance ATL shower installed, would that be cheaper to use than the water coming direct from combination boiler. :T

dogshome

It all depends.

Mira Advance shower uses 9Kwh, which if your Elec tariff rate costs 14p per Kwh, a 10 minute shower will cost 21pence - Beware of teenage girls in the house as thay can spend 3/4 hour in shower at cost of 95 pence

The shower cost of the combi boiler depends on how far away the boiler is from the bathroom - If it's in the bathroom it will cost less than the Mira, but the further it is away then greater the cost, as a lot of water in the pipes has to be heated before it reached the shower head.

teajug

dogshome wrote: »

It all depends.

Mira Advance shower uses 9Kwh, which if your Elec tariff rate costs 14p per Kwh, a 10 minute shower will cost 21pence - Beware of teenage girls in the house as thay can spend 3/4 hour in shower at cost of 95 pence

The shower cost of the combi boiler depends on how far away the boiler is from the bathroom - If it's in the bathroom it will cost less than the Mira, but the further it is away then greater the cost, as a lot of water in the pipes has to be heated before it reached the shower head.

Thanks for reply doghome, I was wondering why the combination was not extended to the shower which is next to the kitchen in a small flat. It would just be taking a pipe thought a wall. But then there would be a pip that would need to be boxed in as it would be a hot pipe. But a 21p extra for a shower is a lot on a small fixed pension. He lives alone and would have preferred the pipe to be taken from the combinations boiler from the kitchen.

Also is Mira Advance ATL is there a shower more efficient than this one. :T

rogerblack

teajug wrote: »

Thanks for reply doghome, I was wondering why the combination was not extended to the shower which is next to the kitchen in a small flat.

Either laziness, or lack of design.
For example, if you're building a lot of houses, a cheap electric shower, which can be installed and tested without waiting for the CH to be installed, may work out cheaper.

If the boiler is not large enough for a shower, that's another issue, but that's unlikely.

northernsoul

Hi.
I used to have a 9.5Kw shower. I did not measure the electricity used at the meter but at my rate of 13p per Kwh, I would say it cost 16.5p for an 8 min shower (9.5*13) / (60/8).
I have now replaced it with a Mira Minilux with 190mm overhead shower (one of the best things i have bought-i love the overhead shower). This will use much more water than an ordinary shower and is fed by my Vaillant 837 ecotec plus boiler.
Actually reading the gas meter before and after the shower, it used 0.35m3 so the 8 min shower cost me 16p.
The mira also has a normal shower head, and this may use less gas, though the water absolutely powers out of the head, and may use just as much water. Of course, you can turn the flow down.
Funny thing is, not noticed my electricity bill less, but noticed my gas bill is more (though the weather has a great effect on the bill of course - used 40% more over the last year than previous)

Wywth

teajug wrote: »

Also is Mira Advance ATL is there a shower more efficient than this one. :T

Yes, one of these
http://www.gelert.com/products/solar_shower

northernsoul

If you really want to test, put the plug in while having a shower, mark the level on the bath, then fill the bath up to that level with the hot tap, and measure what each uses. 2 problems, though. Its difficult to measure the electricity used at the meter because other things will be using electricity, but the above calculations should suffice. 2, the water may be hotter in the bath, but saying that, if you have the combination fed shower on full, it will be pumping out hot water at max so it should be the same.

teajug

Thank everyone for your posts, His gas in on a blanket policy in the block and it would not cost him anymore than what he is paying for in his service charges that is not cheap £40 a month and it would be more beneficial for him to the hot water from the combination boiler. He use to the combinations for his bathing but has got no bath now and will have to pay extra to have showers. Should he complain to his landlord and get it done via the combination boiler, which was installed about 10 years ago.

teajug

Just checked his charges and it appears that he pays £45 a month for engery and his pays his electricity separately to the energy company. He does not know what to do about this as he always thought that the shower would come under within remit of his service charges. Can he insist that the landlord to either connect the shower to the gas combinations boiler or put back his shower.

dogshome

Sorry teajug, I'm getting a bit lost

Your enquiry seems to be on behalf of an elderly relative/friend who is paying a £45 per month Service Charge that includes gas, but is billed directly for Electricity.?

There are some blocks of flats that have Communial Heating/Hot water systems paid for in the Service Charge, but so far as I'm aware these would not reqiure a Combi Boiler in each flat, so the the set-up in these flats is unusual
What is a little worrying is that the £540 Yearly Service Charge, after accounting for a daily service charge and VAT, works out to £433 a yearwhich is roughly 10,000Kwh, which seems a lot ina small flat
To help the relative/friendyou really need access to all the bills and exact details of what the Service Charge covers

teajug

dogshome wrote: »

Sorry teajug, I'm getting a bit lost

Your enquiry seems to be on behalf of an elderly relative/friend who is paying a £45 per month Service Charge that includes gas, but is billed directly for Electricity.?

There are some blocks of flats that have Communial Heating/Hot water systems paid for in the Service Charge, but so far as I'm aware these would not reqiure a Combi Boiler in each flat, so the the set-up in these flats is unusual
What is a little worrying is that the £540 Yearly Service Charge, after accounting for a daily service charge and VAT, works out to £433 a yearwhich is roughly 10,000Kwh, which seems a lot ina small flat
To help the relative/friendyou really need access to all the bills and exact details of what the Service Charge covers

There is a Combi boiler in each flat and that is how it is worked out by the landlord. He did try unsuccessfully to get his gas separetly from the blanket policy as he has wanted to have the gas and electricity with the one supplier. He also got a gas meter in his flat as well but is not used, the landlord has give him a very unbelievable reason for letter him do so. I cannot remember the exact details but will but will asked him to see it again.

This is what I think was asked to be put in for his shower

• electric thermostatically controlled shower unit regulated to cut off at 43 degree centigrades.

This has not worked and still not working and he has only just found out that he will have to pay for his shows as well.