Replacing an electric shower? Can you DIY it?

kasqueak

Good evening everyone,

So we’re currently re-doing our bathroom. The previous owners had a very old Triton electric shower installed which barely worked so we’ve removed it. 

We’re currently re-tiling and at the stage where we need to decide on replacing the electric shower or just getting rid of it completely. 

Is it better to keep an electric shower as it always covers you incase the boiler packs up and also gives you a better control of temperature?
or would you just get rid of it and keep the bath with shower mixer tap? (We have brand new combi boiler installed)

Now if we keep the electric shower we’re thinking of going for the Triton Aspirante. 

Pics here show the current water supply and also electric setup. Electric supply has independent shut off pull cord installed. 

We went to get rid of the ugly water pipe coming down from the ceiling. The wall is breeze block. Can we replace the copper pipe with flexipipes to make getting it into the wall easier? (Would channel the wall out) Or would you always need a copper pipe install into an electric shower? False wall not an option to conceal pipes. 

I know I can call a plumber in but right now struggling to find any reputable local tradespeople who aren’t booked up for months and many don’t want small jobs like this! Already installed new bath and toilet myself as I gave up on trying to find someone! 

Any advice on fitting new electric shower to this set up but concealing the pipe would be appreciated. 

Would like to add the current pipe that’s there is leaking on that elbow joint!

Thanks in advance!

grumbler

I don't see any problem with hiding the new pipe. Cut the sides of the channel with an angle grinder, then chisel it. If the mains pressure is high enough, I'd consider using 10mm pipe to make the channel smaller - the flow isn't very high for an electric shower. Connect it to the existing pipe in the loft.

I don't understand why you think that a plastic pipe is easier to get into the wall, but in any case use a compression joint (elbow) at the bottom as plastic ones are too bulky.

FreeBear

If you are spending that much on an electric shower, go for one with a thermostatic control. Once you have found a setting you like, varying water pressure won't affect it.

Chasing the pipe in to the wall will certainly give you a neater finish. Any copper pipe should be sleeved to protect it from any corrosive effects of plaster & cement - 20mm plastic conduit is a perfect fit for 15mm copper pipe. If you want a neat finish, run the pipe down to a 35mm single back box behind the shower, and you can use compression fittings for the final connection.

neilmcl

If you already redoing the bathroom then I'd fit a proper thermostatic mixer shower. Electric showers are just too weedy, particularly in the winter.

Apodemus

I've recently done a DIY replacement of my Triton shower.  It is relatively easy to do if you are competent with water and electricity.  In my case this was the second replacement Triton in about 25 years.  The last time, it was much easier, but this time the body of the Triton was slightly wider, which meant that it wasn't just a like-for-like replacement and the entry points for power and water had to be moved. 

Having argued in favour of Triton in the past, though, I am less than impressed with the new model.  Poor quality control (missing parts and fixing screws with a 40 degree bend) and bizarrely poor design...why design the pressure release valve to exit out the back of the machine above the electricity inlet, rather than safely out the bottom of the casing, where it used to be?  I paid extra for the Thermostatic version and find that I can't now do slight changes to temperature while in the shower - a slight turn up on the dial puts it through very hot, before settling to the new temperature and a slight turn down puts it through completely cold before adjusting.

Rdwill

Prompted by your message I went and investigated as we have quite an old / failing Mira Jump.

It seems Mira are offering a fit service for £75 which sounds reasonable if you are not confident in what you're doing.

https://www.mirashowers.co.uk/support/replacement-services/supply-fit-service/

NSG666

"Is it better to keep an electric shower as it always covers you incase the boiler packs up and also gives you a better control of temperature?"

You will get a far better flow of water from the combi than any electric shower.
The better option would have been to have a thermostatic mixer shower running from the combi but that opportunity has passed unless you go for a thermostatic shower bath filler which are not the prettiest of things and are expensive for something reasonable looking.
The cable doesn't look like 10mm - you'd need to check what it is but it probably means you are limited to 8.5kW max.
If you are going to use the mixer tap for stand up showering then, depending on how tall you are, you might need to replace the hose with a 2m one or you end up stressing it at the bottom and it will fail quickly.
You'll get used to where the taps need to be to give the right temperature blend.
I'd do away with the electric shower especially if you were only going to use it as a back-up.

Jeepers_Creepers

Kasqueak, that's a breeze-block wall, covered in plasterboard? That lower section has p'board nails seemingly holding it in place - can you confirm what's behind that board, please? If B-Block, then nails ain't going to hold it.

What to do? I'd personally go with NSG on this and fit a thermo mixer as it'll be just as easy to install, won't 'cute you, and will give you a completely different level of shower enjoyment. And it'll look better, and it'll make your house more desirable.

I wouldn't fit an electric shower on the off-chance your brand new combi packs in - it ain't worth it for that.

Bath panel offski, that p'board above the bath end offski, two 22x22x15 tees and 15mm plastic pipe coming up the end of the bath, channelled into the wall, to a position where you can fit the mixer. Once the fittings are in place, cut the p'board (tho' you should really, really fit aqua board here...), and tile on a solid bed of adhesive, and high-quality grout with nary a pinhole.

You can fit the mixer as low as the top of that lower p'board section, and try and find a style with round controls to match the tap - have them in-line too.

Can you DIY an electric shower installation? Yes, it's a breeze for a competent DIYer. This might be an unfair rule-of-thumb, tho', but if you have to ask whether it can be done, then answer might be 'you shouldn't' - it's that mix of leccy and water...

If you do - and I hope you do - go thermo mixer, then disconnect that cable at its isolating switch. Then shut off the MCB in the CU, and put a label on it to say.

FreeBear

Jeepers_Creepers said: Kasqueak, that's a breeze-block wall, covered in plasterboard? That lower section has p'board nails seemingly holding it in place - can you confirm what's behind that board, please? If B-Block, then nails ain't going to hold it.

Good spot - If the wall is going to be tiled and the PB is just secured by nails, it won't take long for the whole lot to fall down, especially if large format tiles are used. Plasterboard should be fixed to block/brick with an appropriate adhesive and any mechanical fixings should have a large mushroom head. Although, around a wet area such as a bath, cement board would be a better option on two counts - It will support a greater weight than plasterboard (important if you are using LF tiles), and will also tolerate getting damp should there be any leakages.

Grenage

I'd take a thermostatic mixer off the combi any day of the year.  Vastly superior heat/flow, much cheaper to run, and much cheaper to install.

I replaced our old electric shower with a £60 mixer bar from ebay and it was such a difference.  24kw boiler vs 10.5kw electric.

I think we've had a boiler breakdown once in 10 years, so I'd rather have the low risk and shower at the gym if it ever happens.

d0nkeyk0ng

I’ve replaced an old electric shower with a new one. It’s not difficult. You will need to make sure the new one is the same rating/power as the old one, or the wiring can handle the new load.