Electric Power Shower vs combi boiler gas tap Shower tip

StarshipUK

I wanted to share this power saving tip.

When I got a smart meter fitted I noticed that the biggest user of electricity was my Electric Power Shower. I have a shower every day, and sometimes like to take a longer shower, that could cost anywhere from 25p to 50p+ in electricity per shower.

The shower has three settings - Cold, One Red Bar and Two Red Bars. I quickly realised that while the one red bar setting reduced the water flow (I am not on a water meter, so water use is not an issue for me), it also halves the power usage of the shower. The cold setting hardly uses any power at all, but is too cold to use.

The shower is located over my bathtub and I have a gas combi-boiler. I then released the main tap fitted on the bath unscrews to reveal a thread - There seems to be three or four different thread standard sizes and both male and female threads fitted to most bath taps, but after using a tape measure and looking on aliexpress, I worked out I would need a "Inside 28mm-22mm Tap Aerator Connector" costing under $5 including VAT and postage. My tap seems to be a bit unusual since it has a male thread (most have female threads), and I could not find this part on ebay or amazon or anywhere else.

I also bought a "M22 Switch Faucet Adapter Kitchen Sink Splitter Diverter Valve Water Tap Connector" that also came with a M24 adapter I did not need, from aliexpress costing just under $4. These are available from ebay and amazon but much more expensive, as I guess wholesalers buy the same item from China and then put a profit on the price.

I paid for these using a wise (transferwise) credit card, but guess I could have also used my Halifax Clarity credit card which does not charge extra for purchases in US dollars.

I also bought a longer "12mm 2.5m Shower Hose" for under £5 on ebay (cheaper than aliexpress for this) and re-used my existing shower head.

Taking a shower of the same length of time using these now costs about 5p-6p in Gas (about a 5 times+ saving). Not only that but the water pressure and output from the tap is much greater than the power shower I used (might be an issue if you use a water meter, but I don't), making for a much nicer, stronger shower.

I also adjusted the hot water on my combi-boiler so it is hot but not scorching, so it is the right temperature for the shower and I don't have to mess about mixing the cold water in. I guess I might have to turn this up slightly in the winter when then cold water gets colder.

I hope this helps anyone who is struggling with the energy cost rises and might have a similar setup to mine.

Cardew

Are you from the USA? I note you use the term 'Faucet' and 'Tap.

I suspect there is also a misunderstanding in terminology between an 'electric power shower'  and a 'power shower'.

Your shower appears to be an 'electric shower'. This has a cold water feed and the water is heated in the shower which normally has a heater rated between 7.5kW and 10.5kW. This would account for the 'one red bar' etc

A 'power shower' is  where the hot water is stored in a tank and pumped under pressure to the shower head.

If I understand you correctly you have converted your bath tap to supply a shower hose??

This is a common arrangement in UK normally achieved by a mixer tap https://www.diy.com/departments/bathroom/bathroom-taps/bath-taps/bath-shower-mixer-taps/DIY1374375.cat

Some people still use a simple hose with a rubber fitting.   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Single-Shower-Dresser-Rubber-Fitting/dp/B07HLZKGNH/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=rubber+shower+hose&qid=1653857446&sr=8-8

There are difficulties associated with running a shower from a combi boiler - not least in winter as you surmised.

StarshipUK

I am most certainly in the UK, and last time I checked the terms Faucet and Tap are used worldwide and appear in British English Dictionaries:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/faucet

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/tap

I do not have a water tank, as I have already explained I have a combi boiler - mentioned several times.

Many baths (like mine) are quite unique and not all have standard tap, where the taps on mine have three separate parts, to control the hot water, the cold water and the bit where the water actually comes out. None of the Mixer Taps you have listed would fit my bath as a result, and I do not fancy replacing the whole bath tub just to fit some new taps.

Those plastic hoses are rather nasty (rated 3.8 out of 5) and would not fit my tap any way as the tap head is far too large for this. Even if it did fit, the pressure would likely blow it off or cause leaks.

It was just a post to try and help people, rather than get roasted, stating that if you have an electric shower and a combi boiler then it would be cheaper to fit a shower attachment to the baths taps and use a gas combi boiler. The tap adapters also work out far cheaper and easier than fitting new taps (about £10 vs £45+) , if that is a possibility.

The only difficulties I am aware of is water pressure (not an issue for me), Temperature fluctuation (probably I sign your boiler is knackered and needs replacing), and in the winter you can just turn up the water temperature on the boiler, which is easy as its just turning a dial.