Swapping an electric for a CH supplied shower

macman

If you calculate the saving per shower as xp, how many showers will you need to have to pay back the capital expense of switching? Even at today's leccy prices, it's likely to be years.
As a percentage, the cost difference per kWh between the two fuels has narrowed.

doodling

Hi,

I think the initial solution here is to replace the bath taps with a suitable mixer that can also feed a shower.

A word of caution on long shower hoses - the hose should be restrained or shortened so that the shower head cannot fall below the spillover level of the bath (or adjacent sink).  It absolutely must be restrained so that the shower head cannot fall below the spillover level of any adjacent toilet or bidet.  Those requirements are to ensure that unclean water cannot be sucked back into your drinking water supply in the event of a supply failure.

(I have no idea why anyone would leave a shower head dunked in the toilet but people are odd and in the worst case it could affect neighbouring properties if they did).

If you can't restrain the shower head above the spillover level of the bath then a double check valve is required on both hot and cold supplies.

The arrangements required if you can't restrain the shower head above the spillover level of a toilet or bidet are horrendous (you couldn't use a combi boiler to heat the water for example) - it is probably easier to rearrange your bathroom.

ariarnia

TheGardener said:

@QrizB Can you still even buy those push-on rubber hair shower things? Unfortunately, the shower is over the bath but not at the tap end

i know you are now thinking of a mixer tap but for anyone reading this who has the same question

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Flair-Single-Double-Straight/dp/B083WK3NL7/ref=sr_1_6

or the more permanent option that might work for the op

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Filler-Chrome-Waterfall-Bathroom/dp/B08DCY2TGH/ref=sr_1_5

other non-big river shops are available 

TheGardener

macman said:

If you calculate the saving per shower as xp, how many showers will you need to have to pay back the capital expense of switching? Even at today's leccy prices, it's likely to be years.
As a percentage, the cost difference per kWh between the two fuels has narrowed.

Lying in bed last night I did consider this - be just my luck if over the next couple of years gas prices outstrip electric! However, we have a 10 y.o. 9kw electric shower which is in family use for around 20 to 25 mins a day. At April prices can anybody help me work out the costs of the electric v gas options? 

@doodling - yes, if it can be done with reasonable economy this is the option I think we'll try. 

70sbudgie

We had a combi boiler which fed a shower. I think in the OP you said you had teenagers - do they still live with you? The problem we had with the combi boiler was because our incoming (to the house) water pressure is pretty low, when a young child flushed a toilet, it used up all the available flow, so the thermostatic shower would stop. I guess this is likely to be a similar effect with an electric shower, so perhaps you already know how your system reacts to this sort of situation?

housebuyer143

QrizB said:

Is your electric shower over your bath? If so, a simple tap-connected shower might let you try it out before getting a plumber in?

I second this. We just moved and the water pressure is crazy powerful, like turn the taps off very tight or they drip powerful.

It had an attachment for a shower head off the bath already so we bought a longer house, a shower rail and a curtain and made it a permanent shower. It's the most powerful one in the house. 

If you have good water pressure that is likely to be the cheapest option. 

housebuyer143

TheGardener said:

BUFF said:

Your boiler is rated to provide 11.1 l/min at 35C rise.
Your installer may have noted what it actually achieved on his installation sheet (I know that mine did for my Worcester).
If you have a couple of measuring jugs etc. & a clock you could fill those for a minute from your kitchen cold tap (likely to be the tap with the highest flow rate) & total them as a rough estimate for what your incoming supply rate could be.

Given what you have said you could consider replacing your existing bath tap with a (preferably) thermostatic bath/shower mixer with an extra long hose - that would minimise installation cost/disruption.

Righty ho, We'll have a go at that then. Switching to a mixer tap with a shower hose might be the cheapest, least disruptive solution. 
 My only problem is that the window is at the tap end and extends a few inches over the bath so that might be a pain but its worth a shot. Thanks

This is what we did owing to the same reason. No problems at all. You just angle it over more. 
Shower riser was £10 at Screwfix and it's excellent.

TheGardener

@housebuyer143 Thats perfect! Thanks. 

Is anyone able to help with the maths "we have a 10 y.o. 9kw electric shower which is in family use for around 20 to 25 mins a day. At approx April '23 prices can anybody help me work out the running costs of the electric v gas options? 

ariarnia

TheGardener said:

@housebuyer143 Thats perfect! Thanks. 

Is anyone able to help with the maths "we have a 10 y.o. 9kw electric shower which is in family use for around 20 to 25 mins a day. At approx April '23 prices can anybody help me work out the running costs of the electric v gas options? 

i can't help with maths as i'm always way out.

while you wait for someone with a bigger brain. theres been a few threads on that topic which might be helpful. tho the specific numbers will probably depend on your boiler and showers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6404011/gas-v-electric-shower
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/5005647#Comment_5005647
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79619769#Comment_79619769

BUFF

TheGardener said:

@housebuyer143 Thats perfect! Thanks. 

Is anyone able to help with the maths "we have a 10 y.o. 9kw electric shower which is in family use for around 20 to 25 mins a day. At approx April '23 prices can anybody help me work out the running costs of the electric v gas options? 

I am not doing the maths but you might also want to consider that it is highly likely that you will get a better/more satisfying shower from the combi so it isn't quite a straight apples to apples comparision.