Author Topic: Electric showers - the good, the bad and the ugly (Read 7737 times)

mrcharly-YHT · « **on:** 12 March, 2018, 04:38:54 pm »

We have a failing boiler - a new one is needed, in a new location. Biggest current issue is we can't get a hot shower. 50% of the time it is lukewarm or cold.

Installation of new boiler will require a lot of moving of stuff, and that is after MrsC and I have come to an agreement over house alterations. Last time we started discussion, it got to near divorce level argument.

I think a sensible interim solution is to install an electric shower. Access to wiring above bathroom/bathroom ceiling is relatively easy. Plumbing is in place.

Disadvantage will be an increase in electricity bill.

Are there makes best to avoid? Pitfalls?

robgul · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 March, 2018, 04:44:52 pm »

Triton - seem to be market leader - I've just installed one with a black casing for my daughter ... looks great. I'm not sure you'll feel the hit that much on the electricity, you're only using power for instant hot water while the shower is on - depends on the main system for hot water.

Rob

Kim · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 March, 2018, 04:48:03 pm »

Anyone with hair (I appreciate this excludes about half the forum) knows that a good shower is all about litres per minute, and since electric showers modulate temperature by restricting the flow, this equates to Moar Kilowatts Moar Better.

I can't make specific recommendations - all the electric showers I've had have been perfectly reliable (even the ones exposed to Canterbury Carbonate didn't seem to have problems), but they've all been landlord-issue 7500W rubbish that in winter leaves you shivering under a pissy trickle while you wait for the shampoo to rinse off.

There's a lot to be said for an electric shower (even a rubbish one) as a backup if your boiler is a combi. (If you have a stored hot water system, you can have an immersion heater on the tank).

Duckfoot1606 · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 March, 2018, 04:48:54 pm »

We have a fancy shower thing linked to a combi boiler, quite honestly if I had my time again I would install an electric power shower instead

A

Nutbeem · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 March, 2018, 06:02:57 pm »

As Kim says more Kw with give you more flow of hot water.
We've been using a Mira Sports Max which is 10.8Kw. It does need heavier cable than the lower powered models.
Ours has been working well for 13 years, but is being replaced with a new version of the same model as part of a completed bathroom refit.

Whichever shower you choose look for cold shut down. Flushing the heating tank through with cold water before the shower turns off reduces build up of scale and prolongs the showers life considerably.

rafletcher · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 March, 2018, 06:11:41 pm »

When you say “access to wiring is easy” you do appreciate that it needs its own dedicated fuse/cb and cable, like an oven does?

andrewc · « **Reply #6 on:** 12 March, 2018, 06:20:10 pm »

My thread on replacing an existing shower is here, it may contain useful information. https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=100070.0

As a result of a mistaken order during that lot, I've an unused 7.5W Triton sitting in the corner of my living room. Yours gratis if you want it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0035549VI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Basil · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 March, 2018, 06:35:00 pm »

Never met an electric shower that you don't have to run around under in order to get wet. That could be because I like my showers to be HOT.

Feanor · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 March, 2018, 07:38:01 pm »

Not helpful, but...

At Uni in Embra, my GF at the time had a flat bought by her parents.
There was a plan afoot to make an en-suite shower room.

I looked at the proposed arrangements, and wondered where the cold water supply could be brought in from.

"Oh, you don't need that. It's all electric!".

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 March, 2018, 07:43:06 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 12 March, 2018, 06:11:41 pm

When you say “access to wiring is easy” you do appreciate that it needs its own dedicated fuse/cb and cable, like an oven does?

There is already a hatch giving access to the ceiling for the bit that goes on the ceiling.

The distribution box is immediately below the bathroom - so lifting two floorboards and doing about 1m of channelling will fit new cable right to the back of where the shower would be. That is relatively simple.

A 10kW unit and cold flush sounds sensible.

ian · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 March, 2018, 08:13:46 pm »

I confess that once you've got used to the first-world decadence of a pumped rainfall shower, electric showers will have to wait until the debut of household fusion units. It's there's not enough high pressure hot water to quell a significant urban uprising, I don't want to know.

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 March, 2018, 07:56:26 am »

Quote from: Duckfoot1606 on 12 March, 2018, 04:48:54 pm

We have a fancy shower thing linked to a combi boiler, quite honestly if I had my time again I would install an electric power shower instead

A

Can you elaborate? What is wrong with the shower you have, and what do you mean by an electric power shower?

hellymedic · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 March, 2018, 12:49:43 pm »

We have a combi boiler and an ordinary mixer tap shower.
Everything works on water mains pressure, which is HIGH here.

The combi boiler only heats the water if the hot tap is at least nearly fully open.
Opening the cold tap reduces water pressure available to the boiler.

If I'm very lucky, I can get a torrent at the right temperature. I need to adjust the taps VERY finely. I can't have a warm, gentle trickle. This bugs me more in the kitchen for washing the dishes than it does in the bathroom for washing my hair but

I HATE MY COMBI BOILER!
I HATE GETTING WET BECAUSE I NEED MAINS PRESSURE TO FIRE THE HOT WATER!
I HATE WAITING AGES TO GET HOT WATER IN THE KITCHEN!
I DISLIKE HAVING WATER THAT IS HARDLY ABOVE HAND HOT!
David can't wash his hands in hot water upstairs if I repeatedly flush the downstairs loo.

I miss my hot and cold tanks. My gas bills might be a bit less but I'd like better control and availability of my hot water.

Duckfoot1606 · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 March, 2018, 01:34:06 pm »

Quote from: Pickled Onion on 14 March, 2018, 07:56:26 am

Quote from: Duckfoot1606 on 12 March, 2018, 04:48:54 pm
We have a fancy shower thing linked to a combi boiler, quite honestly if I had my time again I would install an electric power shower instead

A

Can you elaborate? What is wrong with the shower you have, and what do you mean by an electric power shower?

Even though the shower is thermostatically controlled, if another appliance (eg washing machine) starts drawing water whilst the shower is running, the water temp cycles hot and cold as the flow rate reduces and then increases. Flow rate is not that good at the best of times, so I reckon two separate systems is the way to go, with a pump assisted shower to maintain flow rate.

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 March, 2018, 01:57:10 pm »

Quote from: robgul on 12 March, 2018, 04:44:52 pm

Triton - seem to be market leader - I've just installed one with a black casing for my daughter ... looks great. I'm not sure you'll feel the hit that much on the electricity, you're only using power for instant hot water while the shower is on - depends on the main system for hot water.

Rob

We have had electric showers for over 10 years, all Triton. About every 18 months to 2 years they pack up and either need replacing under warranty or I have to buy a new one.

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with electric showers or Triton, I think its us. The two adults in the house use the shower each day for about 10 minutes. The Grumpy Teenager can be in there for an hour

I suspect herein lies the problem.

In May we are having a new bathroom and boiler amongst other stuffs. The boiler will be a 35kw combi and the shower will run off it. The Grumpy Teenager will have Grumpy Adults pounding on the bathroom door if she's under the shower for too long. I'm hoping we will have a more reliable showering experience and lower energy bills.

hellymedic · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:00:20 pm »

AIUI These electric showers are not recommended for hard water. Many are installed despite this and our Triton is packing up through limescale, though we hardly use it.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:15:22 pm »

I'm very happy with my basic shower running off the combi. But when we do adaptations, if we install an electric shower, we specify Mira because of reliability.

Morat · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:31:49 pm »

My current landlord installs Mira Sports one after the other. I'm sure they're the basic model. They do "OK". In winter it's down to a trickle even if you don't like particularly hot showers. The best shower I've ever used which had the manufacturer on it was an Aqualisa. It had the flashing light to tell you when the shower was up to temp. An excellent solution to a very first world problem

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:44:03 pm »

Our research suggested that Aqualisa were the best 10kW with a cool flush (for a semi-reasonable price).

Now I need to find a plumber in York . . .

hellymedic · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:45:33 pm »

Quote from: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 14 March, 2018, 02:15:22 pm

I'm very happy with my basic shower running off the combi. But when we do adaptations, if we install an electric shower, we specify Mira because of reliability.

I believe you live alone. Combi boilers cause more grief when there are multiple users in a household.
I don't think Edinburgh water is hard.

Aunt Maud · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:50:53 pm »

An immersion heater in a cylinder in the loft worked wonders for us when we had the bathroom in the garden shed.

sib · « **Reply #21 on:** 14 March, 2018, 02:52:11 pm »

Aqualisa..the best (IMHO)

Greenbank · « **Reply #22 on:** 14 March, 2018, 03:48:00 pm »

Quote from: hellymedic on 14 March, 2018, 02:45:33 pm

I believe you live alone. Combi boilers cause more grief when there are multiple users in a household.
I don't think Edinburgh water is hard.

Hard London water, flat (converted house) with 3 people in, combi boiler, no problems.

It helps that:-
* We have good water pressure (the local reservoir is up the hill from us)
* There's only one bathroom (with sink) and a separate toilet (no sink)
* It's a 28kW combi boiler in the kitchen
* The bathroom and separate toilet are next to the kitchen so the longest run of hot water pipework is under 5m
* The only other hot water use (other than the bath) is the tap in the kitchen, everything else (dishwasher, washing machine, fridge) is cold water only
* It's a good quality shower Triton thermostatic bar mixer shower

No shower problems even if the dishwasher and washing machine are both on, and someone has just flushed the toilet and is now washing their hands in the sink in the bathroom.

hellymedic · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 March, 2018, 04:32:08 pm »

There are just two of us in this three-bedroomed semi. Water pressure is high, boiler is 27kW I think. Boiler is upstairs in combined bathroom so there's a long run to kitchen sink. Washing machine is cold water fill but causes pressure reduction; likewise downstairs loo.

ian · « **Reply #24 on:** 14 March, 2018, 05:03:21 pm »

Big cylinder of toasty water and a pump borrowed from a riot-control water cannon. Best shower evah. I have bad dreams about those student-era electric showers that were the equivalent of holding a incontinent kitten over your head. We used to go to the student union as it was cheaper and the water was hotter. Plus you had to share our shower with a 50kg bag of cement that had set solid. Or the combo-boiler shower in my parent's house which would switch from hot water to glacial melt water in a millisecond if anyone in a 10 mile radius even thought of turning a tap on.

I always thought I'd hate hot water cylinders but we've had one in every house we've owned and they're the bees knees.