Electric shower
Turbo Mini Forums

I'm looking at putting in an electric shower, at present we have a gravity fed mixer which is weak to say the least.

Basically any advice, not bothered about something as powerful as a steam cleaner, really just want something that will maintain a constant temp.

I've been looking at Triton showers which I believe to be OK but any info to the contrary welcomed. Also what kW is sufficient, I have seen 8.5/9.5/10.5 kW available.
I'm going to have to run a cable in for it anyway so no bother there.

Thanks chaps as ever.

We have electric showers... the higher the power the quicker you can run the water HOT when its cold... but the more you pay... I hate ours and I think its about the 8-9KW, dims the lights when you turn it on... nothing beats the big hot water tank and a good pump. But then I like showers with the power to take your skin off.

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
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I have a Triton power shower here in my flat. It runs on a cold feed and is perfectly acceptable for a power shower. It always keeps a constant temperature and the water flow is fine.

On the contrary, I had a really small sized, unbranded hot and cold feed power shower in my old student house and it was absolute shite.

As Graham says, you cant beat a pump fed mixer. The one at my parents' house blows you away, its amazing!

Edited by Carl S on 29th Sep, 2010.

I have a 10kw electric shower and a power shower. The power shower is better, but I'd be perfectly happy to use the electric one every day.

Get the highest wattage you can as the higher wattage the more presure you can get out of them.

Triton are a common brand, but they are very simple things so brand isn't so important IMO.

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

I had a cheep one in my last house. The thing I found was that the plastic dials would break. In this case, they rotated a square bar. The shaft on the rear of the dial broke leaving it spinning on the shaft. It just ment turning it on/off with the pull string.

Got a £100 mira one at the moment. It's OK...

Is "death by electric shock in bathrom" common in uk? Never seen such a thing over here:)

internationally known as "big" swede

i have always had electric showers, 8.5 kW ish, so not that powerfull, but always plenty hot enough and was happy enough, but my misses has pump fed mixer showers, one off a combi (in her flat) and one off a tank (in her 'rents) there amasing, and keep a stable temp even when other things liek the dishwasher are on. i think more with mixer heads than lekky showers you get what you pay for :) i know what i want when i get my own place that isnt rented lol

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

I fitted an 8.5kw one. I got it from b&q for about 50 or so quid. Works just fine off the cold feed and a heavy duty cable. Was a good belts and braces fix when the combi-boiler packed up a few weeks ago. We only run it at half temp. So should be fine Tom.

I've just fitted a Mira 9.5kw to my dad's place. Having been used to a good power shower at home I wasn't expecting much but it its pretty good. Build quality was much better than previous ones ive fitted too

Was a ball ache to install tho as he hadn't banked on having to run in a new consumer unit and 10mm cable across the house to use it.

Thanks gents, basically confirming my thoughts that something like either a 9.5 or 10.5 kW will be perfectly adequate. I'm not that bothered about power to strip your skin, and its above the bath as well so anything too powerful I guess would just get water everywhere.
The house could do with a new consumer unit anyway really, and I knew this when I bought it, so no bad thing to need to put one in.

its worth checking the regs/spec regarding the cable too.. depending on the length and if its under loft insulation you may need 16mm instead of 10mm

I've never been that impressed with electric showers. We ended up going for a thermostatic type in our flat. It's so much more powerful and the temps are reached more quickly.

It was only about £120 on ebay and much less hassle to install too.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Definitely use 16mm cable for 10.5kw.

In a hard water area they do tend to chalk up pretty quickly and then blow the relief valve -only pennies but its a pain if you,re all soaped up when it happens.

As I had the opportunity I have a combi and water softener - no chalk probs and mains pressure at the shower head.

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Took a few seconds for that to click as i`m a bit simple. But i had a little chuckle.

Cable should really be a single run from the box to the shower. Id probably say 16mm minimum given that it has the potential to pull 40amps.

In my house, given the usage they go through. They last 6 months at best. But really, its about 20 min`s work to swap one out.

Thanks for the compliment Robert !

Ive done abit of research into showers recently. Sad i know but im kitting out my first house and need to know these things.
Ive figured out that The KW rating of an electric shower has nothing to do with its pressure output as its mains pressure fed. The higher the KW rating the quicker it heats up water and the more heat it can produce. Even a 8Kw shower can get ruddy hot.

Ive gone for a mixer type that runs from my combi which again is under mains pressure. This tends to me more econmomical but relys on what the water pressure is like on your area.

Anything that runs from mains pressure cant be pumped to make more.
If you already have a mixer type but want more pressure you can add a storage tank and a pump. The only bad side is it takes up space and if its a really powerfull pump and you use alot of hot water its going to run out quicker than the mains can refill it.

If its any help im a spark and have fitted literally 100's of showers, generally electric showers are never as good as the alternatives although they are a lot better than electric showers of old. Nearly all of us have half decent mains water pressure- pressure is not the focus with these things its the flow capabilty, nearly all elec showers run the element at whatever its rated at 8.5,9,10 kw ect and vary the water temp by adjusting the flow of water, a 7 kw shower will produce water just as hot as a 10kw one but the 7 will be reduced to a pathetic dribble(been there meself lol),stands to reason you get the best flow at a decent temp from a 10/10.5. Cheap showers are a no no if they are in constant use, they just dont seem to last, the mira sport has been around for ages and is very good but pricey, i get varing feedback about different makes and there is a lot of bs talked about em, miras are the only ones i dont often go back to once fitted. A 10mm cable on a 50A breaker will be fine up to 10.5kw as long as its not a long run-over say 25m in total and the cable is not enclosed in any type of thermal insulation for more than a metre-above that you may need to move to 16mm but thats rare-really it needs calculating with your details just to check -thats my 2pence worth anyhow

oli

On 5th Oct, 2014 Shauna said:
What that's crazy, you go commando hahaha! How heavy is your helmet ?

cant Imagine how much fun it must be trying to get a pair of 16mils into one of those poxy pull swtch boxes.....
Good luck with that one

just fit a pump onto your hot and cold mixer shower feed be about the same price as a electric shower and it will be alot better! i am a plumber

13.95 1/4 mile on a 2.95 fd. Carnt be that hard to beat!

Damn right, kstead !!

mira all the way, had two leccy ones in the past no problems at all but you have to have good pressure upstairs, minimum water board should supply is 1 bar. Got a mira that now works direct from the combi and is faultless.

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