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I have a flat with two showers, both electric, both are quite 'weak'. Is there an easy way to increase the pressure from these types of shower unit? I have a pump installed at home that did wonders for our home shower but that was a standard mixer unit rather than an electric shower.
Would replacing the unit with a higher spec version work or is it the pipe work that is the limiting factor?
Thanks
sit down in the shower?
Most likely power rating, I replaced my old 7.2KW with an 8.4KW (wiring is the same spec, me doing the job is technically illegal but I'll get my sparky to cert it).
Difference was not massive but just tipped it over the comfort threshold on colder days.
only way to increase the flow is to increase the wattage of the heater in the shower or reduce the temperature you have the shower at.
if you go for a 10.5kw shower you'll probably need a new power supply to it.
the problem is always worse in the winter as the mains water coming into the shower is so much colder.
do you have a gas boiler?
If you are going to change the shower it may be more practical to replace it with one plumbed into the hot water.
we considered that but worked out that at the flow rate a shower plumbed into the tank would push water through we;d get 12-15 minutes worth of shower from a tank of hot water.
if you have a combi bioler then shoer from the hot water supply is the way to go, though.
I have a 10.5kW shower in my flat which was day and light better than the 7kW it replaced (unsurprisingly).
Only reason I am removing it is I am fitting a combi boiler and which will be cheaper to run and get rid of the cold water pipe which was installed in a crap way before I bought it and causes lots of damp problems behind some boxing in due to condensation (have lagged it as much as I can).
As long as you have good water pressure then yes a power upgrade will work. You can't use a pump with electric showers, only hot water tank fed ones. Rented place I am in now has such bad water pressure that the water stops when someone next door uses lots of water.
from my non-expert electrical knowledge you will probably need to upgrade the wiring and circuit protection at the same time unless they were over-specified at the time and this is all notifiable work.
Just for clarity - there is no gas in the flat at all.
So, I can rule out a pump by the sounds of it. Upgrading the power of the unit with similar to the wiring sounds like the option.
THanks all
If the electric gubbins is quite old then be prepared to have to upgrade the circuit protection for the showers to current regs - alanl was giving me some advice here: http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/electrician-help-please-swa-cable#post-3365119
Might save you some money over some 'advice' you may get from someone who comes round looking to make the job worth more.
Do you know what rating the current showers are?
They may just be crap/old. Our current shower is only 7kw (4mm wiring) and it's ok. Better than the gravity fed system we had in a previous house.
Check my old thread too...you might well get an 8.4kw cheap sh-mine was about to be thrown out by a neighbour. But going to 10.5 will be a huge difference and worth it if you need to rewire anyway.
The flat was built in 2002 and showers are of that vintage. For the novice, how would I determine what power the current showers are? Would it just be a label somewhere? Ideally I'd like to avoid re-wiring but that sounds unlikely?
Btw, I won't be doing this myself (as you may have guessed!). Any recommendations for a good spark in Macclesfield area?
Ours has a label on the underside of the unit
Ideally I'd like to avoid re-wiring but that sounds unlikely?
It may not be too difficult, if you can use the existing cable to pull a newer higher spec one through.
get a photo of your fuse box up and go from there.
10mm feed required for a good leccy shower. Very much doubt youll have that fitted, more than likely a 6mm.
Are you in a hard water area? The element may be clagged up with limescale.
if you go for a 10.5kw shower you'll probably need a new power supply to it.
I had to do this. On the plus side, my Dad's a sparky. On the minus side my Dad's a sparky 🙂 - he told me to put in the correct cable and buy the highest rated electric shower I could get my hands on (power shower wasn't practical) - the proper cable is VERY thick, bend over your knee thickness, but at least it was done in perpetuity.
Sold the house 3 months later 🙄
just tried my new 6" diameter shower head of the new combi boiler and OMG it is amazing. Just plumbed into the hand held shower off the taps for now until I get the proper mixer bar in but it feels like someone is dumping a never ending bucket of lovely hot water of you.
Makes even the 10.5kW electric shower feel pitiful.
Doesn't help your problem but if anyone else is wondering about ditching an electric shower and going for the combi route then do it! Boiler is a WB 30 CDI so has about 12 litres per minute flow.
combing back here to the 7kW effort is a big drop compared to the 10.5 in the flat though.