Need some help please

[Milo]

Hi there,

We are soon to have a new power shower fitted by a plumber but he says we cannot have one that is gravity fed and it must be a mains water pressure fed by the cold water and not by the hot.. I have looked on the internet to see about purchasing one and all I seem to find are power showers that are gravity fed and all the cold water supplied showers seem to be electric.. could someone please help me out here and point me in the right direction as to what I should be looking for as I'm finding this all really confusing.. many thanx for any help.

 

[Bas]

You must not pump mains water.

 

[Milo]

So is this plumber who works for the council talking rubbish?

My old shower (which wasn't a power shower) was a gravity feed so cannot understand what he is talking about

Are all power showers gravity fed?

 

[chrishutt]

Milo, the term "power shower" is just confusing. Just decide what sort of flow rate you want (e.g. 10 litres/min, 15 litres/min, etc.) and ask your plumber to specify showers that will deliver this based on the hot water system you have.

If your existing plumber isn't competent to do this, get a decent plumber. A "plumber" who doesn't understand the principles of shower operation will probably make a hash of the installation anyway. Best to avoid using pumps (noisy, unreliable) if you can get the flow rate you want by other means.

 

[Milo]

Well, he did recommend a triton but didn't say which one.. maybe he meant an electric power shower.. if there is such a thing

Was hoping to get a mira power shower as I see a lot of folk recommend them and they're apparently not very noisy.

Oh well, guess it's another confusing chat with the plumber

Thanx all for the help.

 

[Bahco]

What is supplying your hot water?

 

[Agile]

I find this rather confusing, a "Council" plumber is mentioned. Is this a plumber normally working for the Council who is doing ( uninsured ) jobs on the side? Or is it a Council owned property in which case I would have expected them to have specified the shower?

The performance of a shower has little to do with whats written on the box but much to do with the hot water source and flow and pressure.

The term "power shower" has no proper defination and is used by shower manufacturers to "talk up" their products.

In the trade its usually applied to open vented hot water systems using a booster pump to increase pressure and hence flow.

Pumps cannot be used with combi boilers or unvented cylinders.

Tony Glazier

 

[doitall]

You can use a pump to supply an unvented cylinder from a storage tank, and we doitall the time.

Also I can not see a problem with supplying a combi the same way.

Its only the mains that you cannot fit a pump.

 

[Agile]

Yes, of course John in the multi million pound houses you work on but with a council plumber involved this may well be a council house!

Tony

 

[doitall]

Ah but I didn't say the plumbing wouldn't cost more then the house

Nothing to stop you using a ST monsoon in a small domestic as a whole house booster.

 

[Milo]

Hi, yes it's a council house that I live in and have a hot water boiler in the airing cupboard that I suppose takes care of the hot water.

The plumber had to fit a new bath and he said something about shutting down the hot water feed for the old shower which was gravity fed because it was awkward with the different size bath.

If he has suggested that I buy a power shower that is a cold water mains supply only, that seems to suggest to fit an electric shower, and used the term power shower like I asked for so he wouldn't have to change all his plumbing work.

These new 10.5kw electric showers are not far of being powers showers though right??

Thinking of buying a Triton Topaz T80SI 10.5kw.. is that a good one to get??

Thanx for all help.

 

[chrishutt]

Milo asked

These new 10.5kw electric showers are not far of being powers showers though right??

OK, Milo, since you insist on using this term "power shower", despite two of us saying it's not a useful term to use, perhaps you could define "power shower", then we could answer your above question.

 

[Bahco]

These new 10.5kw electric showers are not far of being powers showers though right??

Around 5-6 litres per min is not what I call a powerful shower.

Should be adequate for you though unless you want something that delivers more LPM in which case you should consider a mixer shower with a pump.
Get a plumber in mate!

 

[Agile]

A 24 kW combi gives 9.3 litres per minute raised 35 *C and a good shower.

A 10.5 kW electric shower gives about FOUR litres per minute!

Enough to shower in but not what I would ever enjoy as a powerful invigorating shower!

Tony

 

[Milo]

Milo asked

These new 10.5kw electric showers are not far of being powers showers though right??

OK, Milo, since you insist on using this term "power shower", despite two of us saying it's not a useful term to use, perhaps you could define "power shower", then we could answer your above question.

Well, a "power shower" as in those advertised on the net as "power showers" and not electric showers. A power shower that is pumped.

I asked the plumber if we could have a "power shower" and he said no problem, but having read up a bit on the subject it seems he was trying to blag it to save himself from any extra work.