Having just had our very old bathroom updated, we were told we couldnt have an electric shower because the previous one had a hot and cold water feed to it and obviously the electric shower only needs cold. Dont really understand it all but is it an expensive job to convert and put an electric one in?? The plumber said something about a thicker wire being needed????
No shower
- Thread starter Muppett
- Start date
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Yes, it does require a thicker cable.
The reason being, an electric shower uses a LOT of power to heat the water as it is used. This requires a cable that can carry more current, which is thicker. It also must be run straight from the consumer unit (fusebox) so you can't just add it in to your existing wiring.
How much work will be required is a very variable issue. It depends on many things:
1) If you have a spare slot in your consumer unit (fusebox)
2) If your consumer unit is rated highly enough
3) How far and how easy the cable run is from consumer unit to shower.
It is best to get an electrician to do the wiring and the plumber to do the plumbing.
The reason being, an electric shower uses a LOT of power to heat the water as it is used. This requires a cable that can carry more current, which is thicker. It also must be run straight from the consumer unit (fusebox) so you can't just add it in to your existing wiring.
How much work will be required is a very variable issue. It depends on many things:
1) If you have a spare slot in your consumer unit (fusebox)
2) If your consumer unit is rated highly enough
3) How far and how easy the cable run is from consumer unit to shower.
It is best to get an electrician to do the wiring and the plumber to do the plumbing.
Thanks for that - i think its basically what the plumber said when assessing the situation! Would you just esentially start again then and mount the new electric shower over the top of the tiles and feed the cables in through the bathroom ceiling?
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