Our old Triton T80 7.5kw shower is due an upgrade. We've had it over 10 years now, but it's never been particularly powerful, and also it tends to randomly go cold mid-shower for 15 seconds, before suddenly ramping up to scalding hot for another 15 seconds before resuming normal temperature. This is happening on average 2-3 times during every shower, and it gets annoying having to leap to the opposite end of the bath for half a minute to get out the way of the shower head whilst it's mucking about!
I'm assuming a newer "thermostatic" electric shower will fix this problem, and presumably by upgrading to a 10.5kw version, we'll get better flow as well. I've been looking at this Bristan Bliss 10.5kw which gets reasonably decent reviews (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bristan-BL3105-Bliss-Electric-Shower/dp/B01IR5KLBM?th=1)
In terms of the cable, we had new 10mm ran to the bathroom when we had a full house re-wire 3-4 years back, in anticipation of eventually upgrading the shower one day, so that's no problem, however from what I can tell, we only appear to have a 32a RCBO in the CU for the shower? I'm guessing this was deemed more appropriate by the electrician for the shower we already had.
Anyhow, is this something I can change myself or is it notifiable?
In my head, I'm thinking purchase a like-for-like Hager 50amp type B RCBO, flick the big red main switch on the CU, and literally just swap it out like-for-like, and it will be a 2-minute, easy job.
Any potential issues with doing that?
Also, just to make decision-making that little bit harder, there is a brand new, spare Hager 40a RCBO in a little box box sat on top of the CU. I'm guessing this still wouldn't be enough for a 10.5kw shower, but it's making me wonder if it was left there when the CU was installed, just in case I eventually decided to one day upgrade to a 9.5kw shower (as opposed to the 10.5kw one I'm looking at right now).
So am thinking, maybe I should just use this spare 40a RCBO, and install a new, lower-powered 9.5kw shower (presumably which will still be better than what we have now.... although I've read reviews of people buying modern showers, complaining that the flow wasn't as good as their older, previous models of the same KW rating?) or instead go with the 10.5kw shower (presumably even better still) and just get myself a brand new 50a RCBO?
what would you do?
Will I even notice a difference between a 9.5kw and 10.5kw shower?
I'm assuming a newer "thermostatic" electric shower will fix this problem, and presumably by upgrading to a 10.5kw version, we'll get better flow as well. I've been looking at this Bristan Bliss 10.5kw which gets reasonably decent reviews (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bristan-BL3105-Bliss-Electric-Shower/dp/B01IR5KLBM?th=1)
In terms of the cable, we had new 10mm ran to the bathroom when we had a full house re-wire 3-4 years back, in anticipation of eventually upgrading the shower one day, so that's no problem, however from what I can tell, we only appear to have a 32a RCBO in the CU for the shower? I'm guessing this was deemed more appropriate by the electrician for the shower we already had.
Anyhow, is this something I can change myself or is it notifiable?
In my head, I'm thinking purchase a like-for-like Hager 50amp type B RCBO, flick the big red main switch on the CU, and literally just swap it out like-for-like, and it will be a 2-minute, easy job.
Any potential issues with doing that?
Also, just to make decision-making that little bit harder, there is a brand new, spare Hager 40a RCBO in a little box box sat on top of the CU. I'm guessing this still wouldn't be enough for a 10.5kw shower, but it's making me wonder if it was left there when the CU was installed, just in case I eventually decided to one day upgrade to a 9.5kw shower (as opposed to the 10.5kw one I'm looking at right now).
So am thinking, maybe I should just use this spare 40a RCBO, and install a new, lower-powered 9.5kw shower (presumably which will still be better than what we have now.... although I've read reviews of people buying modern showers, complaining that the flow wasn't as good as their older, previous models of the same KW rating?) or instead go with the 10.5kw shower (presumably even better still) and just get myself a brand new 50a RCBO?
what would you do?
Will I even notice a difference between a 9.5kw and 10.5kw shower?
