What type of Shower can I have ?

[Citychick]

Sorry if this is a really silly question but I'd really appreciate it if someone could enlighten me on this issue.

Currently I have an electric shower fitted in my first floor flat.
The whole place runs on electric, there is no gas, and a Pullin Immersion heater in the airing cupboard.

I'm knocking through to make the bathroom bigger and want to install a more modern looking bath and shower.
The bath I like is free standing and also has free standing taps, and I'd like to have a fixed showerhead too
Is this possible and if so what would I have to do in regards to boiler, plumbing etc.

Thanks for any answers.

 

[ajrobb]

I assume that you get cheap rate electricity at night and that your Pullin tank is unvented stainless steel.

First, I should point out that I think the law requires unvented tanks be inspected every year as they are pressure vessels and liable to explode if not maintained.

I see little point in having a tank full of hot water, heated on cheap-rate electricity at mains pressure and then using a weedy electric shower running on day-rate electricity. There is one advantage though, the trickle of hot water from an electric shower never ends.

So there is your first choice, do you want a quick powerful shower from your tank or a long slow electric shower?

If you take the shower from your unvented tank then your options are pretty much unlimited.

 

[silverback18]

"Pressure vessels and liable to explode if not maintained"

Please don't talk such nonsense on a public forum, why would the vessel explode, please explain, and can you also explain how you came to the conclusion that the OP has an unvented cylinder simply because he has a Pullen immersion heater

 

[ajrobb]

"Pressure vessels and liable to explode if not maintained" Please don't talk such nonsense on a public forum, why would the vessel explode, please explain, and can you also explain how you came to the conclusion that the OP has an unvented cylinder simply because he has a Pullen immersion heater

Failed TP + failed thermostat:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/261949/unvented_cylinder_explodes/

Did you follow the link I carefully provided to support my assumption?

I notice this is your first post and have to assume that you enjoy causing trouble.

 

[kevplumb]

the cyl that vid DID NOT have a failed t&p it had a PLUGGED t&p

hardly the same

 

[ChrisR]

CityChick - ignore most of that!
It depends where your hot water cylinder gets its water from.

Are you happy with the pressure and flow in your shower?
If not, you may need a pump, which may be difficult in a flat due to small storage volumes and low header tanks,
or,
if you change your boiler to a Combi, you then have NO tanks and good pressure for a shower.

If you have a storage tank AND good shower pressure already, then it's likely you do have an "unvented "HW storage system, which is fine. They do not explode and can be used with pretty much any boiler.

If you have a standard immersion heater (Pullin is just a make) on the top or side of a Hot Water Cylinder like this

there will be another tank above somewhere with cold water, which feeds it.
It might be immediately above. Shower pressure likely to be poor, without a pump.

 

[Citychick]

Hi Guys

Thanks so much for all your info.

My boiler looks a bit more like the one Chris posted (albeit more rusty!)

I have made an album of photos of the boiler if anyone wants to have a look.

It has a pipe coming out of the top and then a little tap on the way down.

The previous owner said the water pressure was very high and that a plumber had once had to turn it down (something to do with the toilet).

I found a shower on B&Q which they say is elecctric ?
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...efview=lister&ts=1282872936342&isSearch=false

Would I be able to fit this without changing the boiler and then fitting a rainhead shower head ?

 

[ajrobb]

Sorry, I guessed wrong. I agree with ChrisR.

 

[kevplumb]

we have all been there fella

 

[Citychick]

Sorry, I guessed wrong. I agree with ChrisR.

Hey don't feel bad - I didn't even know and it's my boiler lol.
Thanks very much for helping though I appreciate it.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Sadly flats dont lend themselves to adaptation very easily, it seems like an electric shower may be the only option. The shower you have linked to looks like it needs hot and cold supplies from storage tanks, and wont work with your setup. If you go back to the electric shower page on the B&Q site, apart from your choice or the 'contemporary' shower, any of the others would do, subject to the existing power supply cable's rating. (Anything over 8kW requires an uprated electricity supply, so you need to ascertain the existing supply would be adequate before purchasing.)

You have a 'Fortic' type hot water cylinder, whilst fine for hot water supply, they have limited cold storage capacity. (You may find filling a bath is slow?) Fitting a pump is pointless, it'll drain the cold storage on a Fortic in seconds, then either scald you, or if a thermostatic (better and safer IMO) type, cut off when the cold water runs out.....

 

[Citychick]

(You may find filling a bath is slow?)

The weird thing is it's really not slow at all.
It's not a small bath being of the large enamel variety and I just filled it 2/3 of the way to have a bath.
Then about 20 minutes later I emptied and refilled it for my boyfriend.
It's the first place where I've had this type of boiler and been able to have a steaming hot bath !
The last place had the same type of boiler and it'd get to quarter of the way full and just run cold (would have to boil the kettle).
So hey I may not get a swanky rainhead shower ....but at least O can have hot baths whenever I want !

Thanks for the advice I will just get one of the electric ones and have my cable changed to 10mm.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Check which size cable you have. 6mm and a 32amp breaker is ok for the lower kW showers. If the cable does need uprating to 10mm (and a 45amp breaker fitting), this can mean a lot of work depending on access to run the cable and proximity of shower to consumer unit.

 

[pmx_super]

Thanks for the advice I will just get one of the electric ones and have my cable changed to 10mm.

Hold your horses. Have you considered a venturi shower mixer like the Trevi Boost. If you have decent mains pressure (as you have already suggested you do) and your shower will be close to the hot water cylinder it could be just the ticket. Remaining question is what head of water you have feeding the HW cylinder? Have you found the cold header tank yet?

 

[muggles]

Thanks for the advice I will just get one of the electric ones and have my cable changed to 10mm.

Hold your horses. Have you considered a venturi shower mixer like the Trevi Boost. If you have decent mains pressure (as you have already suggested you do) and your shower will be close to the hot water cylinder it could be just the ticket. Remaining question is what head of water you have feeding the HW cylinder? Have you found the cold header tank yet?

It's already been established that it's a Fortic, so the head is very little and the cold water storage is minimal