House with 2 showers issue

[Interest%]

Because most people have a preference for non-electric showers, so the builder likely installed what they felt was best or what the original owner asked for. It’s not uncommon to have the main shower fed from the hot water tank and pumped so you can have a nice shower most days, but then have an electric shower as a backup. Personally I’d rip out an electric shower as quickly as possible in a house!

What would you put in instead- Be mindful that it is plumbed from the hot water cylinder.

 

[Zenith63]

What would you put in instead- Be mindful that it is plumbed from the hot water cylinder.

I imagine it's plumbed from the cold tank in the attic, otherwise you would never be able to have it colder than the water in the tank.

But anyway, if it were in anyway possible to run a hot feed from the tank (and add a pump), that's the only option. It depends on the house of course, but if you're doing any work on it, particularly for upstairs bathrooms where you can go through the attic, it's not a major deal to run this extra plumbing and makes a world of difference.

 

[Interest%]

I imagine it's plumbed from the cold tank in the attic, otherwise you would never be able to have it colder than the water in the tank.

But anyway, if it were in anyway possible to run a hot feed from the tank (and add a pump), that's the only option. It depends on the house of course, but if you're doing any work on it, particularly for upstairs bathrooms where you can go through the attic, it's not a major deal to run this extra plumbing and makes a world of difference.

i think it has 2 supplys- One from cold tank in attic and one from hot water cylinder that the immersion is on

 

[Odea]

We have a shower in the far corner of our house that is fed from our immersion tank. No pump. It takes at least 5 litres of cold water running through the system before we get any hot water.

Would it be advisable to install an electric shower unit in the shower cubicle....does this entail new piping or can the existing piping be used?

 

[Leo]

Would it be advisable to install an electric shower unit in the shower cubicle....does this entail new piping or can the existing piping be used?

The existing cold feed from the tank could be used, the hot wouldn't be required and could simply be capped.

Along with the 5l of cold water that runs prior to the hot water arriving, you're leaving 5l of hot water in the pipe when you turn the shower off, so the energy to heat that is awasted.

 

[newirishman]

The existing cold feed from the tank could be used, the hot wouldn't be required and could simply be capped.

Along with the 5l of cold water that runs prior to the hot water arriving, you're leaving 5l of hot water in the pipe when you turn the shower off, so the energy to heat that is awasted.

I'd say you waste significantly more money on buying the electric shower in the first place, even over the lifetime of the unit.

There is probably a reason why I have never seen an electric shower in continental Europe, ever.

But I might be biased as I have a deep dislike for those electric shower thingies.

 

[ClubMan]

There is probably a reason why I have never seen an electric shower in continental Europe, ever.

Really? I've seen plenty of them in France at least.
But then again, their nuclear based grid makes for cheap electricity...

 

[newirishman]

Really? I've seen plenty of them in France at least.
But then again, their nuclear based grid makes for cheap electricity...

Not in a normal house or flat to be honest. Undersink etc. water heaters yes, but not those triton-type power showers.
Water pressure tends to be high (and no attic tanks), so not point really.
But of course, I have not seen "everything".

 

[Interest%]

We have a shower in the far corner of our house that is fed from our immersion tank. No pump. It takes at least 5 litres of cold water running through the system before we get any hot water.

Would it be advisable to install an electric shower unit in the shower cubicle....does this entail new piping or can the existing piping be used?

you may need to run new wiring to it, the existing non pump electric shower wiring may not have the required rating for a pumped shower. I think anything above 8kw shower needs 10mmsq cable

 

[roker]

hi i have 2 showers in my house.
One in ensuite its an electric pumps shower.
The one in the main bathroom is a standard shower- Issue is- the on in the main bathroom is only hot when I have the heating or immersion on. This would tell me that it is fed from the hot water cylinder. The house is fairly new only 4 or 5 years old.
Why would the builder not take it off the tank in the attic and install a second electric pumped shower?

There are complications having 2 electric showers with integral element.
You cannot run 2 at once because of the load, so you have to have an electrical interlock to prevent this. The existing shower is possibly like mine, it has a hot and cold feed withe a mixer valve and pump, I can run with hot water from the boiler, immersion or solar system

 

[bstop]

There are two different types of controller for operating Two electric showers.
Priority type and First come first served type.
If you don't want to leave a person in one of the showers cut off mid shower you will need the First come first served unit.

 

[roker]

Also, means you can’t use Solar heated water for the shower, which would impact BER rating. Would that not be be more efficient to use the hot water?
I guess because electric showers are um not great? I dont want to know if they are great or not, i want to know why Why would the builder not take it off the tank in the attic and install a second electric pumped shower?

My ensuite shower is taken from the hot tank which is heated by the boiler or solar system and in the other bathroom I have a mixer tap from the bath hot water, no electric used. My altenative shower is electric heated which we rarely use.