Electric shower issues

Blue nose · 23 Jan 21, 05:29 PM

We have a electric shower in our bathroom. It's mains fed. Water pressure is about 13 litres a minute.

We think it's a 9.5kw shower as we changed from the previous 7.5 to see if that'd help.

When running cold it's fine but the hotter we want it the more rubbish it is, to the point it doesn't wash the shampoo out of your hair.

What can we do to get a decent shower?

tspill · 23 Jan 21, 05:49 PM

The reason the water slows will likely be sure to the shower not being able to eat the water to the temperature you need. To get that temperature, it has to slow the water to the point where it can heat it.

Don't always go by the wattage - this is the power consumption. Most people equate this to how good the heating is. To a degree this is the case - if you take two units of the same model, the one with the higher wattage will be better. However, that is where it ends. Two 9.5kw showers can be totally different. This often comes down to what you bought. This is where cost comes in - there is a reason some showers are �300 and some are �90. Some are vastly better at doing the job. We put a cheap 10.5kw shower into our bathroom in our last house and one at three times that in our new house. Same specification (in kw); absolute world of difference in actual performance.

Also at this time of year when water is much colder coming in, the shower cant perform as it does when weather (and ground) is much warmer. The shower has to heat an extra 20C at this time of year.

Obviously I cant say that this might be it.

**EssexSue** · 23 Jan 21, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by tspill

The reason the water slows will likely be sure to the shower not being able to eat the water to the temperature you need. To get that temperature, it has to slow the water to the point where it can heat it.

Don't always go by the wattage - this is the power consumption. Most people equate this to how good the heating is. To a degree this is the case - if you take two units of the same model, the one with the higher wattage will be better. However, that is where it ends. Two 9.5kw showers can be totally different. This often comes down to what you bought. This is where cost comes in - there is a reason some showers are �300 and some are �90. Some are vastly better at doing the job. We put a cheap 10.5kw shower into our bathroom in our last house and one at three times that in our new house. Same specification (in kw); absolute world of difference in actual performance.

Also at this time of year when water is much colder coming in, the shower cant perform as it does when weather (and ground) is much warmer. The shower has to heat an extra 20C at this time of year.

Obviously I cant say that this might be it.

So could you recommend a model please?

tspill · 23 Jan 21, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by EssexSue

So could you recommend a model please?

This is the one we went for -

mirashowers/shower...irboost-108kw/

You can get it for a lot less than the RRP.

It works well for us.

scottishgirl87 · 23 Jan 21, 07:17 PM

I know nothing about showers but does it have to be electric? We have 2 showers in our house - one is a 10kw electric shower and the other is a thermostatic one and the thermostatic one is 100x better than the electric. Both we had installed ourselves when we bought our house so both were brand new. Both are also Mira.

tspill · 23 Jan 21, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by scottishgirl87

I know nothing about showers but does it have to be electric? We have 2 showers in our house - one is a 10kw electric shower and the other is a thermostatic one and the thermostatic one is 100x better than the electric. Both we had installed ourselves when we bought our house so both were brand new. Both are also Mira.

It is like anything - you can get good and poor thermostatic showers and good and poor electric showers.

Like you, we have both. Both work very well. Neither was cheap.

**EssexSue** · 23 Jan 21, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by tspill

This is the one we went for -

mirashowers/shower...irboost-108kw/

You can get it for a lot less than the RRP.

It works well for us.

Thank you I'm adding that to my list. It may be the one the plumber recommended the name rings a bell. Every thing on hold now for lockdown so I may have as well write lists. 🙄

Blue nose · 23 Jan 21, 08:45 PM

The electric shower is an Aqualisa. No idea if it's a 'cheap' one we paid house builders a lot to add it to our new build and then about �150 when DH upgraded the in workings about 18 months ago. We're not sure we can get a 10.5 due to.the cable but will get it checked obviously.

In the ensuite we have one the runs from the hot water. That was rubbish and we got the builders to put a put in a pump.

Don't really want another off the hot water tank, with two teenagers and two adults we'll never all get a shower from one tank in the morning so need another electric one.

Vanillapod · 23 Jan 21, 09:17 PM

If you�re looking to replace, I would thoroughly recommend an Aqualisa Quartz.
We installed one because we had such awful pressure. It looks much neater than the box type electric showers as that part is hidden so only a button shows. It doesn�t heat water though, just pumps it

23 Jan 21, 05:29 PM	#1
	23 Jan 21, 05:29 PM Blue nose Imagineer
Blue nose Imagineer Join Date: Mar 16	Electric shower issues We have a electric shower in our bathroom. It's mains fed. Water pressure is about 13 litres a minute. We think it's a 9.5kw shower as we changed from the previous 7.5 to see if that'd help. When running cold it's fine but the hotter we want it the more rubbish it is, to the point it doesn't wash the shampoo out of your hair. What can we do to get a decent shower?

23 Jan 21, 05:49 PM	#2
	23 Jan 21, 05:49 PM tspill Imagineer
tspill Imagineer Join Date: Feb 13	The reason the water slows will likely be sure to the shower not being able to eat the water to the temperature you need. To get that temperature, it has to slow the water to the point where it can heat it. Don't always go by the wattage - this is the power consumption. Most people equate this to how good the heating is. To a degree this is the case - if you take two units of the same model, the one with the higher wattage will be better. However, that is where it ends. Two 9.5kw showers can be totally different. This often comes down to what you bought. This is where cost comes in - there is a reason some showers are �300 and some are �90. Some are vastly better at doing the job. We put a cheap 10.5kw shower into our bathroom in our last house and one at three times that in our new house. Same specification (in kw); absolute world of difference in actual performance. Also at this time of year when water is much colder coming in, the shower cant perform as it does when weather (and ground) is much warmer. The shower has to heat an extra 20C at this time of year. Obviously I cant say that this might be it.

23 Jan 21, 07:17 PM	#5
	23 Jan 21, 07:17 PM scottishgirl87 Imagineer
scottishgirl87 Imagineer Join Date: Jul 09	I know nothing about showers but does it have to be electric? We have 2 showers in our house - one is a 10kw electric shower and the other is a thermostatic one and the thermostatic one is 100x better than the electric. Both we had installed ourselves when we bought our house so both were brand new. Both are also Mira. __________________ May 2016 - Coronado Springs, Royal Pacific Resort & Animal Kingdom Kidani May 2010 - Pop! & Royal Pacific Resort October 2003 - Enclave Suites, I Drive

23 Jan 21, 08:45 PM	#8
	23 Jan 21, 08:45 PM Blue nose Imagineer Thread Starter
Blue nose Thread Starter Imagineer Join Date: Mar 16	The electric shower is an Aqualisa. No idea if it's a 'cheap' one we paid house builders a lot to add it to our new build and then about �150 when DH upgraded the in workings about 18 months ago. We're not sure we can get a 10.5 due to.the cable but will get it checked obviously. In the ensuite we have one the runs from the hot water. That was rubbish and we got the builders to put a put in a pump. Don't really want another off the hot water tank, with two teenagers and two adults we'll never all get a shower from one tank in the morning so need another electric one.