Shower size, 6 kW really? Seems a good shower.

[catlad]

Built an extension 4 yr ago and installed a triton t100xr on recommendation from a plumber, this is the second bathroom and I thought I would go with a different power source in case one broke down. Its terrible nobody ever uses it!

 

[Johntheo5]

I do know of a healrhcare type, I think, a Triton, that can do a form of that but only on one of the elements, ie, one full on, the other, "modulating". Can you post a link please Harry.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I do know of a healrhcare type, I think, a Triton, that can do a form of that but only on one of the elements, ie, one full on, the other, "modulating". Can you post a link please Harry.

Lots of them - https://www.tritonshowers.co.uk/sho...ric-shower-with-ceiling-fixed-head-kit-silver

Modulating one element would be adequate - the one element which is used on both high and low power modes. I actually checked the consumption of mine, out of curiosity, using my Smart meters IHD.

 

[fixitflav]

Nearly! Some are able to vary the heat, or power input, to achieve a temperature you preset on the dial. My previous one did this, as does my latest one. I would not welcome one, without this feature, it is entirely set and forget.

Is the flow manually adjusted? I'd have thought you'd usually want flow at maximum (hence max power input) unless the mains water was quite warm.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is the flow manually adjusted? I'd have thought you'd usually want flow at maximum (hence max power input) unless the mains water was quite warm.

There is no manual control at all, just an on/off button, temperature dial, and a switch for cold, low power, full power.

 

[fixitflav]

There is no manual control at all, just an on/off button, temperature dial, and a switch for cold, low power, full power.

OK, I thought you meant it varied the power continuously to maintain a set temperature, at a manually set flow. It sounds like you select the power and it automatically adjusts the flow to give the set temperature.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It sounds like you select the power and it automatically adjusts the flow to give the set temperature.

It perhaps also adjusts the flow, but I have not noticed that, but it certainly adjusts the power to match the temperature dialed in. Press the on button, it starts cold, then goes a little too hot, before settling.

 

[ericmark]

It seems mine does have two elements,

however not idea of the size of second element. Clearly if it was too cold we would switch to high output, but it's not too cold, so only ever used on Eco setting.

 

[Johntheo5]

The only way a electric shower can automatically maintain a dialled in temperature is by also regulating the flow rate or ensuring a manually adjusted flow rate is not greater than the shower power available to heat that volume of water.
6.0kw thermally can only supply 2.46LPM, 2.87LPM or 3.91LPM at 40C from mains at 5C, 10C or 18C (recent mains temp) it doesnt matter how many bells & whistles are on it.
Triton and others do supply thermostatically controlled showers with a hot and cold feed that can flow up to 14LPM, the only electrcs is a intrgral pump that only draws ~ 120 watts or so, a thermostatic mixing valve then ensures any required showering temp is maintained.

 

[fixitflav]

It perhaps also adjusts the flow, but I have not noticed that, but it certainly adjusts the power to match the temperature dialed in. Press the on button, it starts cold, then goes a little too hot, before settling.

But you said it has 3 power settings, cold (none!), low and full. I assumed the setting was manually selected. Do you mean it automatically switches between low and full?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The only way a electric shower can automatically maintain a dialled in temperature is by also regulating the flow rate or ensuring a manually adjusted flow rate is not greater than the shower power available to heat that volume of water.

And/or varying the power input, to the heating element.

But you said it has 3 power settings, cold (none!), low and full. I assumed the setting was manually selected. Do you mean it automatically switches between low and full?

No, the three options, are manual settings. We never use the cold, or low settings. We only use the full setting, which manages to supply a constant, steady temperature controlled flow. Checking power consumption, proves it varies the Kw load, but I am less sure about whether it manages to also adjust the water flow.

What I can say is - winter or summer, despite the variations in incoming water temperature, and pressure variations - the water temperature from the shower head is always the same temperature.

Our original shower #1, was a basic one where you had to adjust the water flow, to tune the temperature. It was an hopeless battle, due to varying mains pressure. The #2, I replaced it with, was temperature controlled, cost me around £400 and was absolutely great. That failed after many years of use, so I tried to buy a similar model as a #3. I was pleased to find, that costs had significantly fallen, since buying #2, for the same spec. of shower.

 

[fixitflav]

Checking power consumption, proves it varies the Kw load, but I am less sure about whether it manages to also adjust the water flow.

If it varies the kW, I would think it does that to maintain set temperature, either by a solid state circuit or maybe on/off control with a short cycle, like the Simmerstat on an electric hob.
But it's not important!

 

[Johntheo5]

And/or varying the power input, to the heating element.




No, the three options, are manual settings. We never use the cold, or low settings. We only use the full setting, which manages to supply a constant, steady temperature controlled flow. Checking power consumption, proves it varies the Kw load, but I am less sure about whether it manages to also adjust the water flow.

What I can say is - winter or summer, despite the variations in incoming water temperature, and pressure variations - the water temperature from the shower head is always the same temperature.

Our original shower #1, was a basic one where you had to adjust the water flow, to tune the temperature. It was an hopeless battle, due to varying mains pressure. The #2, I replaced it with, was temperature controlled, cost me around £400 and was absolutely great. That failed after many years of use, so I tried to buy a similar model as a #3. I was pleased to find, that costs had significantly fallen, since buying #2, for the same spec. of shower.

Your spec shows 3 heating elements and a motorized flow control valve as well as the solenoid valve so the flow rate is controlled automatically to give the set showering temp, the shower comes in two outputs, 9.5kw and 10.5kw I think.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Shower heads have advanced in recent years. They give the illusion of more flow than there is, often by mixing in some air. You find out how little water is actually flowing when rinsing shampoo from your hair, it takes for ever.

I doubt it's adequate and 6kW when it's the depths of winter. Either you like a cold shower, or it modulates its power and is using much more than you're currently seeing.

One of ours is a fairly old electric shower. It has fixed power output, and manually adjustable flow rate that you wiggle to get the right temperature and flow, which is a compromise in reality as hot/fast isn't an option!

Our other is a mixer shower fed by one of these, which also feeds the handwash basin...

Aquila | HYCO Manufacturing

The thermostatically controlled Aquila instantaneous water heater is suitable for hand washing at up to 2 basins or light dishwashing at a single sink.

www.hyco.co.uk

This is much cleverer. The temperature is set electronically, the flow rate is set manually, you set it so it can (just) achieve the desired temperature at 100% power in the depths of winter. When it's warmer it backs off its power as needed to maintain the same temperature. Brilliant bit of kit, installed in a cupboard next to the shower room. Nobody would know it's anything other than regular hot water, it just works. I have it set to 45 degrees C, which is perfect for handwashing or showering without messing about with mixing, just leave both set to 100% hot. There's no need to have hotter water than this. As it's fresh and not stored stale water, legionella isn't a concern so no need to heat to 60.

 

[ericmark]

Oh what have I started? I know my iboost+ does modulate the pulsed DC output, but it is rather a complex pricy unit, as for a shower doing the same, seems an expensive option, and the whole idea of the electric instant shower is it is cheap. Both to buy and install.

I have never said the instant electric is as good as a proper power shower. As to a thermostat regulated shower there are good and bad versions, down to speed at which the valve can move to maintain the set temperature, and also even other taps in the home.

A tap which one has to turn takes time to open and close, so the shower has time to compensate for small pressure changes, lever taps can be turned on too fast for the shower to regulate in time. So it does vary home to home.

We found the power shower down stairs did not need power to it, it was on a RCD together with upstairs shower (electric instant) and the RCD would trip, and we would be unaware it had tripped, the shower worked OK without power to it, although not as good, but good enough that no one complained.

However a shower from stored hot water is very different to a shower from instant gas heated hot water, not sure about oil, as an oil boiler does not modulate, but uses a water store although small, but with gas instant the boiler modulates, so it has a range, maybe a good range 6 - 28 kW although some early ones were poor, maybe 12 - 24 kW, so they have a number of problems.
1) Output too low and boiler will turn off.
2) Output too high due to other demands on hot water, it can get too cool.
3) It takes a long time for hot water to reach the shower.
4) If it has an internal reservoir this can run out causing shower to go cold before the boiler has warmed up.
So a thermostat shower from stored water is very different to the same unit running from an instant gas water heater. Showers with body jets will not in the main work on an instant gas water heater, this is only possible with stored hot water. As to how much water they use I would not like to pay that much.

What did surprise me in a wet room, was a hot shower cools the floor tiles, I thought it would warm them up, but no, so any ideas of using drain water to pre-heat shower water would not work.

OK my wife spends ages in a shower, but I am more in and out, so waiting for a gas powered instant shower to get hot, is as long as I would be under an electric instant shower, OK lived on one house in Stanley just outside Heathrow air port which had pumped circulated water, so then no delay, it was stored water and also the rest of room shower was in had under floor heating, reduced the wet foot prints from the shower, likely the best shower I have ever used, I shudder to think of the cost, but I just want to wash my body, I am not looking for the very best.

If you really want a relaxing bath or shower this takes some beating

the Pamukkale hot springs of Turkey are something I will never forget, but I am not aiming to reproduce this in my home.