Would like a better electric shower

[stealthwolf]

The house has a WB Greenstar 38CDi combi, which means I can't have a power shower. The electric shower is a Gainsborough 10.5se.

Whilst I like the fact that it heats up relatively quickly, I hate the way the thermal "protection" works. If someone uses a tap downstairs eg to wash dishes, the feed to the shower drops a little, there's too much hot water coming out (so it scalds) and about two minutes later (probably only 20 seconds or so), the temperature of the water drops so it's cool. You then try and turn the temp up so it's a bit warmer and then it's too hot once the downstairs tap is off.

I don't mind cool water but I hate the water when it gets scaldingly hot, and the pressure is a bit rubbish. Which electric shower should I go for?

 

[denso13]

which means I can't have a power shower

Why? Should be no problem with a boiler that size.

 

[stealthwolf]

Why? Should be no problem with a boiler that size.

I've been told both by a handyman and from researching online that combis and power showers don't go together.

 

[Dan Robinson]

He means pumped.

 

[Corgigrouch]

You can have a thermostatically controlled shower run off the combi

 

[flameport]

Which electric shower should I go for?

None of them, they are all equally useless. Should only be considered when there is no other option, such as a flat with no gas supply and a Fortic hot water cylinder.

A mixer supplied from the combi boiler will be a vast improvement. The best electric shower is 10.5kW. Your boiler is more than three times that.
The only changes required are removing the electric cable and adding a pipe for the hot water supply.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I would rather smell than use an electric shower of any kind


Looking forward to a nice 4 bar 22 litre a minute drenching later on

 

[oilhead]

Keep your Gainsborough, but fit a thermostatically mixed shower from your combi alongside. The thermostatic mixer will give you good showers, mains pressure. The Gainsborough will give you a shower when the combi breaks down. Just use it occasionally to keep the head clear.

 

[Servotech]

I would rather smell than use an electric shower of any kind


Looking forward to a nice 4 bar 22 litre a minute drenching later on

I wouldn't like to be paying your water bill Dan !!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Is the gas bill that's crippling.

Taking my Coopra out this afternoon. Intergas Eco RF going in with some clever controls trickery to keep OpenTherm, the cylinder and still use the combi side.

 

[DaveHerns]

In old money that's 5 gallons a minute at 60 psi. Is this for real or just BS ? Or is he showering at a car wash?

 

[Corgigrouch]

There is a lot of Dan to wash..

 

[Dan Robinson]

Used to be 6 bar, then I took the thermal store out and put on an unvented cylinder.

 

[Agile]

Depending on the figures its possible that a simple pressure reducing valve on the inlet to the electric shower might make it more stable.

But that is based on your comment that the flow rate drops just a little and the problem is not the flow rate reduction but the temperature control in the shower. Slightly reducing the pressure to the shower inlet will of course slightly reduce the flow all the time.

Another possibility is to reduce the flow rate of hot and cold water to the kitchen. I always take the view that 6 litres per minute is adequate for a kitchen sink and even that can be reduced to about 4 li/min if another benefit is required.

Tony

 

[stealthwolf]

TBH the kitchen taps are probably too strong. I rarely need them on full blast but there are two sinks - one in the kitchen and one in the utility. How do I adjust the rate of the feed to those sinks?