Water heating thermostatic shower questions

mel.b

I am planning on renovating my ensuite this year and I want to put in a proper rainfall type shower with good water pressure, so my understanding is i need a pumped thermostatic shower.

Currently I have an electric shower in the ensuite and also in the downstairs bathroom. In the main bathroom there is a hand held shower head attached to the taps, but no shower screen so it's never used and I presume that one comes from the immersion.

I know I will need a whole new cyclinder etc and that's not a problem. The hot press is adjacent to the ensuite.

In terms of heating the water in the cyclinder, can this be done on a timer? I have night saver electricity as I have an electric car so get cheaper electricity at night. I don't think solar panels is financially feasible as I am the only person in the house. I presume with a timer, the tank would top up after the shower and the water would be slightly cooler but that's ok as I have showers in the morning and if I needed to have a shower at a different time I could set the timer.

I presume having the new cyclinder in the hot press also allow me to have warm water in the rest of my taps during the day year round? Currently I only have hot water when I have the heating (OFCH) on. I never actually turn on the immersion. Would it cost much to heat the water each night roughly for a 250/300l tank?

I'm presuming I can't get a back boiler installed (will be doing a larger renovation). OFCH, cold water in attic, immersion in the hot press. Irish plumbing is a bit of a mystery to me having moved here from Australia I don't have mains gas, so that's not an option.

Finally, with the new set up, could I also get a proper shower head installed in the main bathroom? I could then install a shower screen etc. At the moment if i have guests over they have to use the bathroom downstairs which is a bit of a PITA.

Sorry for so many questions & thanks in advance

mel.b

Bump - can anyone help me with any of my questions? It would be good so I don't look like a complete idiot when I talk to a plumber:o

cnocbui

I ripped out the pathetic "Power Shower" in the en suite and installed a 180mm rain head. I then installed a Stuart Turner 3 bar pump in the hot press, under the existing water cylinder. I rejigged the hot and cold plumbing through the pump so that, apart from the kitchen cold, the whole house gets hot and cold water at pressure from the pump, including the main bathroom wand style shower. You don't have to go read a chapter of a book while a bath or the kitchen sink fills.

I had to change some nozzles in the toilet cistern fill valves and service them so they didn't leak under pressure, after I first commissioned the system and they couldn't hack it.

It's a 4 bedroom house and I used the existing HW cylinder and didn't even fit the special valve you are supposed to, thinking I would if there was an air suction and cavitation problem, but I was lucky and it has worked fine without the valve.

The cylinder is insulated and heated via the OFCH and boosted via a digital programmable timer.

What a coincidence, I'm from Australia also. Couldn't stand the neolithic plumbing and nonexistent water pressure you get here. The pump delivers 25 L a minute and is plenty for a really decent shower experience. I wouldn't want less than a 3 bar pump.

I could not begin to estimate how many days or weeks of our lives have been saved not having to wait for water to dribble through the pipes.

mel.b

I'd definitely need to replace the current cylinder as the one in the hot press is tiny - the new shower would drain it in minutes!

I also can't stand the plumbing here! The first thing I do when I go home to Oz is stand under the shower for what feels like hours! I don't care what it costs I'm getting a decent shower in my ensuite when I renovate it.

Sleeper12

Replace the cylinder with a foam insulated one and also install a timer. That's your hot water sorted.

There are two types of power shower. The most common is a plastic box containing a pump. These might be Mira, Triton, Aqualisa etc. This is the least expensive type. They do what they say on the tin.

The other type of power shower is a separate pump and a shower head. You can get a bar mixer with a shower hose & head, a diverter and a rain head. The bigger the head the bigger the pump needed. I'd recommend a 3 bar brass body pump

mel.b

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Replace the cylinder with a foam insulated one and also install a timer. That's your hot water sorted.

Is that heated via the OFCH? Can they be connected up to be heated via the electricity?

Sleeper12 wrote: »

There are two types of power shower. The most common is a plastic box containing a pump. These might be Mira, Triton, Aqualisa etc. This is the least expensive type. They do what they say on the tin.

The other type of power shower is a separate pump and a shower head. You can get a bar mixer with a shower hose & head, a diverter and a rain head. The bigger the head the bigger the pump needed. I'd recommend a 3 bar brass body pump

The second option is what I'd be looking for.

Sleeper12

mel.b wrote:

Is that heated via the OFCH? Can they be connected up to be heated via the electricity?

Yes. You should be able to heat it by the OFCH and electric element.

mel.b

Oh that's good, I didn't realise I could do both. So in winter when I've got the heating on that would heat it and in summer I could use the night rate electricity.