Emersion v electric shower

Mad_maxx

Anyone tell me which is cheaper, using an electric shower or using emersion to heat cylinder for power shower?

I realise you can heat cylinder with oil or gas etc but park that for a minute, obviously it's more convenient to simply turn on electric shower and you have hot water instantly

Wearb

Electric. It only heats the exact quantity needed.

Sleeper12

Wearb is spot on. All electric showers are A energy rated. A 10 minute shower is less expensive with an electric shower. It's even less expensive than a 10 minute shower with water heated by gas.

John.G

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Anyone tell me which is cheaper, using an electric shower or using emersion to heat cylinder for power shower?

I realise you can heat cylinder with oil or gas etc but park that for a minute, obviously it's more convenient to simply turn on electric shower and you have hot water instantly

Electric shower can never be a "power shower" as they flow only 3.5 to 4.5 LPM due to power limitations (average ~ 9kw). You can use the the "sink immersion to heat ~ 30 litres to 60C (~ 1.75 kwh) which will give ~ 52 litres @ 45C.
So a power shower will give you a 3.5 minute shower @ 15 LPM whereas a electric shower will give you almost a 12 minute shower for the same energy consumed, 1.75 kwh. but only at a flowrate of 3.5/4.5 LPM.

Mad_maxx

Great feedback, thanks

I was misinformed, got told a Triton type electric shower was much more expensive than even having to heat the water in hot press cylinder needed to use power shower

We have an electric shower in the on suite but have a power shower in main bathroom, the booster shower pump bit the dust and I've been quoted 500 euro for a two bar monsoon pump fitted which isn't bad considering the pump costs 395

Might just get a second mitre or Triton electric

Seems like the only plus for the power shower is the stronger flow of water experience

Sleeper12

Mad_maxx wrote:

Might just get a second mitre or Triton electric

Just a heads up. You can have as many electric showers in the h as you like but you can only run one at a time

Mad_maxx

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Just a heads up. You can have as many electric showers in the h as you like but you can only run one at a time

How come?

Sleeper12

Mad_maxx wrote:

How come?

The draw of electricity is too great. Running two 9kw showers at the same time will most likely blow the ESB fuse. The ESB char 150 euros each time this fuse has to be replaced.

You can get a priority switch. This only allows one shower to run at the same time. You would de need a priority switch if it was rented accommodation but for most homes families can follow the rule of only one shower at a time

John.G

I know the OP asked a specific question "Anyone tell me which is cheaper, using an electric shower or using emersion to heat cylinder for power shower?" which has been answered but I think maybe the other options apart from installing a electric shower should be suggested.

If you have and are heating water in a cylinder for other household usage then it is probable that you are using gas/oil which even allowing for boiler efficiency costs ~ 50% of full cost immersion heating. You could (as yourself suggested) buy a booster pump for your existing shower or buy a brand new Triton AS2000Xt thermostatic shower which has a integral pump built in for probably around €250 which will give you (because it is) power shower performance of up to 14 LPM but obviously can be controlled to give you electric shower performance of ~ 4 LPM for very low running costs.

pinkfloyd34

just on the subject of electric showers, did anyone have the switch burn out?, it did this about a year ago and I got it fixed, electrican said the switches are not made for that much power, last night it would not work again so I unscrewed the switch and the main wire looks a bit black so it looks like I have to replace the switch again after a year. Just wondering is this a common problem with electric showers as I was thinking of replacing it with a shower off the mains.

Sleeper12

Switches can burn out if the terminals aren't tightened enough. I wouldn't expect this to be the case if an electrician fitted it a year ago. I'd imagine he used a cheap switch. We always use a high quality 50amp rather than a 45amp. The price d for good & cheap quality is usually less than 5 euros. I have never understood why someone would buy a switch for 9 or 10 euros for a shower.

pinkfloyd34

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Switches can burn out if the terminals aren't tightened enough. I wouldn't expect this to be the case if an electrician fitted it a year ago. I'd imagine he used a cheap switch. We always use a high quality 50amp rather than a 45amp. The price d for good & cheap quality is usually less than 5 euros. I have never understood why someone would buy a switch for 9 or 10 euros for a shower.

if i remember correctly I think I purchased the switch myself so it is probably my fault as I would have not checked this out but I now know to go for a more high quality switch, thanks

John.G

pinkfloyd34 wrote: »

if i remember correctly I think I purchased the switch myself so it is probably my fault as I would have not checked this out but I now know to go for a more high quality switch, thanks

Also don't use this switch for switching the shower on/off, when finished showering, press the shower start/stop button and then switch off and vica versa, switch on first and then press the start/stop button on the shower to start showering.