Difference between shower types?

vidapura

Hi,
Can someone please help me understand the general different types of showers out there?
Was looking at the bathshack website.. they have Electric Showers and Power Showers... and then also sell Shower Pumps...

Whats the difference between Electric Showers and Power Showers?

We have a Triton T80si upstairs at home and its a dinger.. really quiet and nice flow.. (just don't let anyone turn on a tap in the kitchen.. )

We're hoping to get the ground floor bathroom re-done and put a shower in it.. We keep saying we want a power shower in it.. but DO we? Is it a power shower we want or a pump ?

Confused....

Glass fused light

A gravity shower works the same as a tap mixing hot and cold water at the exit point.
A power shower pumps the hot and cold water adding pressure to the flow by pulling the water to the shower quicker, and adding more through flow.
Neither of these will heat the water but rather pulls hot water from from a preheated tank. So if the tank is cold the shower will be cold.
A gravity electric shower heats the water similar to a kettle boiling water.
The pumped electric shower adds pressure.
A pump can be added to pull water into the tank in low pressure areas provided its permitted by the council / management company.

The shower will depend on the current expected usage and your current electrical setup. You will need to upgrade the fuseboard and run a elecrtic cable from there to the shower. The electric shower pulls a lot of power and you may not be able to run two at one time.
The (power) gravity one needs hot water for a hot shower.
The electric allows for independent heating so in the summer etc there is no need to heat the tank.
An electric shower should be used regularly as in hard water areas the heating element can become blocked with lime.
Edit you may also need to expand the water storage capacity.

Sleeper12

vidapura wrote:

Whats the difference between Electric Showers and Power Showers?

Just to add the to the above post.

Electric shower will always have instant hot water. Power shower has much better pressure but you will need to heat up the water first.

vidapura

Thanks Folks..

Just to check I have it..

So THIS one needs a heated tank of water does it?

https://www.bathshack.com/triton-as2000xt-thermostatic-power-shower.html

What was confusing me is it says it has temperature controls.. and I was reading that as meaning that it had a heater in it.. but now I'm learning that it doesn't heat the water but instead just regulates whats coming through it..
Sheesh.. penny dropping.. sorry.. I'm a bit slow ....

I presume these power showers wouldn't have anything like the flow rate of a shower based off one of those Grundfos pumps right?


Thanks very much.

canteringh

I also have a question re showers. I am considering buying a hansgro shower (German). The man in the shop tells me an aquila shower is just as good but a lot cheaper. Any advice?

Sleeper12

canteringh wrote:

I also have a question re showers. I am considering buying a hansgro shower (German). The man in the shop tells me an aquila shower is just as good but a lot cheaper. Any advice?

What hansgro shower are you looking at & what Aqualisa shower are you looking at?

Can you post links to the showers

canteringh

Thanks for reply. Not proficient to provide links but web addresses below. Hope this works:
www.hansgrohe.co.uk

https://www.aqualisa.co.uk

Sleeper12

canteringh wrote:

Thanks for reply. Not proficient to provide links but web addresses below. Hope this works:

They are just links to their sites. Have you a model number of the two showers that you want to compare? Or the name of the particular showers

canteringh

I have yet to decide on particular models but when I have will get back to you. Thanks.

Sleeper12

canteringh wrote: »

I have yet to decide on particular models but when I have will get back to you. Thanks.

If you haven't settled on a shower there are great possibilities out there. Mira & Triton do good quality showers too. Have a good look around. I remember being in the Aqualisa HQ in the UK. They were showing us their showroom after a course. They had a fixed head rainfall head, just the head for £1000 sterling. They also had some for closer to £100.



Shop around & avoid cheap imports

vidapura

Hey @Sleeper12,
Could I ask what your recommendation is for a pumped electric?

We are putting in a 'power shower' with a Grundfos pump etc in the main bathroom... but we also hope to build an ensuite and put a shower in that too.
Was thinking of an electric so we can use it if the main tank isn't up to heat.

I was lookin at the Triton T90SR cos I'd like it quiet...
What do you say?

Thanks

Sleeper12

It has to be a Triton T90SR
The two main pumped electric showers are Mira Elite QT & the Triton T90SR. The QT is a disaster of a shower So that leaves the triton

vidapura

Excellent, thanks...

And for the pump? A Grundfos or a Salamander?

I've read the Salamanders are the quietest .. with special feet etc..

Dunno who supplies them in de wesht tho ?

Sleeper12

Good Salamander and stuart Turner pumps come with a 5 years parts and labour warranty and both are good quality and quiet. I don't have much experience with Grundfos

canteringh

Thanks again, Sleeper12.