What is the difference between an 'electric shower' and a 'power shower'?

We want to install a new bathroom in our house.

The exisiting hot water system is the old-fashioned type with a hot tank. The existing shower just works off the hot water system and the pressure in it is a bit feeble.

In our en-suite bathroom, the shower is electrc - it pumps the water the pressure is good, but doesn't heat it - ie if we've no hot water in the tank, this shower runs cold.

My questions are:

1. What is the difference between what is described as an' electric' shower and a 'power shower'? How do i know which i have in the en suite?

2. I understand that if we put an electric or power shower in the main bathroom it will give better pressure than the current one.

2. We are thinking of replacing the CH boiler with a new Combi one. If we did this, do I understand correctly that the existing bathroom shower would work better?

Thanks!

Hi,

1a. An electric shower works on mains pressure cold only and heats its own water to create a hot shower, these are not pumped and rely on mains pressure.

1b. A power shower uses hot water from a cylinder and cold water from a cistern. The shower unit itself pumps this mixed water to give a better flow rate.

It sounds like you have a power shower.

2. Assuming your mains pressure is adequate, you are correct.

3. If you install a combi boiler a standard mixer shower should suffice. It is important to remember that you cannot pump any hot water from a combi, so any pumps you have would need to be taken out. The existing bathroom shower would indeed work better, the power shower would be defunct and in need of replacing, probably with a mixer shower.

Hope this helps

Thanks, Slinky - really helpful.

Please also see the thread I'm about to start about a different problem!

Graham

Hi,

 

1a. An electric shower works on mains pressure cold only and heats its own water to create a hot shower, these are not pumped and rely on mains pressure.

 

1b. A power shower uses hot water from a cylinder and cold water from a cistern. The shower unit itself pumps this mixed water to give a better flow rate.

 

It sounds like you have a power shower.

 

2. Assuming your mains pressure is adequate, you are correct.

 

3. If you install a combi boiler a standard mixer shower should suffice. It is important to remember that you cannot pump any hot water from a combi, so any pumps you have would need to be taken out. The existing bathroom shower would indeed work better, the power shower would be defunct and in need of replacing, probably with a mixer shower.

 

Hope this helps