8.5 or 9.5 shower

[newjobblewobble]

Hi. I'm betting my bathroom refitted in a couple of weeks and have picked what model of shower I want, born I don't know if I need 8.5w or 9.5w. The one that's in now is 9.5, but I don't think I actually bought that on purpose. back then! I think I just thought that just be better, not what I needed. It actually stopped working a few months later and I'm working if I bough too high a wattage. If I just go with 8.5 will that be okay? I'm moving the shower to the opposite end of the bath anyway, so can I get either in that case, or will still all link up in a way that I need to confirm?

[newjobblewobble]

Wow, sorry for the typos!

[newjobblewobble]

Bump, anyone?

[specialsubject]

9.5kw ( not watts! ) obviously more powerful BUT is your cabling up to it?

[newjobblewobble]

Oops! This is what I don't know. So am I better just to buy 8.5?

[specialsubject]

You presumably don't know if the cabling is even up to that?

Sadly it is electrician time, if you can find one that will turn up.

[midgebabe]

I went for 9.5 on advice of mate plumber. The difference is that there will be less water coming out of the 8.5, but it will be cheaper to run. I suspect cables should be ok, and if not 8.5 would also be too much. Needs to be professionally fitted and they should spot any issues

[PigletJohn]

it's not so muxh there will be less water, but it will be less hot. Electric showers are always rather weedy. For example a typical modern combi boiler is about 30kW, so more than three times as powerful as yours. An unvented cylinder can deliver even more, subject to incoming water flow.

For a definitive answer, you need a qualified electrician to examine the electrical cable supplying your shower, taking into account its length, cross-sectional area of the conductors, and any hot or insulated parts it passes through. The cable, switch and MCB must all be adequate for the electrical load you put on them. Showers are a very heavy load.

When you know what electrical power can be used, get the most powerful shower inside that limit. It can't be safely estimated without an on-site inspection.

If you've had a recent condition report or completion certificate, that might provide the info.

You can find local qualified electricians on such schemes as www.niceic.com/ (preferably not just a Domestic Installer as that is the lowest grade)

[PigletJohn]

btw you say your old one has stopped working. If it has a High and a Low setting, and neither of them work, it may well be the ceiling switch. They are prone to burn out. Your electrician can easily check and rewire. Due to the very heavy load and cable size, an inexpert repair may burn out quite quickly.

[newjobblewobble]

Thank you PigletJohn. I should have been clearer, the existing one works, but the water only runs cold.

I'm sure the fitter and his electrician will keep me right. I just wanted to order the shower today, but I guess I better wait until they have a look.

[PigletJohn]

yep, that could still be an electrical fault.

the shower boiler usually has two elements, and if they both stop heating at the same time, the ceiling switch is often at fault. Sometimes the neon indicator goes dim as well.