Does an electric shower use the boiler?

An electric shower can supply almost instantaneous hot water, without having to use a boiler. For safety reasons, they have a number of functions installed to stop them from overheating the water and causing injury. This means that once you've set your desired temperature it won't fluctuate.

Do electric showers run off the boiler?

Electric showers are supplied directly by cold water from the mains, so they can be used regardless of the type of boiler you have. Just like a kettle, electric showers use a heating element to get water to the desired temperature, and this water is then fed through the shower head.

Where does the water come from for an electric shower?

A standard pump-assisted power shower uses hot and cold water from a domestic hot water tank which is heated by your household boiler and stored in the hot water cylinder. An electric shower only uses a cold-water supply and just heats the water as it is used, somewhat like a kettle.

Does the boiler affect the shower?

Low pressure in your hot taps and shower could be caused by your boiler. Combi boilers are great for saving space (there's no hot water tank) but they can struggle with more than one shower at a time. They heat the water as it comes through the boiler, which is great for instant hot water.

Do I need an electric shower if I have a combi boiler?

Since they're designed to be installed to low-pressure water supplies, it means they're therefore unsuitable for combination boilers. However, mixer showers, digital showers and electric showers are all ideal for use with a combi boiler system.

Electric Showers: "What is an electric shower?" video from Triton Showers

What type of shower runs off a combi boiler?

Thermostatic Mixer Showers

The thermostatic mixer shower is generally considered the best shower type to pair with a Combi boiler.

What showers are compatible with a combi boiler?

Mini valve, maxi valve, bar valve and concealed valve showers are all compatible with combi boilers. The only ones that aren't compatible are power showers and this is because they contain an in-built pump that is not suitable to be connected to pressurised water supply from the mains.

How do electric showers work?

How does an electric shower work? They work a bit like a kettle, electric elements heat up water as it flows through the internal element. The temperature of the water is controlled by varying the speed of water flow through the heater tank. The faster the flow, the less time it has to heat up and vice versa.

Why does my electric shower keep going cold?

If your shower is going hot and cold, it's usually caused by not enough water getting to the shower. So first of all check that the valve coming into your house is fully open and the valve on the line to the shower is fully open.

Why does my shower go hot and cold combi boiler?

A shower that keeps going hot and cold is usually a sign of a blockage in the hot water heat exchanger inside your combi boiler. Sludge can build up in your heating system, especially if the filters are faulty, and cause your shower to go hot and cold when in use.

Do electric showers use mains water?

There are two types of electric showers, mains-fed and gravity-fed. One is fed by your home's mains water supply which generates enough pressure for the shower to operate on. The other is gravity-fed from the cold water storage tank in the attic.

Do power showers heat the water?

This does require a source of electricity. However, unlike an electric shower, a power shower does not heat the water with an electric current. Instead, they work like a mixer shower by taking hot water from your boiler and combining it with a cold water supply.

Is an electric shower more expensive to run?

Electric showers are very efficient in terms of water heating, as they only heat what water is used. As the flow rates are generally lower, if the water is metered, there is a saving on water bills too. Pump-assisted power showers have to use water from a domestic hot water tank heated by the household boiler.

Can I have an electric shower with low water pressure?

The answer to this question is yes, most modern electric showers are designed to work with a cold mains system with low pressure, however there are some exceptions to the rule, if you have a cold mains plumbing system with very low or fluctuating pressure you may want to consider a pumped electric shower.

What are the benefits of an electric shower?

Which is cheaper to run gas or electric shower?

Considering the price of gas is generally around 40% that of electricity, a mixer shower would theoretically appear to be cheaper to run than an electric shower system.

Why is my electric shower not as hot as it used to be?

Another common issue with electric showers is that the water doesn't heat up properly – either you have tepid water coming out, or the water temperature is unreliable and goes hot and cold. This could be caused by a damaged or faulty micro switch, or an issue with the heating element.

Why does my electric shower go cold when I turn another tap on?

Stopping an Electric Shower Running Cold When The Mains Water Pressure Fluctuates. The fact that the your electric shower only runs cold when another tap is opened very strongly indicates that the problem is a pressure problem and a ShowerPowerBooster always solves pressure problems.

Why isn't my shower heating up?

If the water in your shower isn't getting hot, the problem could be the temperature control on the water heater. If you have an older unit, the cold water supply dip tube could have deteriorated. In that case, a worn-out dip tube could send cold water up to the hot water feed pipe, resulting in no hot water.

How much hot water does a shower use UK?

According to the Hot Water Association the average bath uses 100 litres of hot water at 40^oC, while the average shower uses 18 litres of hot water per minute.

How much hot water does a shower use?

An average shower uses 56 litres (15 gallons) of hot water based on a water saving shower head using 7 litres/min (1.8 gallons/min) and a shower duration of 8 minutes. Assuming an average 8 minute hot water shower, consumption is 56 litres (15 gallons) of hot water to take a shower.

What's the difference between an electric shower and a thermostatic shower?

A combination of water pressure and temperature allows a thermostatic shower to function. Unlike a thermostatic shower, electric showers have their own heating element - which is usually seen in a box on the wall - so they only need a cold water supply, whereas thermostatic showers need hot and cold water.

Can I run a shower off a combi boiler?

Combi boilers produce hot water at mains pressure, which means they are compatible to either a mains pressure balanced or thermostatically controlled shower.

Which is best electric shower or mixer?

If you've got good water pressure and have a high-pressure system, you're always better to go with a mixer shower. If you've got a low-pressure system it's best to go with an electric power shower.

How do I increase the water pressure in my shower with a combi boiler?

You can boost showers or taps in your home up to the maximimum capacity of your combi boiler. To boost and protect a single shower the best solution is to boost the hot and the cold with the SP22S (gives you two automatic pumps). Each shower or tap you boost and protect needs an extra SP22S.