by ericmark »
Tue Mar 08, 2011 12:52 pm
In the main electrics showers are designed for all areas and if the lime caused a problem it would likely fail completely not just have low output.
The problem with electric showers is the power needed to get a good shower is more than the power coming into the house.
So either you have a trickle system or you move to a stored water system or instant heat with gas.
The Willis system of heating water with electric is about the best as it fills tank with hot water from top down rather than slowly heating all the water so water is available quicker. And using a power shower if the header tank is not high enough.
The normal electric shower starts at around 8.5kW and goes up to around 11.5kW in many cases the cable feeding the shower is only 6mm and as a result only the 8.5kW shower can be used. To upgrade means all the cable needs renewing and 10mm fitted instead. Even then only if you have a full 100A supply fuse can they be used. Some houses mine included only have a 60A supply.
If gas or other central heating water supply is not an option there are off peak supplies where the water is heated overnight Glen Hill and MegaFlow are two main types. The Glen Hill is better I think for hard water as the water is not sealed so you don't need an annual pressure test.
But all the changes are not really DIY so what ever you decide likely you will need to employ some one who is likely to give you local information. Although the Willis system is about the best away from Northern Ireland where they are made you may find the expertise required to fit them is lacking. As a Welshman I must take my hat of to the Irish on this one it is a far better system then normally used in rest of UK.
