Ensuite

What about fitting a shower pump instead. They only draw a small amount of power - you could run it off an RCD protected spur on the ring main.

It will perform much better than an electric shower anyway.

Steve

bite the bullet and stick in a pressurised hot water system.

I did think about it since I changed the boiler recently but the mains supply here is low pressure and poor flow. And the header tank system works just fine.

On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 12:25:05 -0800 (PST) someone who may be stevelup wrote this:-

Is there any reason to fit an RCD to a circuit feeding such a pump?

No requirement as far as I know - it just seems sensible and inexpensive.

Steve

Could you run the cable for an electric shower externally. Although I would never allow such a thing at my house. or Get a new water supply. There are standards for the pressure and flow in the street main pipes AFAIK so it is probably your supply pipe that is old/shared with next doors/scaled up that causes the poor pressure and flow in your house.

Adam

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 01:08:36 -0800 (PST) someone who may be stevelup wrote this:-

Why does it seem sensible to you?

Because water and electricity don't mix. I can't see any harm in it - better safe than sorry.

I'm sure you have a reason for questioning me like this - it would be easier if you just got to the point :)

Steve

On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 06:23:22 -0800 (PST) someone who may be stevelup wrote this:-

Don't they? Instant electric heaters involve water passing over the uninsulated heating element. Electrode boilers (seen in industry) involve the electricity passing through the water. All safe enough if installed properly.

A shower pump consists of an electric motor, bolted on to the output shafts on either side of which are pumps. The chances of water and electricity coming into contact in a shower pump, no matter how badly installed, are as close to zero as makes no difference.

shows one and the enlarged image shows how difficult it would be to mix water and electricity in one.

I have seen shower pump installations with an RCD. Whoever installed them was either talking the job up if a "professional" or not very good at assessing risk if an "amateur".

Point taken - fair enough.

I put an RCD on our shower pump. As you say, it just seemed sensible.