Electric Shower Question

[Santa]

This may be plumbing or electric but I thought you guys would know:

A friend is thinking about getting one of those shower heads which have a button that shuts the water supply off. Will it cause any damage to my electric shower unit, with back pressure, if he did that?

 

[ruston]

It should not , your shower will have a flow switch in it that will switch the shower off with no flow .
I would worry about the shower hose though , elcectric showers are at water mains pressure , I would check that it can take this for long periods.

 

[HandySparks]

Many electric showers have an overpressure blowout disc in the outlet fitting. If the hose or the head become too restrictive, the pressure will rise and may pop the disc out, which will result in a gush of water down the wall and the expense of a new outlet fitting.

 

[Wilko]

Hi, appreciate that you've asked for advice, so here's mine ... I wouldn't recommend you change the operating mode of the shower. Use the controls as designed and the performance will be predictable, change them and you've just started an experiment

Can I ask why you are thinking to do this?

 

[Paul228]

Are you trying to convert it to a duche spray ( as used by the Muslim community)
It won't work. You will either blow the boiler inside (the flow switch is normally fitted to the inlet and you are stopping the flow on the outlet)
Or
As stated above, the safety blow off will simply blow.

 

[davesparks]

It's probably not a very good idea, and I can't quite see the point?

 

[Santa]

The person asking is disabled and sits down to shower. While sitting, he can't reach the controls - hence his idea to fit this shower head.

I agree that it would be far better to have the shower replaced, or maybe just moved, but money is tight so he is looking for a cheap solution.

 

[Pete999]

Cheap and possibly hazardous imo, don't compromise safety it's not worth it

 

[Santa]

Thanks guys - I have passed on the message that it is probably not worth the risk.

 

[Pete999]

Thanks guys - I have passed on the message that it is probably not worth the risk.

Good Man

 

[Paul228]

If you want to fit a douche shower head ( the one with a button control on the shower head). The only safe way is to change the shower to a thermostatic mixer type. You can get them for £50 but you will need a hot water feed running to it too.
If you go down that route, you will need to know what boiler you have/ hot water set up.
I had the same issue for my old dear.
She had to sit on a chair in the shower, I simply put a longer flex pipe on it. She then moaned about the water wastage.
That's when I took the electric shower out ( hate them anyway) and put a mixer shower in. She has a combi boiler.
Hope you find a cheap and SAFE solution for the old boy.

 

[Eckaslike]

Dont fit one of these sprayheads with an off button to stop the water flow, what will happen is that the water flow will stop & the over temp cutout will open circuit which will have to be replaced.

 

[Santa]

Thanks again - he has been persuaded that it is not a good idea.