Cool gadget... (1 Viewer)

[KenHigg]

Cool gadgets:

Watts Up Pro

Cent-a-meter


I'm thinking of getting one of these - Anyone tried either of them?

(I may buy one and ask for the other for Christmas )


ken

 

[GaryPanic]

Err Ken..
if your looking to cut your electricity - I wouldn't buy something that works off eletricity (lol).

tips on reducing electricity

Microwaves with times in them - don't buy - switch them off - your microwave is probably only less than 1 % of the time and yet its left plug in and turn on (digital clock) - unplug it - OK its small tip enough of us do it .


then look a what else we have plugged in with a digital timer on it - can we unplug it
TV- video - Ok so we need those - radio alarm - ok we need this
electric Shower - do you use it all the time ?? (or do you have more baths - ok turn that off )

I ramble

 

[KenHigg]

A tip I saw on tv was to put a power surge strip in between the tv/dvd/vcr/etc and the wall and flip the power strip off when not watching tv.

I just bought the Watts Up gizmo. Stay tuned for a review...


ken

Edit: What is an 'electric Shower'?

 

[GaryPanic]

its a small boiler unit - which speed heats the cold water supply - the boiler vessel is about the size of a bible book and heats up very hot - very fast then you mix with cold water supply in the normal way -

it a bit like a kettle - no that doesn't help - eermm..
its a thing that makes water hot uses electric instead of gas..
its a enclosed unit - i know power shower ??

 

[KenHigg]

Can you google me a link to one?

 

[GaryPanic]

remember i am in the Uk

http://www.taps4less.com/Electric-Shower.html?ad=GoogleEShower

 

[GaryPanic]

cos i was wondering why you asked - i had a shop around USA sites and found out this from a help site

for you info UK works of 240 volts however some UK application have a switch to drop to European levels - 220 however not all of europe works on this -- however i can answer somme of the questuions asked below
pluming - metric - if you got imperial not a problem - adeptors cheap 2 inch down to 40 mil or down to 25 mil etc however as to electic connectiosn UK we have a 3 wire system live, earth neutral - not too sure how this works stateside . and also not sure about this in witihn the boiler unit - anyway
thesework pretty well the high the kw the better


Nov 21, 2005, 04:19 PM
Hi Tom,I only found this site yesterday. can the british showers work in the usa. what about the voltage difference. or can I find something similar in the usa. thanks olivia

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labmanNov 21, 2005, 06:13 PM
Electric shower? Is this like a point of use tankless water heater? Most European electricity runs on 220 volts. Some multifamily and commercial building have 208 volt available in America, but most single family homes only have 120 or 240. Wire it up to 120, and you may not get hot enough water. Wire it up to 240, and you may burn it out if you turn it up too high. Chances are, if you don't run it at the max much, you would get away with using the 240 volts for a long time.

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caibuaddayNov 21, 2005, 07:33 PM
Hi Tom,I only found this site yesterday. can the british showers work in the usa. what about the voltage difference. or can I find something similar in the usa. thanks olivia
I think the european electric is 220v... (1 hot ... as america it is 2 hot 210v).... what about the plumbing is it in metric as america it in inch (british's system )....... just wonder how well would it work

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speedball1Nov 24, 2005, 10:35 AM
Hi Olivia,

caibuadday's correct. You must have 220 volts to operate a electric shower.
They work on the same principle as a instant hot water heater. Regards, Tom

 

[KenHigg]

Cool - !

So do you plug this thing into the wall? Seems like that would be an electrical/water hazard?


ken

 

[Rich]

its a small boiler unit - which speed heats the cold water supply - the boiler vessel is about the size of a bible book and heats up very hot - very fast then you mix with cold water supply in the normal way -

it a bit like a kettle - no that doesn't help - eermm..
its a thing that makes water hot uses electric instead of gas..
its a enclosed unit - i know power shower ??

Basically they're crap, you'd get a better shower from a watering can

 

[Rich]

Cool - !

So do you plug this thing into the wall? Seems like that would be an electrical/water hazard?


ken

They're directly connected to the main circuits

 

[GaryPanic]

hell no the electrics are seperate

I'll outline the set up

bathroom(cloakroom) whatever you want to call the room with the shower in it ...
the plumping usually come ups up (not always) from the ground and plumed in nothing fancy either s a solder connection or a snap fit now a wire (the power supply ) (conforming to local regualtions and or manufactors recommendations) connects to this and this wire runs up (remember up - water fall s down ) and over the ceiling and you wire this into either a sepearte spur or convert a plug socket to hold this coneection (it does not have a plug on the end -so a "hard wire" connection is use with an isolation switch .

generally the unit is in a cupboard that backs onto the shower room --

so all you see is the plastic covering on the front the thermosat is a dial so you can have cold to blinkin hot - the first 5 seconds of water are cold as the heater hasn't had a chance to heat it up but after this - hot water ..
I' ll see if i can find a descent diagram .. that outlines the set up but inth e end its like a lightswitrch plate you see the plate but behind it is the boiler

 

[GaryPanic]

Basically they're crap, you'd get a better shower from a watering can

I love mine - Never had any problems with it use it almost every day
but i must admit you need as higher KW setting as possible anything below 10.5 and Rich's comments are right

 

[Rich]

Actually the UK voltage was brought into line with Europe and is now 230v nom.

 

[KenHigg]

I'm guessing 120V (USA) would not have enough power to make one work...

 

[Rich]

I love mine - Never had any problems with it use it almost every day
but i must admit you need as higher KW setting as possible anything below 10.5 and Rich's comments are right

Have a shower from a 24-30KW boiler and see the difference, mind you it does make a mockery of the crap that showering saves water

 

[Rich]

I'm guessing 120V (USA) would not have enough power to make one work...

It's AC anyway not DC

 

[GaryPanic]

no the voltage has to be a bit more Butch ...

when i have the inlaws over - (from Philie)
they love it


below is a link that goes into more detail

http://davidkearns.co.uk/showers.asp

 

[GaryPanic]

Have a shower from a 24-30KW boiler and see the difference, mind you it does make a mockery of the crap that showering saves water

-- i want a wash not a jet scrub...(yeah i had showers with these - great - but you don't get those in domistic houses (well not often)

 

[KenHigg]

It's AC anyway not DC

We're AC.

ken

 

[Brianwarnock]

Have a shower from a 24-30KW boiler and see the difference, mind you it does make a mockery of the crap that showering saves water

I think that you will find that 20 minutes under a power shower uses considerable less water than a bath, and lets face it 10 minutes is long enough, plus the water in a shower is considerable cooler than that in a bath thus saving power.
If you don't believe me, and you can, try filling the bath using your shower on its normal setting.

Brian