Grandma's house - cost to install hot water shower ?

[SGD]

Went back to "er indoors" asking for pictures and I gave some more questions about granny's setup.

 

Not good.

 

Apparently, the stone tub currently used has no tiles so we'd have to effectively make a new bathroom ???? and then upgrade the electric because I know 3.5kw won't work but then we'd need a water tank and pump because "no hab" and I don't know why she didn't just ask to build a proper house.

 

So armed with your kind comments and some updated knowledge, I'm sending her up country after quarantine and she can get all the detail and see if there is a half competent person around to do the job if provided with all the materials etc.

 

Of course, it will be a <deleted> show but perhaps not a complete fiasco thanks to your help ???? 

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

If you are limited to a 5/15A supply then you will not get hot water in December as the temperature can drop to under 17C and a 3,500W shower isn’t good enough. So either a larger supply or a gas heater.

Bit of an arbitrary statement. 

Even if you are on mains, you can use a tank and there is enough heat during the day to keep the water from getting too cold. After more than a dozen winters i can assure you a 3500w shower is quite adequate.

[transam]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

Bit of an arbitrary statement. 

Even if you are on mains, you can use a tank and there is enough heat during the day to keep the water from getting too cold. After more than a dozen winters i can assure you a 3500w shower is quite adequate.

I had to install a 4500w shower after many years of slowing the water pressure down  on a 3500w during the winter months...

[sandyf]

22 minutes ago, transam said:

I had to install a 4500w shower after many years of slowing the water pressure down  on a 3500w during the winter months...

No size fits all. If you feed a tank and then pump from the tank to the house, the tank acts like a heat sink reducing the temperature difference required from the shower. Very seldom do I ever need to turn my 3500w unit to max and have never used pressure reduction.

[GreasyFingers]

10 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

3500kW should bathe the whole village and light them up also. Sorry, but you mean 3.5kW and 8kW.

I realized that after posting but did not bother to edit as I knew someone would correct it for me.

[Moonlover]

21 hours ago, Crossy said:

Back to granny, much depends upon what she's used to.

 

If she's had cold water washes all her life a few degrees of warmness will feel like luxury!

 

Us young whippersnappers are just too used to volcanic temperatures at massive flow rates.

 

I can personally vouch for that one. We rented our village house for 2 years and had cold showers and bucket washes only.

 

It wasn't until we finally bought the place that I was prepared to put money into it and I finally installed a shower unit. (amongst many other upgrades)

 

And you're quite right. Our (apparently) inadequate 3.5kw unit is indeed luxury!

 

 

[transam]

31 minutes ago, sandyf said:

No size fits all. If you feed a tank and then pump from the tank to the house, the tank acts like a heat sink reducing the temperature difference required from the shower. Very seldom do I ever need to turn my 3500w unit to max and have never used pressure reduction.

I have a tank, and would fit a 4500w in any build I was doing, it has a thermostat controlling things...????

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

No size fits all. If you feed a tank and then pump from the tank to the house, the tank acts like a heat sink reducing the temperature difference required from the shower. Very seldom do I ever need to turn my 3500w unit to max and have never used pressure reduction.

Once again your experience is only valid for you, and your incoming water temperature effects the temperature you can get from your heater, your desired temperature and flow effects the power of heater you can use. 
 

Any one using a mains water supply and pump legally must pump from a tank not the mains.

 

the OP is unlikely to get more than  a 10C  ~ 15C increase in temperature with a 3500W heater, if that is ok then great, if not then something must change.

[alanratch]

I installed a shower unit in my mother in laws house up north and the hole family use it. it was a pain in the butt has i had to install trip switches Ect.

but i have found this on Aliexpress (Propane Gas LPG Tankless Hot Water Heater)

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000575306218.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.1df415e8yn3xRV&ad_pvid=202011192024231317716657378000002135623_2&s=p   

 

i have not used one but if i had known about them before hand i think that i would have installed one instead of electric

[jomtienisgood]

On 11/19/2020 at 7:24 AM, Crossy said:

I think we can all agree that competent domestic sparks are a pretty rare comodity here in sunny Thailand.

 

The really good and licenced chaps are (or at least were) earning $$$ in O&G or the megaprojects.

 

The really good and licenced chaps are (or at least were) earning $$$ in O&G or the megaprojects.    Not anymore since all the farangs complain about 20Thb raise for luggage fare in taxis..... 

[jomtienisgood]

18 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

A couple out of 60,000,000!

No, That's the price of the new work permit....????

[rickudon]

Cannot understand this ' 3.5kw isn't enough ' business. Been in a village near Udon Thani for 10 years, (2 years on cold water and a bucket). We had a 3.5 Kw shower installed and for 8 months of the year i never have it set above low heat. I have never used it on full in 8 years - it is just too damn hot. And i have my evening shower around midnight.

 

Can only guess you lot have sufficient water pressure to recreate Niagara falls and remember you needed hot water to cure the frostbite!

[sometimewoodworker]

43 minutes ago, rickudon said:

Cannot understand this ' 3.5kw isn't enough ' business. Been in a village near Udon Thani for 10 years, (2 years on cold water and a bucket). We had a 3.5 Kw shower installed and for 8 months of the year i never have it set above low heat. I have never used it on full in 8 years - it is just too damn hot. And i have my evening shower around midnight.

 

Can only guess you lot have sufficient water pressure to recreate Niagara falls and remember you needed hot water to cure the frostbite!

Just because you either like cold water and cold showers or have a high input water temperature is data for you, there are multiple people who disagree with your views.
There are also showers where you can set the desired temperature rather than the “twist and guess” version, I have those, so let the technology bother about the power needed.

[Crossy]

OK - Fact of life - Different people have different preferences for shower temperature and flow rate.  

 

Some like it hot and high volume (big heater required), some are OK with a lukewarm trickle (small heater ok).

 

Live with it!!

 

Thread closed.