Hiding the water heater?

[Scandinavian]

A year ago I stayed at a small hotel in Bangkok, the shower had a "real" mixer with hot and cold knobs. I found the water heater hidden in the sink cabinet, it went on as soon as hot water was opened in the shower.

Has anybody dome this modification? I will soon move to a new condo, and would like to hide the ugly water heater from the shower area. I have this new Panasonic thing that I want to use.


Best thing would be if the power to the heater is turned ON when hot water is called for, but then I guess i need a pressure switch and a contactor, or?

Anyway, advice needed...
Thanks!

[Norton]

I have this new Panasonic thing that I want to use.

If you have already purchased too late but this is ideal for what you want.



Siemens Domestic Appliances

[dirtydog]

Water Heaters
Electric Showers (Thailand - Electric Showers - Water Heaters)
Sinks and Vanity Units (Bathroom Sinks - Counters - Vanity Units)

[Humbert]

You have an all-in-one unit it looks like. Sprayer is connected to the heater.
You have to buy a heater and shower set separately to do what you want.

[Thetyim]

^
So disconnect the head from the unit and add some plumbing

[dotcom]

Correct name is "Multi-point".
A hand shower is not the same thing. That would be single point. Norton is quite correct.

[dirtydog]

So disconnect the head from the unit and add some plumbing

There is I believe a slight problem with that, that shower is set to turn on when the pressure valve reaches a certain pressure, having a longer pipe leading from the tap to the shower unit is more water, therefore more pressure which may result on the pressure valve being switched on all the time, well, until the shower unit melts into a molten mass anyway

[Scandinavian]

Thanks Norton, I'll get one too then.
Some good threads there DD!

Thanks u others too.

[Norton]

I'll get one too then.

Other "multi point "brands available.
You will have to have piping put in for hot water at each mixer faucet. Use PVC like but for hot water. Can't remember what it's called. Someone else here may know?

[Thetyim]

having a longer pipe leading from the tap to the shower unit is more water, therefore more pressure

I gather you didn't do physics at school.
Does your car pull to one side when you brake because the brake hoses are not all the same length ?


Anyway the heater is turned on by flow rate not pressure

[dotcom]

Black CPVC. I would use copper if I was doing it again.

[dirtydog]

^^That heater is turned on by pressure in the op.
Pretty sure the more water the more pressure both ways, there is most definetly more pressure downwards due to the greater amount, shouldn't it also be upwards aswell?

[blackgang]

I would use copper if I was doing it again.

Only way to go for hot water piping,, the plastic is shit, even on the outflow side, to hot on the waste water and the piping falls apart,

I don't think so Dog, most of the heaters I have seen are controled by a flow valve switch and not by pressure,, you should have a pressure of equal on most points in your system as is stated by Thetyim,, at least thats the way physics work in most partes of the world and I know that logic is somewhat different here and especially in Pattaya.

[dotcom]

Agree. I got galvanized iron but it eventually corrodes.

[Norton]

CPVC

That's it. Thanks.

The output water temp of the unit in my post is limited to 50 degrees C. CPVC far exceeds this temp rating. Is commonly used for industrial purposes and so far houses that I know of here in Thailand show no problems using it. Must use CPVC glue and let it cure properly.

BTW, my place has copper. I couldn't find CPVC locally available when it was built.

[dirtydog]

I don't think so Dog, most of the heaters I have seen are controled by a flow valve switch and not by pressure

Maybe read the links I posted and learn.

[Scandinavian]

I bet that my new condo will have only one pipe going to the shower, so gotta tear down the wall and install another pipe. Will see in August when it's ready for inspection.

[madjbs]

^^That heater is turned on by pressure in the op.
Pretty sure the more water the more pressure both ways, there is most definetly more pressure downwards due to the greater amount, shouldn't it also be upwards aswell?

Yes, there is more pressure downwards due to the weight of the water. Gravity does not work upwards, therefore it depends on the pump. The greater distance upwards, the less pressure there will be as he pump will have to lift an increasing weight of water.

[blackgang]

Yea, takes about 30 PSI to lift water to the second floor.

[Thetyim]

DD, you made a complete twat of yourself over the water pumps and now you are doing the same with shower heaters.
It is a flow switch.
Rather than give you dozens of links to read why don't you go and prove it yourself.

Turn on the electric and water and block the shower head.
The heater turns off but the entire unit has full mains pressure.
It turns off because there is no flow.

[madjbs]

I'm not sure it is that simple though, you will probably find flow and pressure switches on different models.

[Scandinavian]

My electronic heater adjusts the heating down to 0 if I block the shower head. But it's still on. So I guess it's flow controlled...

[DrAndy]

true, I have a multipoint heater and it turns off the heating if the flow is too low

nothing to do with pressure

[Humbert]

Multi point heaters can support more than one hot water outlet. Depends on how many watts the heater is. Single point can only support one outlet. 7000 watts can support two outlets.

[Norton]

I bet that my new condo will have only one pipe going to the shower

If it has a water heater as you note in the OP, it will have only one cold water pipe. To reduce the amount of piping and the amount of wall rework, consider placing the heater in the space above the bathroom ceiling.