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The heating element is the part doing the actual work, raising the temperature of the water as it passes through the unit, and it is also the part most exposed to hard water. In areas with harder mains supply, elements pick up scale over time in exactly the way any heating controls supplier element does, which reduces efficiency and eventually causes failure, showing up as a shower that runs cold, runs lukewarm, or trips out shortly after being switched on.
Plumb2U stocks both braided and rubber flexible hoses across the sizes and ratings trade buyers need, at trade prices with next-day despatch, so the choice comes down to the job, not what happens to be on the shelf.
Material choice, braided stainless outer versus a plain rubber hose, changes the durability picture too, and is worth its own consideration alongside bore, length and rating.
A higher kW-rated unit, 10.5kW against 8.5kW for example, has more headroom to maintain flow rate even as it works harder to raise the temperature, which is why higher-rated units tend to feel stronger and more consistent through the colder months. That headroom depends entirely on the property’s electrical supply being able to support it: a higher kW shower draws more current, and the circuit and consumer unit need the capacity to match, which is not automatic on every property, particularly older ones.
A flexible hose looks like the simplest part on a plumbing job, right up until the wrong one is fitted and something fails under pressure. Getting the spec right starts with bore size: the internal diameter of the hose has to match the fitting and the flow the job actually needs, not just whatever thread happens to fit at the tap end. Too small a bore restricts flow and pressure at the outlet; matching it correctly keeps performance consistent with the rest of the system.
For a trade buyer speccing a replacement or a new shower, matching kW rating to both the property’s electrical capacity and its incoming flow is the real decision, not simply picking the highest number on the shelf.
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