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Many of the showers in Scotland are electric too, but they look much more modern and safe than the Asian and South American ones I've seen on the internet.
by ClassyJacket 7y ago
Many of the showers in Scotland are electric too, but they look much more modern and safe than the Asian and South American ones I've seen on the internet.
- madaxe_again 7y agoThe difference is that in Scotland and Europe, it’s just one or two insulated heating elements that the water flows past. There are numerous safeties, overheat protectors, usually an RCD - in short, you’d be very unlucky to get a shock. In South America, I’ve seen two types. One: an element, but it’s uninsulated and has no safety features. This is usually operated by a water pressure switch and operates by heating a thin resistive element up. High danger of faults to earth (you’re earth). The other kind has me rather gobsmacked - the water is the element. The idea is to just pump in enough juice that the water starts to flash boil, and forms a plasma channel that then heats the surrounding water. Ostensibly safe, if earthed, but I really disliked the 60hz skin tingle - later discovered that they’d hooked earth up to the third phase in that house, when I plugged my laptop in. Metal case, leg, funky chicken. I guess the shower is reliant on skin effect to not kill you. There’s a really great YouTuber who is forever tearing domestic appliances apart - it’s actually quite amazing how some stuff is built, both in a good way and a bad way. Links to showers: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwuhFLsowRc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwuhFLsowRc https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNjA0aee07k https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cNjA0aee07k