Recommend a steam shower unit?

[beelzerob]

Anyone had any experience buying a steam generator for their shower? We're building a completely enclosed shower, about 4 X 6 X 8 ft and there have been enough times in our past where we'd have to hold one of the kids in the shower and let the hot mist sooth their cold symptoms, so we've decided just to put an actual steam generator in our new shower.

Any suggestions from anyone?

 

[fcwilt]

Anyone had any experience buying a steam generator for their shower? We're building a completely enclosed shower, about 4 X 6 X 8 ft and there have been enough times in our past where we'd have to hold one of the kids in the shower and let the hot mist sooth their cold symptoms, so we've decided just to put an actual steam generator in our new shower.

Any suggestions from anyone?

We like our ThermaSol Pro-450.

 

[beelzerob]

We like our ThermaSol Pro-450.

Hmm...that might be a bit of overkill...or oversteam, anyway. Our shower will only be 190 cu ft, so we can handle something much less than that. But I'll look within that brand, since you recommended them.

Geez...with the amp draw and 240 VAC requirement, now I'm concerned that we'll have to have this figured out before the electrical walkthrough, which is next week. Hopefully the smaller cu ft models don't have such hefty requirements.

 

[fcwilt]

We like our ThermaSol Pro-450.

Hmm...that might be a bit of overkill...or oversteam, anyway. Our shower will only be 190 cu ft, so we can handle something much less than that. But I'll look within that brand, since you recommended them.

Geez...with the amp draw and 240 VAC requirement, now I'm concerned that we'll have to have this figured out before the electrical walkthrough, which is next week. Hopefully the smaller cu ft models don't have such hefty requirements.

Vendors of steam generators often have a tool on their web site which can suggest which unit to look at based on dimensions of your shower and other factors.

 

[beelzerob]

Vendors of steam generators often have a tool on their web site which can suggest which unit to look at based on dimensions of your shower and other factors.

Ya, that's a good idea....I know I've seen one of those somewhere. There's also an "adjusted" cubic feet measurement that takes into account wall materials and other non-dimensional variables, but I think that's probably more subjective and not a simple calculation.

If nothing else, I merely hope to have the electrical and plumbing requirements nailed down by Monday, even if not the actual unit.

 

[great]

Anyone had any experience buying a steam generator for their shower? We're building a completely enclosed shower, about 4 X 6 X 8 ft and there have been enough times in our past where we'd have to hold one of the kids in the shower and let the hot mist sooth their cold symptoms, so we've decided just to put an actual steam generator in our new shower.

Any suggestions from anyone?

We like our ThermaSol Pro-450.

We have this too and we are very satisfied with it too. You should try it.If you don't find something for you you should look some rental toilets....maybe you'll find something there.

 

[beelzerob]

We have this too and we are very satisfied with it too. You should try it.If you don't find something for you you should look some rental toilets....maybe you'll find something there.

Wow...that could be the strangest reply I've seen.

As it turns out, we went with the SteamMist 8. I pulled it out of the box and looked at it, and I like it....very nice looking, which is good because it's going to be installed on a wall in the mudroom.

I'll let you know how well it works...or if you find this thread in about 3 months, be sure and ask.

 

[ginigma]

I've had a SteamMist for a year now and no issues. I love it. The generator part is in the attic, above the shower.

 

[beelzerob]

I've had a SteamMist for a year now and no issues. I love it. The generator part is in the attic, above the shower.

Good to know! I think the steam shower is one of the most eagerly anticipated aspects of our new house. Sadly, even after movein, it'll have to wait for us to learn to tile....

Here's a question for ya....the steam mist can handle 2 control units. I bought just one. What I'm wondering is if the control lines for the control unit can be hacked" to use a cat5 cable so I can turn the unit on and off from anywhere in the house. Have you tried something like that? Basically there's a "telephone" like splitter that goes in the unit so that you can hook up 2 control boxes, but instead of a 2nd control box, I want to hook cat5 into it and read it from the other end. I wonder...

 

[beelzerob]

Just to resurrect and finish my own thread....we finally were able to use our steam unit last night. Woot! Veeeeery nice. I got the SM-8 from steam-sauna-bath, and it's grrreat.

I also glanced at the Brultech monitor when I turned it on. It uses 70 amps. :blink: That was the highest I've seen our house total usage at. That's more than our heat pump, more than our hot water heater. Yikes! Good thing you can only take about 20 minutes of it at most.

 

[GraysonPeddie]

70 amps!? They've got to be kidding, right? LOL!

 

[beelzerob]

70 amps!? They've got to be kidding, right? LOL!

Ok ok...maybe not 70...more like 68.5. :blink:

It's on a 100 amp breaker, so I was expecting something high.

Usually from the time I press start until steam starts coming out in the shower 20 feet above, it's maybe 2 minutes. So that's where all the power is going. Once it gets the shower up to the desired temp, it clicks off, so it's not 70 amps continuously...but ya, when it comes on, it's an impressive thing.

Interestingly, when our heat pump comes on, the lights always flicker...but when the steam generator comes on, not a thing. I'm guessing it's the whole motor vs. heating element thing.