Shower installed low

[zoepen]

Just had an electric shower installed. Electrician put the wire in low so the unit is at waist height when stood in the shower enclosure. Is this going to be safe to use long term? I was assured it was as they're 'waterproof' but I'm not sure. Any advice? I expressed my concerns to the fitter who has offered to move the shower head but not sure how much that will help. The unit isn't directly in the spray but does get quite a few droplets on it after a shower.

 

[brianmoooore]

Items have an IP rating to indicate how resistant they are to physical penetration by an object of a given size (first digit) and how resistant they are to penetration by water (2nd digit).
A Mira Sport is rated IP X4, the 4 meaning it is resistant to splashing from water from all directions. IPX5 means that it would be resistant to low pressure water jets from all directions.
It's open to interpretation, but I would say it needs to be a minimum of IPX5 to be mounted where it is.

 

[Spoon]

Just had an electric shower installed. Electrician put the wire in low so the unit is at waist height when stood in the shower enclosure. Is this going to be safe to use long term? I was assured it was as they're 'waterproof' but I'm not sure. Any advice? I expressed my concerns to the fitter who has offered to move the shower head but not sure how much that will help. The unit isn't directly in the spray but does get quite a few droplets on it after a shower.

Welcome to the forum mate.
From a water ingress into the shower, you will be ok, as showers are IP rated to be within the shower area and a few droplets will not affect this.

 

[katkno]

Just had an electric shower installed. Electrician put the wire in low so the unit is at waist height when stood in the shower enclosure. Is this going to be safe to use long term? I was assured it was as they're 'waterproof' but I'm not sure. Any advice? I expressed my concerns to the fitter who has offered to move the shower head but not sure how much that will help. The unit isn't directly in the spray but does get quite a few droplets on it after a shower.

A shower is known as zone 0 in a bathroom and any electrical equipment in this zone has to have a certain IP rating (waterproof/permeability) to be installed so without a doubt waterproof, any long term effects I'd chance at is mould build up around the shower

 

[Markyd]

A shower is known as zone 0 in a bathroom and any electrical equipment in this zone has to have a certain IP rating (waterproof/permeability) to be installed so without a doubt waterproof, any long term effects I'd chance at is mould build up around the shower

shower area is zone 1...the base or floor is zone 0

 

[brianmoooore]

Shower enclosure is zone 1, and "certain IP rating" is required, but conditions inside the shower enclosure are not uniform. The nearer to the bottom you go, the greater the chance is that the equipment will be subjected to spray (needs IPX5), rather than just subject to splashing from all directions if mounted higher up (IPX4).
IMHO, this shower is mounted so that it could receive a direct spray from the shower head, and IPX4 is not adequate.

 

[R-fur]

What to the makers say? do the installation instructions give guidance?

 

[littlespark]

Thinking about where the screen handles are, when someone is in the shower, how high can the shower head go?

I think you’re going to need a longer hose.

There doesn’t look like there’s anywhere else the shower unit could have gone with the inset shelf above.

Was the position not noticed beforehand? There would have been a pipe and electric wire sticking through the wall before the unit was fixed.

 

[DefyG]

Often fitted low in 'Accessible Needs' situations (not necessarily that particular model) but approx 1m high.
IP rating is critical. Manufacturers instructions indicate its rating is IPX4.

 

[littlespark]

Often fitted low in 'Accessible Needs' situations (not necessarily that particular model) but approx 1m high.
IP rating is critical. Manufacturers instructions indicate its rating is IPX4.

But then the rail would be fitted lower as well for using a seat.

As it is, the head can’t be slid any higher up.

 

[James]

Are we not all overthinking this?

it is a shower, fitted inside a shower enclosure.
surely just about anywhere you fit it, it has to be considered likely that it will be showered or soaked with running water.
as long as it is not in the tub where it could be immersed in standing water I would be fine with it.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Mira Sport Max Airboost instructions say the shower head should be so it can't dangle into the shower tray (usually achieved with a hose ring on the bottom of the riser), and the unit should be installed above the water catchment, with controls at a convenient height for the user.

Other than that, it's 'suitable for installation in the shower area', without specifying where, so I assume it's ok from that POV.

 

[davesparks]

Where did you specify that it should be installed prior to work starting?

If that is not where you specified it to be then get them back to move it.

 

[zoepen]

Thanks for the replies so far. I didn't specify it being at any particular height and in hindsight should have pushed for it to be rewired at first fix, it was only when a family member pointed out that they're not usually installed that low that it got me thinking. I suppose I trusted that a qualified electrician wouldn't install something in a way that wasn't safe. This is our first bathroom refurb since being homeowners and it's definitely been a learning curve.
It's not clear in the photo but the shower head can go all the way to the top of the rail, it's just set low down as it's used by young children.
The recess was put in after the first fix electrical work (it's a false wall behind) then the cold feed was added (brand new shower installation)
As I say if it's safe to use this way then I'm fine with it (also just to note it's on a separate circuit with RCD as our circuit box was full) I was just curious what others thought who might have more experience than me in this area.

 

[DefyG]

But then the rail would be fitted lower as well for using a seat.

As it is, the head can’t be slid any higher up.

That may be so but cant see any issue with height of the shower unit itself, and with shower head that high, cant see it being sprayed from any other direction, so probably compliant with IPx3 (60deg from vertical)
Yes it could be splashed (IPx4) but again not an issue.

 

[brianmoooore]

Isn't the recess classed as zone 2? Should have mounted it in there.

 

[katkno]

Shower enclosure is zone 1, and "certain IP rating" is required, but conditions inside the shower enclosure are not uniform. The nearer to the bottom you go, the greater the chance is that the equipment will be subjected to spray (needs IPX5), rather than just subject to splashing from all directions if mounted higher up (IPX4).
IMHO, this shower is mounted so that it could receive a direct spray from the shower head, and IPX4 is not adequate.

Thank you for corrections on that mate, I'm in my first year learning so using the forum as a tool etc very clumsy bit of advice with this one but I might remember my zones next time right haha

 

[Rockingit]

Lifted straight from the Installation guide, took me 10secs on Google....

"10. The showerhead must be directed away from the shower unit, during normal
use the showerhead must not spray directly on to the shower unit."

So it's not been fitted in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, get the electrician back to correct it, and they're also going to have to fork out for all the corrective decorative work too, so it's likely an insurance claim.

https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/documents/mira-sport-electric-shower-installation-user-guide-11746003.pdf

 

[Rockingit]

That being said...... which came first - the cable or the pipe?! There's possibly a plumber to blame here as well, in which case it could get messy.

 

[DefyG]

"10. The showerhead must be directed away from the shower unit, during normal
use the showerhead must not spray directly on to the shower unit."

Dont know how you can ever ensure that with a flexible shower hose other than trying to educating the users! and stick with my comments in post#15