Shower pump under bath

[plumb1]

Hi Guys

First post here, I am a plumber and have been asked to change a shower pump which is currently sited under the bath. It is fed from a fused spur screwed to the floor under the bath. I want to know where I stand with the regs in regard to changing the pump and joining onto the fused spur, as I am pretty sure the fused spur shouldnt be under the bath. It is behind a bath panel and totally sealed around, but would this still be classed at zone 1 even though it is essentially boxed in?

Any advise would be great.

 

[telectrix]

under the bath, accessible only with a tool or a key, is out of zones, so no problem.

 

[prg13]

please note that cicuit must also be rcd protected

 

[plumb1]

Thanks guys, I was hoping that would be the case.

 

[needasparks]

Agree with the others it is not a problem but i tend to try and site in a more accessable place like a cupboard or outside the bathroom. My personal view is so that isolation is easier for when they go wrong as they are permenately fed.
Its only due to one in my old house had a problem with the flow switch which jammed on which burnt out the pump.
Had my wife known how to turn it off it could have been saved.

 

[telectrix]

please note that cicuit must also be rcd protected

true, but as he's only doing a like for like replacement and not altering the fixed wiring, it's not his problem if there isn't an RCD fitted.

 

[Heisenberg]

Agree with the others it is not a problem but i tend to try and site in a more accessable place like a cupboard or outside the bathroom. My personal view is so that isolation is easier for when they go wrong as they are permenately fed.
Its only due to one in my old house had a problem with the flow switch which jammed on which burnt out the pump.
Had my wife known how to turn it off it could have been saved.

Agree completely there. What on earth is the point of having isolation if you can't get to it.
I bet its a neon FCU as well, and will cause some poor spark a real problem in the future when the circuit needs testing for whatever reason.

 

[nickblake]

well the point of isolation locally would be for the purpose on maintainance and some of these pumps run on a low current a may need fusing down to

 

[Heisenberg]

well the point of isolation locally would be for the purpose on maintainance and some of these pumps run on a low current a may need fusing down to

You misunderstand me, I'm not questioning the need for isolation, just that it should be accessible without having to remove the side panel of the bath.

537.3.2.4

I suppose you could argue that it is convenient as you need to remove the panel to get to the pump anyway.

 

[Octopus]

If the pump was being installed for the first time, locating the FCU under the bath, behind the panel wouldn't comply with the regs, but this is an old installation....