Shower supply problem

[Neil Weir]

I have a long running problem with the supply to a shower which has had my electrician tearing his hair out.
The shower is supplied through an MCB/RCD.
I had a simple switch (45A) which had been there for years and had serviced several showers without problem.
Then the switch started overheating. So the electrician came, thought it would be caused by loose connections and changed the switch. Same thing happened - this time he put a 50A switch in. Same thing happened again. This time we went for a contactor relay with a control switch. Now the MCB trips and can't be reset for a period.
So I got the shower company out (under the guarantee) to check the shower and they found nothing wrong.
Could the cable from MCB to the shower be damaged and would a damaged cable cause the symptoms described? Or what else could be wrong?

 

[Pete999]

I have a long running problem with the supply to a shower which has had my electrician tearing his hair out.
The shower is supplied through an MCB/RCD.
I had a simple switch (45A) which had been there for years and had serviced several showers without problem.
Then the switch started overheating. So the electrician came, thought it would be caused by loose connections and changed the switch. Same thing happened - this time he put a 50A switch in. Same thing happened again. This time we went for a contactor relay with a control switch. Now the MCB trips and can't be reset for a period.
So I got the shower company out (under the guarantee) to check the shower and they found nothing wrong.
Could the cable from MCB to the shower be damaged and would a damaged cable cause the symptoms described? Or what else could be wrong?

Did your "Electrician" conduct any electrical testing, other than swapping parts willy nilly?

 

[Spoon]

Your electrician can check to see if there is a fault with the cable and should have done by now.

 

[Neil Weir]

I don't think he did any checks on the cable. How would he do this?

 

[Neil Weir]

Also, can a faulty cable cause excess current and hence the overheating of the switch and tripping that I have been experiencing?

 

[Spoon]

I don't think he did any checks on the cable. How would he do this?

Please ask your electrician about this. There are multiple tests.

 

[Octopus]

Burnt out switches are normally due to poor connections and. / or cheap switches.

What Kw rating is the shower?

 

[Neil Weir]

It is only a 9KW shower. And I am virtually certain the problem is not caused by the connections or the switch quality.

 

[Octopus]

It is only a 9KW shower. And I am virtually certain the problem is not caused by the connections or the switch quality.

how can you be so sure?

Only proper tests on said circuit can tell us

Do you have any test kit?

 

[telectrix]

a clamp meter on the feed in the CU would soon tell if there was excessive current. a continuity and IR test of the circuit would confirm whether or not the cable was damaged.

 

[Andy5678]

I agree with all the posts above. Get your electrician back or get a new one that can test it for you. Did you get any certs from your original electrician? like a minor works? It could have test results on it if he did them.

 

[telectrix]

I agree with all the posts above. Get your electrician back or get a new one that can test it for you. Did you get any certs from your original electrician? like a minor works? It could have test results on it if he did them.

see that...... a pig just flew past.

 

[Neil Weir]

I am getting a new electrician in - one that will do the investigative tests. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Midwest]

Did he replace the cable that would of been subjected to thermal damage, by the previous loose connection, i.e. did he cut the damaged conductors back to undamaged cable?

 

[Pete999]

He

I don't think he did any checks on the cable. How would he do this?

would/should have conducted tests using today's developments a MFT Multi function tester, IR, Continuity Zs etc, Get him back to do these tests, although from what you have said about his fault finding, doubt if he has such an animal.

 

[Wilko]

Out of interest, what does the shower MCB have written on the front of it please? (current rating and type)

 

[Wilko]

Out of interest, what does the shower MCB have written on the front of it please? (current rating and type)

 

[Midwest]

Is it me or is there 'issues' with this forum again today? ^^

 

[Octopus]

I am getting a new electrician in - one that will do the investigative tests. Thanks for the advice.

When they send you a bill, please ask them for the details of the testing they have done ................

Paying for testing and not knowing what has been done isn't on in my "book"

 

[Wilko]

Is it me or is there 'issues' with this forum again today? ^^

Sorry M., might just be me. I did have to reboot to be able to get thru cloudytimes