I have recently visited my mother in law who has just had a new bathroom fitted. This included a new shower, a Galaxy Aqua 3000 (8.5kw). This takes about 35.5 amps. The original shower was an ancient Triton, probably about 6kw. As far as I can see, the original cable and DP switch have not been changed and the set up is as follows:
Circuit fed from separate switchfuse box with 45A fuse, 6mm cable approx 5m up interior wall surface in plastic conduit, 7m across loft floor via 45A DP pullcord switch, then 1m drop behind false wall into shower unit (say 13m run in total).
The installation instructions call for a min 40A fuse and a 40A DP switch. No mention of any RCD requirement though. There is no RCD fitted on this circuit and none in the house (CU is an old Wylex with cartridge fuses, which has been fitted with plug in MCB’s.)
The bathroom fitter sub contracted the shower wiring and the installation of a heated towel rail and I have no idea what his qualifications were.
What concerns me is:
1) is the cable adequate or should he he have upgraded it to 10mm? It is not getting warm after use and no signs of overloading at the DP switch.
2) Should he have fitted, or at least recommended fitting, an inline RCD to this circuit? If this is not a requirement, is it not now standard practice on shower circuits?
3) There is no cross bonding visible anywhere in the bathroom, certainly not to the basin or bath. This would not have been present in the original bathroom, but should the electrician not have pointed this out and made it clear that it needed to be added, even if his brief was only to do the electrical connection to the shower and towel rail?
Circuit fed from separate switchfuse box with 45A fuse, 6mm cable approx 5m up interior wall surface in plastic conduit, 7m across loft floor via 45A DP pullcord switch, then 1m drop behind false wall into shower unit (say 13m run in total).
The installation instructions call for a min 40A fuse and a 40A DP switch. No mention of any RCD requirement though. There is no RCD fitted on this circuit and none in the house (CU is an old Wylex with cartridge fuses, which has been fitted with plug in MCB’s.)
The bathroom fitter sub contracted the shower wiring and the installation of a heated towel rail and I have no idea what his qualifications were.
What concerns me is:
1) is the cable adequate or should he he have upgraded it to 10mm? It is not getting warm after use and no signs of overloading at the DP switch.
2) Should he have fitted, or at least recommended fitting, an inline RCD to this circuit? If this is not a requirement, is it not now standard practice on shower circuits?
3) There is no cross bonding visible anywhere in the bathroom, certainly not to the basin or bath. This would not have been present in the original bathroom, but should the electrician not have pointed this out and made it clear that it needed to be added, even if his brief was only to do the electrical connection to the shower and towel rail?
