no power to shower? help

[tambethash]

Ive just installed a 8.5kw electric shower the cu has a rcd unit and im usein a 40amp mcb unit useing 6mm twin and earh ive fed this to a double pole neon pullcord switch then from there connected to my shower.
All connections are tight and useing a tester screwdriver i have power to both switch and shower! The problem is the shower power indicator is not working ive even tried connecting another shower up to see if other was faulty and still no light comes on the shower unit, what am i doing wrong and is there anything ive missed? Any ideas would be greatfully accepted.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Neon screwdrivers should not be used, they can give you false and misleading readings.
You need some approved test equipment to confirm continuity, voltage, Zs and RCD trip times.
Is this a new installation or replacement?

Without testing, I would guess you have a neutral out/broken or the PVC insulation trapped in terminal.

In most cases 6mm cable would only be suitable, if they are no de-rating factors to be applied with regards to the circuit route, method installed and distance run.
Does the RCD device, cover/protect the shower circuit? Just because there is RCD protection at the board do not assume it protects the circuit, this would require confirmation.

 

[securespark]

Go to Maplin

http://www.maplin.co.uk/store-locator/east-region

and buy one of these

http://www.maplin.co.uk/digital-multimeter-with-transistor-test-44679

It will tell you if you have live and neutral available at your shower.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

... tester screwdriver ...

Unless it's actually any good as a screwdriver, throw it away.

Neon screwdrivers at test instuments are questionable from a safety POV as they use your body as a current path, and they are unreliable - to safely check for voltage you must use a 2-pole tester, such as a proper voltage indicator or a multimeter.

A multimeter, at least, is an essential tool to have if you want to work on your electrics. It is just as important to have that correct tool as it is to have screwdrivers to use on screws instead of the point of a vegetable knife, wirecutters to use instead of nail scissors, wirestrippers to use instead of teeth, and so on.


This looks ideal for a household starter set - multimeter, voltage indicator and dedicated continuity tester, all in a handy case: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/115/Junior-Set/

PDF brochure: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/downloadfile/115/beschreibung_1/

All in German, unfortunately, as is the blurb on each product:

Multimeter: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproductdata/487/Hexagon_55/

Voltage indicator: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/116/2000_α_(alpha)/

Continuity tester: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/481/TESTFIX/

but it is sold in the UK - the company is now owned by Fluke, and I guess they haven't got all the websites sorted out yet - contact them (http://www.fluke.co.uk) for info on where to buy.

(UPDATE - or used to be sold. Still a current product, can be bought from amazon.de for example)


Right now the English specs are still lurking on the Internet Time Machine from when Beha was an independent company:

http://web.archive.org/web/20060920022629/http://www.beha.com/files_uk/multimeter/93549.pdf


Also see another discussion here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26282 It's a few years old, so specific model number advice may be obsolete (and prices will be higher), but the generic advice is still sound.