Shower Cable

[D4N1EL]

Hi,

I will be ripping my bathroom out soon. I want to upgrade my shower cable from 6mm to 10mm. I have a few questions, I would be great full if someone could take the time to answer my questions or possibly advise me if I'm wrong.

1) I plan on putting my new cable in place then asking an electrician to connect the ends. Is that a reasonable request or will the electrician want to check the whole wire?

2) Will the length of cable have any impact on the KW rating on the shower?

3) Do you get different rating if switchs, if so, do I buy a switch that matchs the rating of the shower?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I will be ripping my bathroom out soon. I want to upgrade my shower cable from 6mm to 10mm.

Why?

1)
The electrician will (or should) want to verify the routing and installation method of the cable.

2)
Not unless it is very long.

3)
They will be 45A or 50A.
Only if the shower is >10.8kW will you actually require >45A but the Crabtree 50A ones are better.

 

[davelx]

1) You need to contact the electrician first and work under his guidance - he has to be responsible for the entire design and installation. He will design the installatiion for you.
2) No, it's the other way around - the electrician will select the correct sized cable and appropriate protective devices taking into account the kW rating of the shower you want and the the distance/length/route and environment in which the cable is to be run. It's possible that your existing consumer unit may not be able to support the rating of shower you want - your electrician will be able to determine this and recommend a way forward.
3) There are some different ratings but 45A is the most common and it does not matter if the switch has a higher rating than needed. Your electrician should be able to supply this more cheaply than you can and that also ensures it is a make he is happy with.

So - KEY POINT - ENGAGE THE ELECTRICIAN FIRST and work under his guidance.

 

[D4N1EL]

Thanks for the replies, I don't know what electrician I'm using yet, it'll just be some one local out the paper. I'll get in touch with someone and get some professional advice.

 

[flameport]

I will be ripping my bathroom out soon. I want to upgrade my shower cable

Another option to consider is to have a different type of shower installed instead, which will be far better than any electric effort.

 

[deadshort]

Another option to consider is to have a different type of shower installed instead, which will be far better than any electric effort.

How can you possibly know that, unless you live in the OP's house ?

DS

 

[Steve]

Every other shower in the world is better than an instant electric shower. If you can, given you're totalling the bathroom, fit a mixer shower. Run off a combi, it'll be far better than an electric shower. If you have gravity stored hot water, fit a pump.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Every other shower in the world is better than an instant electric shower.

 

[JohnW2]

How can you possibly know that, unless you live in the OP's house ?

He's surely being reasonable in saying that it is "another possibility to consider", even if the situation is such that it wouldn't be appropriate in the OP's house?

In any event, I struggle to think of any situation in which an alternative to an instant electric shower would be impossible. Provided that the house has hot and cold water available, there will always be potential alternatives to 'consider' (even if they might in some cases not be very practical).

Kind Regards, John

 

[D4N1EL]

Thanks for all the replies.

When we moved into the house an electric shower was already fitted.

We have had a combi boiler installed while we have lived here and the hot water pressure isn't the best which is why we are not going down the mixer tap route.

What other realistic options do I have?

Thanks.

 

[flameport]

We have had a combi boiler installed while we have lived here and the hot water pressure isn't the best which is why we are not going down the mixer tap route.

The hot pressure is the same as the cold - they are both from the same supply.
A combi boiler is about 3x as powerful as an electric shower, and gas is 1/4 the price of electricity.

 

[D4N1EL]

Is there any easy way to increase the pressure?

 

[winston1]

Is there any easy way to increase the pressure?

Pump.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The hot pressure is the same as the cold - they are both from the same supply.

Don't boilers act a pressure reducing devices as well as heating?

Don't think I've ever experienced the same pressure from a hot tap as I get at the cold one in the kitchen, and I definitely get a different flow rate between H & C at the bath taps.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Pump.

We have had a combi boiler installed