shower cable

[hawthorns]

i have a shower cable running approx 50 feet from the fuse board to shower unit and was thinking of moving shower 10 feet is it possible to add 10 feet to existing cable or does it have to be one unbroken cable cheers

 

[plugwash]

is there not a local isolator that you can start your replacement cable from. If there isn't one then there should be, of course if there is one but its on a wall outside the bathroom then replacing the cable from it may still be a problem.

if joining it is unavoidable use a 60A junction box ( http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AAJB60.html ) and make sure it is accessible for inspection.

 

[hawthorns]

thanks for that plugwash its exactly as you say on a wall outside the bathroom and a problem replacing the cable . i wasnt sure if you could join up the wire due to the heavy load but the junction box will save a lot of hard work

 

[hawthorns]

plugwash i was asking a qualified electrician about this method you mentioned and he said it was highly dangerous as the shower unit would keep tripping and the junction box would over heat and is one of the main reason for accidents in the shower

 

[bernardgreen]

If junction boxes overheat when used on a shower feed cable then why doesn't the isolator switch also over heat as that is just a junction box with a switch between the terminals and has the additional hazard of screw loosening vibration when it is switched on and off.

 

[plugwash]

plugwash i was asking a qualified electrician about this method you mentioned

do remember there are many people trading as "electricians" who are outdated, set in thier ways or both. Also many electricians have things that they belive are banned but when pushed they can't actually come up with a reg that says so (sockets on lighting circuits are a classic).

also remember there is no legal definition of "qualified electrician"

and he said it was highly dangerous as the shower unit would keep tripping and the junction box would over heat and is one of the main reason for accidents in the shower

i'd imagine what he is thinking of is people using undersized junction boxes , 60A ones like the one i linked to are pretty uncommon.

also as with any connection on a circuit of this capacity it is important to make sure it is tight. Loose connections on shower circuits (most commonly at the shower switch as the switches tend to have a design that requires the user to compress the thick conductors after wiring are at least from what i can gather here a very common cause of failure.

lukilly electrical fittings tend to be made of self extinguishing plastics (this may be a regulatory requirement i'm not sure) so even when they overheat they don't tend to cause fires.

 

[hawthorns]

thanks again for that im enclined to go along with what you are saying as it sounds like good common sense cheers

 

[festa]

A well set up shower circuit, (or any circuit in fact) is a safe one as long as you follow the correct design features and practice a safe working method.

As said above, if the correct size cable is chosen and a protective device to suit that cable is employed then any thermal heating in that circuit caused, by say, overload or loose terminals, should be picked up by the protective device.
Most sparks add RCD protection to a shower circuits,which make it even more safe.
The terminals at your shower isolator should be rated at 40,45 or 50amps,so the terminals at a 60amp junction box will be even more durable.