Shower pull switch - Neon light not coming on

[Mad_Doctor_X]

Hello!

Our shower has stopped working and the neon light on the pull switch won't illuminate when the cord is pulled. I've read a few threads and see that the cause is often the neutral connectors on the pull switch, but we do have one of the Crabtree 50A switches which I think are decent.

The switch's mechanical action works ok and when I removed the cables from the connectors they were nice and clean. I also get continuity between L1 and L2 when the switch is pulled, and between N1 and N2 (no continuity between L and N, or when the switch is in the off position!!). The only thing that strikes me as odd is that I don't get continuity between the two connectors that complete the circuit to the neon light.

The circuit is 5 years old and should be powering a 9.8 kW Mira Escape shower. I have checked the MCB for continuity in the off and on positions.

My hunch is just to replace at switch and hope, but any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

 

[AndyPRK]

The last test I would do, is to disconnect the load side (shower) from the switch and see if the neon light now works.

or some live testing at the switch is see whats happening

 

[Mad_Doctor_X]

So I tried reconnecting without the shower and the neon didn't come on. However, the connecting lugs for the neon seem to come from the load side so perhaps I should have wired it back to front to just test the light?

Anyway, I thought I'd just try and reconnect everything and now it's working... Not something I'm particularly happy about, but at least the shower isn't broken. Would anyone recommend replacing the switch anyway based on what I've described?

I do have one job though, the sparky just screwed the switch into my lath and plaster ceiling. This seems to be the ultimate in one-time screwing (there's a phrase for you!!). Time to measure some 2 by 4 and drill some holes....

Cheers

 

[JohnW2]

I do have one job though, the sparky just screwed the switch into my lath and plaster ceiling. This seems to be the ultimate in one-time screwing (there's a phrase for you!!). Time to measure some 2 by 4 and drill some holes....

Provided one doesn't get too close to the edge of a lath (or miss it completely!), and provided the threaded portion of the screw is long enough, one can usually get a surprisingly good fixing by screwing into a lath - but, as you say (in a slightly different way ), it's something that one can only get away with 'the first time' (i.e. as a result of the first screwing!!!)!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Mad_Doctor_X]

Quick follow-up to this.
After putting it back together I noticed that the cable to the shower was wired in to the terminals marked 'In' and the cable to the CU was wired into the 'Out' terminals. Aren't these the wrong way round? I can't find the Crabtree instructions on t'internet to check.

Cheers

 

[AndyPRK]

They are wrong, but it will only cause the neon to be on all the time. and anyway your neon doesn't work does it? so no rush to correct it