Specifics on replacing an old shower. Advice please.......

[merton69]

Our Gainsborough Energy 2000x 10.8kW has finally called it a day.

So we are in need of a new shower. Because the shower was a 10.8kW it has a thicker electric cable to supply it and Gainsborough advise that the following should be used in it's place.
The cable is 17mm wide.
http://www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk/Customer-Services/Replace-an-old-model/#q4008

The models to select from are:-

Gainsborough Stanza 9.5 http://www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk/shower-store/electric-shower/Stanza-95-white/

Gainsborough 1.5se http://www.gainsboroughshowers.co.uk/shower-store/electric-shower/Gainsborough-105-se/

I have attached a picture of my old shower showing cable and pipe inlets.

Gainsborough Energy 2000x

• merton69
• 25 May 2014
• 4

Can I install a new one myself (I installed the old one over 15 years ago)?
Is the cable powerful enough/ correct please?
What pitfalls should I look out for please?
Anything else?

 

[conny]

Regarding the cable size, this is rated by the csa, (cross sectional area), not the width of the cable.

If you post this in the electrics section someone there will probably be best placed to help you and also let you know if you can do it yourself as they know the wiring regs.

 

[OwainDIYer]

6mm cable is usually 13mm wide x 7mm thick overall, with a solid 2.5mm earth wire.
10mm cable is usually 17mm x 10mm thick overall, with a stranded 4mm earth wire

(according to TLC website; normal manufacturing tolerances apply)

10mm cable is usually adequate for 45 amps depending on mounting method (such as surface wiring or buried in plaster) and circuit length.

Edited to hopefully make it more comprehensible.

 

[merton69]

Thank you Conny.

I will place this query there.

 

[merton69]

To OwainDIYer.

Thank you for your reply but I really don' t understand what you have written.

 

[Dan Robinson]

The size of the cable has a bearing on how much current it can carry.

But also the ability of it to disperse heat.

Whether or not the cable is buried, and how long it is all affect this.

'tis why you shouldn't lay cables under the loft insulation.


That's Owain's drift anyway.

 

[merton69]

Thanks Dan_Robinson