Whirlwind Bath

billmck02 · 30 Jun 2006

I recently installed a whirlwind bath but the cable from the pump was too short so I extended it using a gang underneath the floor boards.

All my floors have been boarded now, bonded, underlayed and carpeted .

The cable enters the back of a 45 amp fused socket on the bedroom wall but have not attached to the mains supply yet via another plug socket.

Can I use another piece of short flex cable with a normal 13 amp fuse attached on one side and plug it into the existing socket which is not a spur and attach the other end into the back of the 45 amp fused socket?

SgtTrojan · 30 Jun 2006

Hmmm thats not very clear dude. Are you an electrician?

The pump, i take it needs a permanent supply. If this 45A switch you mention is for the shower you cannot just extend the flex and connect it into that. If there is a problem the cable will melt before the circuit protection operates.

It sounds like the bedroom is the best place for a switch fused spur unit. The feed for this can be spurred off the nearest socket outlet with 2.5mm cable. You will need to put the correct sized fuse in the spur unit.

What is the rating of your pump (in amps or KW)? I hope the size of the flex you connected is a suitable size as your lovely new flooring will have to come up if it's too small.

If it is less than a few amp then 1.0mm or greater will be ok. Using a plug and soxket would work for this but it's a bit of a rubbish method. Do a proper job and use a spur unit.

billmck02 · 1 Jul 2006

Dear Gareth,

I have a city & Guilds for basic electrical but have not touched any electrical work since 1999 so I am very rusty.

The pump is 2.2 amp and already has a cable all I done was used a slightly thicker cable [1.5mm2] and a gang to extend it enough to reach the bedroom.

The 45 amp socket is brand new for the sole purpose of the whirlpool, so this is my spur and it sits directy beneath the main existing socket.

Thank you very much for your quick response and advice

The cable I intend to use to connect the spur to the main socket is the same cable I used for the extension [1.5mm2]

Yours sincerely
Bill Mckechnie

breezer · 1 Jul 2006

what do you mean by

billmck02 said:
........a gang .........

Spark123 · 1 Jul 2006

what do you mean by a 45A fused socket? Any chance of a couple of photographs? Is your supplementary bonding in place?

RF Lighting · 1 Jul 2006

This shoud be connected using an FCU fitted with a 3A fuse, and not a 45A socket

. I am presuming by this you are refering to a 45A DP switch, which you plan to spur off an existing socket on the ring circuit. If this is the case then you must not install it this as the small 1.5mm² flex which feeds the pump would only be protected by by the 30 / 32A fuse in your consumer unit. You should feed the FCU from the socket using 2.5mm² cable, and then connect the flex that feeds the pump to the load side of the spur. This will then mean the 1.5mm² flex (and the pump) are protected by a 3A fuse. I am also a bit concerned as to how you have extended the flex under the floor. What is this 'gang' that you talk of?

billmck02 · 2 Jul 2006

I refer to a gang scottish term for a bunch, A small flat oblong box with three terminals inside to connect brown live, blue nuetral and earth in one side ie the pump side and the same connecting on the other side that leads to the bottom terminals of the 45 amp switch. using the 1.5mm 2 cable attached to the top of the switch coming out and a 13 amp fused plug puched into the main socket.

I have also used an extra earth cable from the back box onto the eart terminal of the 45 amp switch

RF Lighting · 2 Jul 2006

Does it look like this?

Also if you are running the pump off a plug top then there is no need for an isolator switch, and as the pump uses only 2.2A a 45A switch is totally unsuitable. The terminals will be to large for the cable you are using for starters.

What made you think you needed this switch? You say you have fitted a link to the back box. Is the switch flush mounted?

billmck02 · 3 Jul 2006

1. The pump 2.2amp
2. Cable from pump joined under floorboards by a cable connecter
3. Slightly thicker cable from connector to Marbo 45A DP 1G Sw + Neon
5. From Marbo [1.5mm 2] cable with 13 amp fused plug on end
6. This plug fits into main existing socket.

RF Lighting · 3 Jul 2006

We gathered this from you previous posts.

RF Lighting said:
as the pump uses only 2.2A a 45A switch is totally unsuitable. The terminals will be to large for the cable you are using for starters.

What made you think you needed this switch? You say you have fitted a link to the back box. Is the switch flush mounted?

Briansmad · 3 Jul 2006

I would just hope everything is water tight and watersealed, if it were to leak, normally near the pump or connections to pump it would certainly be dangerous!!

billmck02 · 4 Jul 2006

The pump instructions were to make sure the 13 amp was plugged into an RCD with a minimum of 16 amp.

Originally I removed the 13 amp plug and replaced it with an RCD 16 amp and plugged it directly into the mains but an electrician who came to do other work said this was unappropriate and advised I spur from the mains with this 45 amp.

Obviously I am not as clever with electrics as I originally thought.

I will get another electrician to redo my mess.

Thanks to all who helped with your advice.

Best to be safe not sorry

ban-all-sheds · 4 Jul 2006

billmck02 said:
I removed the 13 amp plug and replaced it with an RCD 16 amp and plugged it directly into the mains

¿Que?

soontobe · 17 Nov 2007

did exactly the same not too long ago. fitted 16 amp rcbo nexto old wylex fuse board, was then told that you could buy rcd fscu's,for this purpose. is this true ?

Taylortwocities · 17 Nov 2007

Suggest you post a new topic instead of hijacking a crusty old one. Its not helpful to read thru stuff from the Jurassic period and then find you've added on something that is nothing to do with the thread.

Where's my beer??????

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Whirlwind Bath

breezer

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