Fused Spur Query

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Berkshire
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United Kingdom
Hi guys
I've got a 3 amp fused spur installed (per the manufacturer's recommendations) to supply power a digital shower.
I now want to install a second shower in an en-suite bathroom and I'm wondering whether I can safely pick up the power supply just after the 'RCD Protected Fused Connection Unit'
i.e. share the same 'fuse box'.
It's very unlikely that both showers will ever run together but if they ever did, I'm not worried if the fuse trips, just as long as it's safe.

Appreciate your comments (except for any that quote EEC regulations and what the President of the EU thinks about it all) as long as the whole setup is safe !
Many thanks
 
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Whilst far from being best practice it will be safe as it is protected by the 3 amp fuse and is on the RCD. Sharing a spur supply is never ideal.
 
Fit the RCD spur with a 13A fuse and use a suitably rated cable to feed two switched spurs from the RCD unit, fused at 3A each, one for each shower.
 
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Fit the RCD spur with a 13A fuse and use a suitably rated cable to feed two switched spurs from the RCD unit, fused at 3A each, one for each shower.

Thanks for that.
In all of this I'm trying (!) to avoid lifting floorboards etc, if I can SAFELY get away with it.
I can see that your solution gives greater independence and resilience but would you agree with 'Wangerman' that the alternative is actually safe, even though perhaps not ideal ?

Thanks again
 
Appreciate your comments (except for any that quote EEC regulations and what the President of the EU thinks about it all)
How about English laws, out of Westminster - are you interested in those? :rolleyes:

If they are based on sound, practical advice from hands-on 'Sparks' then .... Yes !
If they are formulated by fat cat, theoreticians, with inflation proof pensions, and retirement at 55, 'Jobsworths' sitting in plush offices in Whitehall then .... No

Mea culpa !
 
Oh right - I'm sure that would make a good defence in court.

You ****.


What do you plan to do when you sell the house? Tell the truth, and lose more than complying with the law now will cost you, or lie, and amplify your offence into one of fraud?
 
Oh right - I'm sure that would make a good defence in court.

You ****.


What do you plan to do when you sell the house? Tell the truth, and lose more than complying with the law now will cost you, or lie, and amplify your offence into one of fraud?

Sorry - I thought this forum was for practical DIY advice, not for abuse from smart *rses!!
In case you still haven't got it by now ....
I'm looking for a practical, SAFE solution, as I've stressed from the very start (and others seemed to have understood straight away)
My house, like 97% of the total housing stock of the country, probably doesn't comply with current legislation.
And no, just like the other 97% of the population, that doesn't worry me one little bit, as long as it's SAFE.
Comprende ??

Appreciate comments from others.
Thanks
 
My house, like 97% of the total housing stock of the country, probably doesn't comply with current legislation.
And that presents no problem - after all if it was okay years ago and if no changes have been made to the property since then it is probably safe now - though I would draw the line at VIR. Interesting though that regulations do seem to change when someone dies or is seriously injured.

And no, just like the other 97% of the population, that doesn't worry me one little bit, as long as it's SAFE.
Comprende ??
It is your choice of course how you wire your property. Afterall I won't be living in it. You quite rightly set your standards 'as long as it SAFE', similar indeed to BS7671 17th edition which states" This standard contains the rules for the design and erection of electrical installations so as to provide for safety and proper functioning for the intended use".

You might want to speak to the Building Control Officer who passed your initial work (ensuring it complied with the Building Regulations and through that BS7671) regarding your new proposal - they are normally very helpful
 
Sorry - I thought this forum was for practical DIY advice,
I believe that practical advice should include the legal implications of the work. After all, breaking the law could easily have some real, practical implications.


not for abuse from smart *rses!!
Smart *rses?

Let's see - I asked you if you were interested in UK laws, and you replied

"If they are formulated by fat cat, theoreticians, with inflation proof pensions, and retirement at 55, 'Jobsworths' sitting in plush offices in Whitehall then .... No"

so you should probably avoid bandying around accusations of people being smart *rses.


In case you still haven't got it by now ....
I'm looking for a practical, SAFE solution, as I've stressed from the very start (and others seemed to have understood straight away)
Of course you want safe, but that's not incompatible with also being legal.


My house, like 97% of the total housing stock of the country, probably doesn't comply with current legislation.
And no, just like the other 97% of the population, that doesn't worry me one little bit, as long as it's SAFE.
Comprende ??
If you ever sell the house, then your potential purchaser's solicitor will, unless he's an idiot, ask you if you have had any notifiable work done, and if so where's the Building Regulations approval.

At that point you have 2 choices:

1) Say "Yes, and I don't have any because I never applied for it", whereupon your purchaser (unless he is an idiot) will beat you up on the price.

or

2) Say "No", which then makes the sale a fraudulent one.

Comprende?

You might be happy with all of that, but don't go around making ridiculous gung-ho statements about it being OK to ignore laws just because you think were made by fat cat, theoretician jobsworths sitting in plush offices in Whitehall and then call people smart *rses when they ask you if you've really thought it through.
 
Yeah sorry, I really should have interpreted your 'You ****' remark as being helpful and constructive.
My error.
 
Wow wow wow

Lets wind this back up a little :eek:

The OP asked whether what he proposed was "safe" emphasis on "Safe". Technically what he proposes to do is safe as the appliance is not over rated and is still being protected via the RCD.

This is not a legal issue although legality does come in to it. As rightly pointed out by a previous poster (sorry can't remember who but good post btw), what you do in your own home as long as it is deemed "safe" does not necessarily have to comply with current BS however as pointed out this may pose a few awkward questions if the property was to be surveyed for a sale ( I doubt very much this would be picked up though).

For all we know the OP may have every intention of installing the shower spur correctly in the future however for the short term wants a quick fix.

hand on heart time who hasn't done a temp supply or repair which is not strictly legit ?

As qualified engineers we comply to a code of practice which as you all are aware are not always followed to the letter by the competent diyer

Difference is culpability we work on behalf of the general public and through our short cuts or poor understanding of the regs can put many lives at risk through their actions the home owner is not necessarily bound by the same code of conduct ( if you do not declare modification who is to know)

That's life people make rules other people find ways to circumnavigate those rules
 
Wow wow wow

Lets wind this back up a little :eek:

The OP asked whether what he proposed was "safe" emphasis on "Safe". Technically what he proposes to do is safe as the appliance is not over rated and is still being protected via the RCD.

This is not a legal issue although legality does come in to it. As rightly pointed out by a previous poster (sorry can't remember who but good post btw), what you do in your own home as long as it is deemed "safe" does not necessarily have to comply with current BS however as pointed out this may pose a few awkward questions if the property was to be surveyed for a sale ( I doubt very much this would be picked up though).

For all we know the OP may have every intention of installing the shower spur correctly in the future however for the short term wants a quick fix.

hand on heart time who hasn't done a temp supply or repair which is not strictly legit ?

As qualified engineers we comply to a code of practice which as you all are aware are not always followed to the letter by the competent diyer

Difference is culpability we work on behalf of the general public and through our short cuts or poor understanding of the regs can put many lives at risk through their actions the home owner is not necessarily bound by the same code of conduct ( if you do not declare modification who is to know)

That's life people make rules other people find ways to circumnavigate those rules

Many thanks for that clear, down to earth advice for this layman.
I just wanted to know whether it was a safe thing to do, that's all.
As I'll probably get a qualified Sparks to do the work anyway I'll at least be able to talk through the options with him.
Thanks again for your help !
 
Wow wow wow

Lets wind this back up a little :eek:

The OP asked whether what he proposed was "safe" emphasis on "Safe". Technically what he proposes to do is safe as the appliance is not over rated and is still being protected via the RCD.

This is not a legal issue although legality does come in to it. As rightly pointed out by a previous poster (sorry can't remember who but good post btw), what you do in your own home as long as it is deemed "safe" does not necessarily have to comply with current BS however as pointed out this may pose a few awkward questions if the property was to be surveyed for a sale ( I doubt very much this would be picked up though).

For all we know the OP may have every intention of installing the shower spur correctly in the future however for the short term wants a quick fix.

hand on heart time who hasn't done a temp supply or repair which is not strictly legit ?

As qualified engineers we comply to a code of practice which as you all are aware are not always followed to the letter by the competent diyer

Difference is culpability we work on behalf of the general public and through our short cuts or poor understanding of the regs can put many lives at risk through their actions the home owner is not necessarily bound by the same code of conduct ( if you do not declare modification who is to know)

That's life people make rules other people find ways to circumnavigate those rules

Many thanks for that clear, down to earth advice for this layman.
I just wanted to know whether it was a safe thing to do, that's all.
As I'll probably get a qualified Sparks to do the work anyway I'll at least be able to talk through the options with him.
Thanks again for your help !

No problem sorry it took a while. Whatever you decide to do take care :D
 

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