looking for a shower washer with earth tab

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Hi all

A friend has a Mira Advanced ATL Thermostatic shower that works properly except he had to replace the shower hose.

The end that goes into the unit had a washer that's earthed, but as you can see from the attached pic, it's broken.

tXESSRGl.jpg


He's asked around and the only success he's had so far is that it's not available separately and will cost him £136 for the replacement part with that included.

Looks like it should cost about 50p :)

Anyone seen anything like this separately?

If not, I presume if he replaced his metal shower hose with a plastic one, that would be safe as a temporary measure? (I do realise that someone could come along at a later date and change back to a metal one and be unaware, he just wants to be able to have a shower this week in this heat, before he decides what to do)

Many thanks
 
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I'm no expert, and prepared to be corrected, but even if you used a plastic hose, wouldn't that be just as likely to conduct electricity if a fault occurred? After all, water is a great conductor of electricity.
 
the hose does not need to be earthed.

If it is an electric shower, the power supply cable will normally be connected to L, N and E terminals inside the shower.

Whether or not it is an electric shower, then (usually) the metal services, such as hot and cold pipes, including metal radiator pipes, and also metal waste or soil pipes if you have any that enter the bathroom, should be bonded close to the point where they enter the bathroom, to the CPC of each of the electrical circuits that enters the bathroom, usually the lighting circuit but may include the circuits supplying showers, pumps, immersion heaters, etc. Having done that, you do not need to bond them again, nor the taps or baths attached to them.
 
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That shower has the inlet, outlet, boiler and incoming supply cable PE bonded together. The output from the boiler passes down the unit past other cable harnesses and the front panel PCB and has some metallic fittings at the end. I would guess they were concerned about the route taken by the outlet pipe. I think it's a bit strong to say it's not needed. Can Mira not supply the part? Their spare parts department are usually pretty good.

The unit should be on an RCD anyway so you're well protected with that.

Not necessarily. They OP gives no indication of the installation date and there was no requirement until the 17th ed. An RCD is only a risk reduction device anyway and doesn't necessarily prevent death.
 
I think it's a bit strong to say it's not needed.

If the pipes and the mixer are bonded and earthed, how, do you think, is the hose liable to become live?

Is it more, or less, in need of earthing than the metal toilet roll holder and coat hook on the wall? Or the bath tap?
 
I have now contacted Mira direct via email including a pic of the part. Local electrical factors said they contacted them and he had to buy the whole part, and quoted him £136.

I've looked on Mira, found the part with the washer on for £100.73, but can't see the washer on it's own (have emailed them to ask). The part is called "Heater Tank 8.7KW 1995 - 2007"

and looks like this

jaa17192

He will still not want to pay £100 when the shower works fine and it's just that washer that needs replacing. I appreciate £100 is better than risking your life, but to him (and me), it seems a bit of a rip off if they refuse to supply just the washer.

I said I'll ask for your opinions on the safety aspect or whether any of you have seen such a washer anywhere.

It's fairly old, about 18 years.

The house was rewired when he moved in, not sure of exact date, think it was 1995. The fusebox is a new one with RCD protection

I suspect if they cant supply the washer on it's own, and it isn't safe he will go for a new shower.

I had a similar thing a few months ago with my Samsung washing machine. Two of the rubber inserts that hold the motor to the washing machine had disintegrated, I was told first by one of the online spares companies (that all seem to be the same company) and then by Samsung that they are only available with the motor, and that cost way over £100. Went down a local motor factors, found some similar shaped suspension rubbers, drilled the holes to be the right size and sanded them down to be the same diameter, worked perfectly, total cost around £3. On a washing machine forum, other owners had said Samsung had replaced theirs when they called them out, and had them on board their vans.
 
It's fairly old, about 18 years.
In electric shower years thats quiet a lot (y) They dont make then like the use to.

The part required is the earth tab for the flexible hose,unfortunately it comes as part of the element (n). Maybe a non metallic hose ie plastic would get over the need for hose earthing,remembering when the shower was new the supplied hose contained a lot more metal & was more rigid.like in the pic.
shower earth use.jpg


you could cut a part of the corroded tab off,re fix it in position.fit rubber sealing washer then a non metallic hose :idea:

An electrical check of your alteration would be recommended.
 
Yep, Mira have just confirmed this

Good Afternoon

Thank you for your email.
The parts in the picture are not available as a spare part I am sorry. You would need to purchase a replacement heater tank.
 
If the pipes and the mixer are bonded and earthed, how, do you think, is the hose liable to become live?

Is it more, or less, in need of earthing than the metal toilet roll holder and coat hook on the wall? Or the bath tap?

I would imagine the designers' thinking is if the element splits, no part exiting the appliance can be at a potential other than that of the protective earth. Similarly, given the proximity of the PCB on the front panel and the cable harnesses, they sit very close to the output to the shower hose. It's effectively the last line of defence.
 

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