Bristan Glee shower blown again – is this a fuse issue? Need help with letting agent

[finsaah]

My Bristan Glee shower (not sure of exact model/power) is consistently blowing. It blew 2 months ago and now it’s just blown again. It normally works for a few months then blows. It tends to blow when it gets around the 40% mark. Yesterday it blew just as I dropped the show head. The previous shower also had a habit of blowing.

It’s running from a 30a Wylex fuse and the cable including outer sheath is about 14mm. I’ve read that a shower needs at least 40a and needs a cable thicker than 10mm.

I rent privately through a letting agency and I’ve contacted them about this numerous times. Every time it happens, they just send their guy round and he puts in a new 30a. The last time it happened it actually burnt the ceiling fuse box and they replaced that. This time it’s burnt the paper off the fuse.

I’ve attached photos of the shower, fuse box, cable and burnt fuse. There’s a also a ceiling fuse box that I forgot to photo.

I’m in a very hard water area so limescale could be a factor (my bathroom sink hw tap has just stopped running as well).

Can anyone advise/confirm whether I am correct on the issue being the fuse/cable and that this will continue until fixed before I start threatening any legal action? I’ve been very polite so far but it's getting stupid now.

Thanks

https://imgur.com/YzqUegg

https://imgur.com/TqwTykb

https://imgur.com/gdvnmE8

https://imgur.com/Xo1Pkjl

(don't how to post images here)

 

[chivers67]

Try to find out the exact Power Wattage the shower is but I'd be surprised if it's less than 8.5 KW, it could be that it's slightly overloaded close to full power

BTW is there any form of RCD Protection on the Circuit, that Fuse Carrier looks quite dated. Is that a BS1361 30 Amp Fuse?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Need some clarification from you.
When you say

1. My Bristan Glee shower (not sure of exact model/power) is consistently blowing

   Do you mean that the shower itself blows up? Or do you mean the fuse blows?
2. Have a look at the bottom of the shower, there should be a rating plate. Post a picture of it. It is vital to know the power requirements. The Bristan Glee showers come in 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5KW. All of the are higher power than 30amps.
3. Re

   the cable including outer sheath is about 14mm. I’ve read that a shower needs at least 40a and needs a cable thicker than 10mm.

   Cable sizes relate to the cross sectional area of the copper conductor. The 10mm is actually 10mm² and doesnt relate to the size of the outside of the cable.

To post a picture on here, simply drag the JPG file, or whatever, onto the text reply pane. Or use an image host site like Postimage and post the URL of the image using the image button above the reply pane.

 

[finsaah]

BTW is there any form of RCD Protection on the Circuit, that Fuse Carrier looks quite dated.

Not quite sure what that means - there's an on/off switch to the right.

Is that a BS1361 30 Amp Fuse?

Yes

Need some clarification from you.
When you say

1. Do you mean that the shower itself blows up? Or do you mean the fuse blows?
2. Have a look at the bottom of the shower, there should be a rating plate. Post a picture of it. It is vital to know the power requirements. The Bristan Glee showers come in 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5KW. All of the are higher power than 30amps.
3. Re Cable sizes relate to the cross sectional area of the copper conductor. The 10mm is actually 10mm² and doesn't relate to the size of the outside of the cable.

1. the fuse
2. There's no plate or any kind of information that I can see on top, bottom or sides of the shower
3. So the current cable is OK?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Let’s suppose that the shower is the smallest size, 8500 watts.
That size shower pulls 37amps.
A 30amp fuse can handle 37amps, but not for long. The fuse will blow if you run the shower for more than a few minutes.

It needs sorting out, properly. It needs either a smaller shower (a 7500watt shower is still more than 30amps though)
Or a bigger cable with a larger fuse or MCB. Also, the circuit should be protected by a safety device called an RCD. All modern showers require one to be fitted.

The letting agent and landlord have a duty of care to you, the tenant. What they have done so far is never going to work for long. You need to write to them formally and get it sorted.

 

[chivers67]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

It sounds like the Fuse is too small to supply the Shower and although it is capable of carrying higher current through the 30 Amp fuse over a period of time it is being overloaded and eventually blowing. Whoever is replacing the fuse should in theory be able to tell you what power rating the shower is. was writing more but TTC has covered it

 

[Echo the husky]

2. There's no plate or any kind of information that I can see on top, bottom or sides of the shower

It might be inside.

3. So the current cable is OK?

We can't answer that without knowing the rating of the shower, the length of the cable and how it is installed.

Whatever, the shower will be at least 8.5KW which exceeds the rating of the fuse, the fuse base looks heat damaged and it would not be a good idea to just replace the fuse.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the cable including outer sheath is about 14mm.

Probably 6mm².