electric shower getting no power

[tsquealer]

Hi,

Over the last week or two, our shower started acting strange. After several minutes of use, it would cut out and stop working. Leave it for a while and try it again and it would work.

After a week of this it has now stopped working completely. I am sure it is not the shower but an electrical fault. I am no electrician and need to get someone qualified in to sort it but I wondered if anyone had any ideas on what has gone wrong so I at least know what the problem might be when someone comes to fix it.

The red light on the shower does not light up and the box on the ceiling with the pull cord is switched to on but the light is not on. During the initial problems, this light seemed to be fading.

Many thanks

 

[delmel]

Hi,

Over the last week or two, our shower started acting strange. After several minutes of use, it would cut out and stop working. Leave it for a while and try it again and it would work.

After a week of this it has now stopped working completely. I am sure it is not the shower but an electrical fault. I am no electrician and need to get someone qualified in to sort it but I wondered if anyone had any ideas on what has gone wrong so I at least know what the problem might be when someone comes to fix it.

The red light on the shower does not light up and the box on the ceiling with the pull cord is switched to on but the light is not on. During the initial problems, this light seemed to be fading.

Many thanks

From what you say i t appears a definate lack of power, leading up to this you mention intermittant problems. I would say that you have either an undersized cable or a loose connection, has the MCB/fuse or RCD triped out at any stage. Start by checking the cable size used, the rating of the device that it is fed from in the consumer unit and the rating of the shower you have.

 

[Hacman]

I had a problem similar a few weeks ago, it was a loose connection in the Cu on the neutral bar, this had caused it to burn up and eventually start affecting the whole house electrics. The only cure was a new CU.

Check the consumer unit see if there is any burning inside, if there is then you will probably need a new CU and hence a qualified part P spark to fit it for you.

 

[Maboza-Ritchy]

Tsquealer
Check the fuse/MCB at CU for shower, should be 30 or 40/45amp. If Ok check voltage present at pull cord at both set of terminals with switch on, ie at the mains side and the load side to prove the pull cord is switching on OK. Check also screw terminals are tight as this could cause shower to work intermittently. Failing that check security of cable connections at the shower and for voltage present.

If all of the above is OK then it is not the electrical supply, it may be the shower or lack of water pressure causing the problem.

 

[tsquealer]

Thanks for all your replies.

Please forgive my lack of knowledge but would you be able to explain a few things?

I believe the shower has been installed since the house was built. It is on the old side but it worked nonetheless ever since we moved in two years ago. We are due to replace the bathroom this year but this problem has just cropped up out of nowhere.

Delmel:

I would say that you have either an undersized cable or a loose connection, has the MCB/fuse or RCD triped out at any stage

What is an MCB and RCD?

Hacman:

it was a loose connection in the Cu on the neutral bar

Could you please elaborate on Cu on the neutral bar? Is this the pull down cord box on the ceiling?

Mobaza-Ritchy:

Check the fuse/MCB at CU for shower, should be 30 or 40/45amp

The cu for the shower is 45amp. I suspect this has gone and may need replacing like for like.


Sorry again for my complete lack of knowledge but your assistance really is appreciated in tracking down the cause. I will be getting someone qualified in next week but wanted to get a heads up on the problem.

 

[delmel]

Thanks for all your replies.

Please forgive my lack of knowledge but would you be able to explain a few things?

I believe the shower has been installed since the house was built. It is on the old side but it worked nonetheless ever since we moved in two years ago. We are due to replace the bathroom this year but this problem has just cropped up out of nowhere.

Delmel:

I would say that you have either an undersized cable or a loose connection, has the MCB/fuse or RCD triped out at any stage

What is an MCB and RCD?

Hacman:

it was a loose connection in the Cu on the neutral bar

Could you please elaborate on Cu on the neutral bar? Is this the pull down cord box on the ceiling?

Mobaza-Ritchy:

Check the fuse/MCB at CU for shower, should be 30 or 40/45amp

The cu for the shower is 45amp. I suspect this has gone and may need replacing like for like.


Sorry again for my complete lack of knowledge but your assistance really is appreciated in tracking down the cause. I will be getting someone qualified in next week but wanted to get a heads up on the problem.

MCB = Minature circuit breaker this would be in the consumer unit and is a protection device, your shower being an old installation is poss done on a fuse check this.
RCD is a device that should be fitted when showers are in use, again yours may not have one due to older installation. This could be a device that protects the whole house, or part of the house.

CU neautral = Inside your fuseboard you will see a copper bar with all the black cable connected, ensure all screws are tight, also check the live. Again check the connection at the switch in the bathroom and in the shower. But also check the cable size as if you are planning a new one it is likely that you may have to upgrade the cable. I would recommend 10mm always as this allows for upgrades in most instances.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What is an MCB and RCD?

Could you please elaborate on Cu on the neutral bar? Is this the pull down cord box on the ceiling?

The cu for the shower is 45amp. I suspect this has gone and may need replacing like for like.

Sorry again for my complete lack of knowledge

I will be getting someone qualified in next week but wanted to get a heads up on the problem.

Please don't be tempted to fiddle before he comes...

 

[tsquealer]

No way man! ... not my area at all.

 

[menothou]

My shower has suddenly stopped. When i pull the cord, there is no red light on the ceiling box. As such, there is no red light on the shower unit too.

I checked the main consumer unit, and found that the shower switch has tripped. Only the shower switch, the rest e.g heater, cooker switch are ok. I tried to put the tripped shower switch back to 'On' but to no avail. It totally cannot be put to 'On' at all, it just kept jumping back to 'off'.

I am a lady and do not understand any electricial terms, but would like to find out what is the main problem for my shower. Is it a serious electrical fault? How bad is the situation?

Many thanks for any help.

 

[RF Lighting]

Do you have an isolator switch for the shower in ar near the bathroom? (either a pull switch or a big isolator switch) If so try turn this off, and then try resetting the MCB again.




Also have a read of the forum rules Here Particulally 17 & 20

 

[Steve]

Another thing I just thought of - and nobody else has said this yet, to my amazement. Check the connections in the PULL CORD SWITCH! These undergo the most strain during installation, due to the design of the switch, and are therefore most likely to work loose.