Electric Shower Tripping, Pictures attached.

[Holbroom1986]

Hi all, I have an issue of my electric power shower tripping on high power, as my shower comes with 3 settings...

High power = 9.5KW
Economy = 8.5KW
Cold = 7.5KW

The RCD tripped at 15 minutes of the shower on High power, when i tried Economy it was still running fine after 40 minutes so i assume it's trying to pull more power than the RCD can handle? I have attached 2 images, one of the RCD and one of the Electricity Requirements of my electrical power shower, as my electrical knowledge is very limited i would really appreciate if anyone can tell me if they see something not quite right or something that doesn't add up

Power shower electrical requirements.

Shower unit electrical requirements.

• Holbroom1986
• 27 Jan 2014
• 1

RCD Unit.

RCD unit.

• Holbroom1986
• 27 Jan 2014
• 1

Many thanks.
Matt

 

[HERTS P&D]

You need to change the mcb from 40amp to 45amp.

Andy

 

[xr4x4]

Your cu says total load not to exceed 63 amps, the shower instructions say cu must have total of 80 amps.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

RCD or MCB that trips?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Whoa!

40A MCB is fine.

The rating of the main switch has no significance.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You need to change the mcb from 40amp to 45amp.

Andy

or 50 even

 

[Holbroom1986]

RCD or MCB that trips?

The shower switch flicks to off... last night when the missus was in the shower it did it 3 times in the space of about 5 minutes, a real inconvenience when you're all soaped up and the water goes off

 

[securespark]

Just confirm. Is it the MCB that is tripping or the RCD?

IE, is it just the power to the shower going off, or is the power to the whole house failing?

 

[Holbroom1986]

Only the power to the shower is going off.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Although MI indicate a 40A MCB is okay, it could be that the MCB is tired and starting to fail, might be worth spending a fiver and swap it for new.

 

[Taylortwocities]

might be worth spending a fiver and swap it for new.

A new NB40 Type 1 for a fiver? You'll be lucky.

Wait a minute, that breaker's a Type 1..

 

[Holbroom1986]

might be worth spending a fiver and swap it for new.

A new NB40 Type 1 for a fiver? You'll be lucky.

Wait a minute, that breaker's a Type 1..

What does Type 1 mean?

 

[Taylortwocities]

The old type breakers were defined as type 1,2,3 etc
The new type are thpe B, C, D

The different types define how quick they will trip.

IIRC type 1 is very sensitive and a type 2 is roughly equivilant to a type B

As above, it may be that the MCB has aged. See if you can find an NB breaker type B, or an old type 2 40amp breaker and swop it out.

PLEASE take care if you take to consumer unit apart. There are live parts in there, even with the main switch off.

 

[Holbroom1986]

The old type breakers were defined as type 1,2,3 etc
The new type are thpe B, C, D

The different types define how quick they will trip.

IIRC type 1 is very sensitive and a type 2 is roughly equivilant to a type B

As above, it may be that the MCB has aged. See if you can find an NB breaker type B, or an old type 2 40amp breaker and swop it out.

PLEASE take care if you take to consumer unit apart. There are live parts in there, even with the main switch off.

Thanks for explaining that, I don't really feel confident enough to be playing around with live electrics so i am edging towards getting a qualified electrician in to do the work, would it be worth upgrading the whole RCD to something a bit more modern? I am guessing the RCD I have is quite out dated, am I right?

 

[viewer]

You may be confusing the terms and parts; the whole "box" is usually called a consumer unit (CU) and the RCD is that special switch at the right of the CU which will trip if it detects electricity going where it shouldn't. There is no reason to suspect that there is anything wrong with the CU or RCD. The 40amp miniture circuit breaker (MCB) is like an old fashioned fuse. As said it could be tired and a new 45 or 50A MCB is probably all you need.
I'd suggest getting an electrician to check the CU and fit another MCB. You do not show any other switches before the CU, so, if doing it yourself beware, unless there is a main isolator switch, parts of the CU will remain live even when it is switched off.

Edit see TTC has already made the point