Extending Shower Cable

[gme106]

Hi, any advice would be grateful. I have just laid a 10mm t&e cable for my new shower unit. The problem is that the cable is about 6/7 inches short of the consumer unit (the wife says it's 3 inches ), and I was wondering is there any safe way of extending this??
The cable run was 25M and I don't want to have to get a 50m run just for a foot or so of cable.

Thanks.

 

[amtodd]

If the consumer unit is hidden, you could use a 45A two pole isolator left switched on.

 

[gme106]

Yes the consumer unit is housed in a locked cupboard at the front door.
Sorry for my stupidity but are you saying I could attach a switch at the consumer unit, leave this on constantly and this would be OK.

 

[breezer]

that is what amtodd is saying, but not the sort of switch you are thinking of (probably)

more like this

 

[breezer]

forums said not posted, so ignore this

 

[amtodd]

I don't think you are stupid. I think I failed to explain correctly. Sorry .

Luckily Breezer understood where I was coming from.

At this size cable - as you are able to hide the evidence - it is easier to make a single joint using something with suitably large connections capable of handling enough power (as in Breezers example) in a suitable back box. I'd use a twin gang size switch as this will give more space in the back box to run the cables. Placing a switch in the circuit gives you the ability to turn the shower off at a distance, paying the wife back for her unkind 3" comment. Of course in normal use you would leave it alone.

An alternative is a cooker outlet plate like this one also in a back box. These are cheaper and smaller, and do not give the wife the ability to retaliate when she realises how you turned off the power. The disadvantage is that these are generally recognised as cooker outlets and rarely used for anything else. This might prove confusing to anyone working on these electrics in the future

If the outlet is stamped with relevant BS approval marks and rated at 45A, 240V AC and is not labeled Cooker (or anything else that isn't Shower) on the front, you can use it, however I would suggest you label clearly as live, and what it is connected to.

 

[gme106]

My apologies Amtodd, you did explain correctly. I just thought it would be a more complicated process(as it usually is ), than attaching a cooker/shower switch to the cable end. Thanks for your help with this problem.
Just one other thing , my consumer unit is being fully used, is there a dedicated shower unit I could 'piggyback' onto the main unit, or is it new consumer unit time.

Once again thanks for all your help

 

[amtodd]

You could piggy back any additional fuse unit off the old one, say three to 6 inches closer to where the shower cable is coming from.
They are available fairly cheaply - about £25 including a MCB for the shower.

If you do not have an RCD protecting your circuits my recommendation is that you fit one and protect as many circuits as you can with it. An RCD consumer unit from £40 + trips. Leave the lights on the old unit, and move everything else onto the new one. This will give you the equivalent of a split load unit.

Advantages = lower cost than a new split load unit, and you can move your circuits one at a time, keeping the peace if you run out of time part way through the job. If the 2.5mm cables do not reach your new RCDed CU, you can extend these with crimps - hire or buy a suitable rachet crimper like these ones , the DIY / car repair ones are NOT suitable.

 

[gme106]

Amtodd, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.
Many Thanks

 

[amtodd]

Not a problem, nice break from what I'm supposd to be doing!

Hope it goes ok

 

[breezer]

what ARE you supposed to be doing? (some one had to ask)

 

[amtodd]

is finding sealed double glaze units.

House currently single paned - metal openers in wood frames. Like the wood frames (original 1930 with a little patching), want double glazing. Not too fussed about the metal openers, could replace with wooden if easier.