If I have two electric showers ....

[GRC]

...does each one have to have its own MCB ?

Currently have one Mira Supreme in our en-suite, with its own MCB.

The bathroom looks as though it was originally planned to have an electric shower as well; there's a mains pressure water pipe leading to the wall where the shower might have been, and there's a second switch plate outside next to the lightswitch, where a power switch might have gone, but no wiring.

If we were to install one, could it share the same MCB, assuming the total combined ratings of the showers didn't exceed the MCBs capacity, or is there some regulation that requires them on separate circuits and breakers?

 

[holty]

seperate mcb.besides regs and all. you still wouldnt want both showers on one circuit. if one of the showers tripped the circuit, both would be out of action.

 

[GRC]

There's two SVPs within the house, boxed in in corners of bathroom and E/S and the rooms below.

I don't know which route the supply cable runs from consumer unit to the existing shower, but if we were adding the extra shower, do regulations allow the cable to be run through the same spaces as the SVPs?

 

[doitall]

I suggest you ask the sparkies, 2 x electric showers could easily exceed the company fuse.

 

[bengasman]

2 electric showers will almost certainly exceed the supply for the property. Besides the needing separate mcb's they will also both need a RCD, and very few of those are able to run 2 showers.
Unless they both are the smallest of the small, and the house has a very low electric demand other than the showers, certainly no electric cooking, and the main fuse is 100A in stead of the common 63, it is a complete no go.

 

[spark1]

GRC

SVP..... Soil vent Pipe.. perhaps ???????

 

[GRC]

So, extra MCB and possibly RCD (although the existing shower doesn't appear to have one)

The easiest route for the cable run would appear to be through the boxed corners where the SVPs go - is there any regulation that would prohibit the new cabling going here?

 

[GRC]

GRC

SVP..... Soil vent Pipe.. perhaps ???????

Yes, soil & vent pipe. The most direct route from ground to 2nd floor, possibly allowing routing of new cabling for new shower without ripping out walls and floors..... any reason why cabling can't follow the vertical run of the SVP and be led through the same cavity?

 

[seasickstevie]

.... any reason why cabling can't follow the vertical run of the SVP and be led through the same cavity?

No

Why on earth should there be?

 

[spark1]

GRC , You mentioned the word Regulation and it prompted me to ask the question. Do you intend to notify your local council Building Control Department....Building Regs Approval required !...If your DIY ing this job.

 

[GRC]

2 electric showers will almost certainly exceed the supply for the property. Besides the needing separate mcb's they will also both need a RCD, and very few of those are able to run 2 showers.
Unless they both are the smallest of the small, and the house has a very low electric demand other than the showers, certainly no electric cooking, and the main fuse is 100A in stead of the common 63, it is a complete no go.

Main fuse (outside the cons unit) is 60A, the master MCB within the cons unit is 63A, as is the main switch within the cons unit.

Shower has 40A MCB, there's a few socket rings at 32A each, oven at 32A, alarm at 6A, boiler at 16A, and a few lighting rings at 10A each.

You reckon if I got the elec board to uprate main fuse, replaced master switch and master MCB in cons unit with 100A items, and added extra 40A MCB for second shower, would be OK, or do I need more headroom (120, 140A switching and MCBs, anyone?)

The current shower is a Mira Supreme, rated at 8 or 9kW, and would probably add something of similar spec and rating.

Thanks for input so far...

 

[GRC]

.... any reason why cabling can't follow the vertical run of the SVP and be led through the same cavity?

No

Why on earth should there be?

Because there's regulation about not putting electric cables next to water supply pipes, and I'm not clear on the regulation, and whether or not it applies to waste as well as supply pipes.

 

[GRC]

GRC , You mentioned the word Regulation and it prompted me to ask the question. Do you intend to notify your local council Building Control Department....Building Regs Approval required !...If your DIY ing this job.

I'm not DIYing it if it's illegal to do so; but I want to discuss in advance what's required, and what can be done, possibly to the Nth level of detail. Some would call me a control freak, but I just tell them they're not taking enough interest in what's going on around them....

Are you saying I DO need Building Regs Approval to install, or have a sparky/plumber install, a new shower in an existing bathroom ....?

Reason I ask if the routing of the cabling is feasible is to establish whether or not I proceed with asking anyone to quote for it. If it's a sharp intake of breath, and the tradesperson telling me I can't route the cable the way I want it, and suggesting that the walls and floor have to come out over three floors to install cable, I'll just not bother asking anyone, and make do with one shower. If the cable in the SVP cavity is viable, I'm happier to get some quotes.

 

[JohnD]

what sort of boiler have you got?

have you got a cold-water storage tank and a hot-water cylinder?

More than one way to skin a cat.

 

[GRC]

what sort of boiler have you got?

have you got a cold-water storage tank and a hot-water cylinder?

More than one way to skin a cat.

A Vokera combi, at ground floor level. The bathroom is at 2nd floor level, and there' s no hot-water cylinder.

Different types of shower? Power or pumped shower taking H&C from boiler and cold water tank? Thermo mixer taking H&C from same sources?