Is replacing /up sizing shower cable a notifiable job?

[Mmcgar]

My shower cable between the pull chord isolator and shower looks damaged so I am going to replace it. My question is, is this a notifiable job that I'd have to get a registered electrician to do?

Also, it's an 8.5kw shower currently supplied by 6mm2 T&E, it's clipped direct most of the way does pass through my insulated loft for part of the run, should I be looking at replacing the full cable back to the CU with 10mm2?

Thanks in advance

 

[mattylad]

I was told (by BAS) that you are allowed to replace a damaged cable.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Does the cable actually run through the insulation?

 

[JohnW2]

I was told (by BAS) that you are allowed to replace a damaged cable.

I would say that he's very probably right.

Even before July 2013 (when notification requirements in England were substantially relaxed) (and still the case in Wales), one of the (relatively few) things which (explicitly) did not require notification was "replacement of a damaged cable for a single circuit" (with nothing saying this did not apply in bathrooms/zones). Since July 2013 (in England), "addition or alteration" to circuits within zones of a bathroom is notifiable, but I think it can easily be argued that 'replacement' does not count as either 'addition' or 'alteration'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Mmcgar]

Does the cable actually run through the insulation?

I've not been up to check it but I'm fairly certain it will run under the insulation for around 1.5-2m, other than that it's pretty much just clipped to the wall (routed through cupboards)

 

[winston1]

Also, it's an 8.5kw shower currently supplied by 6mm2 T&E, it's clipped direct most of the way does pass through my insulated loft for part of the run, should I be looking at replacing the full cable back to the CU with 10mm2?

No. A shower does not run for long.

 

[seasickstevie]

To cover for the possible chance of replacing the shower in the future with a larger size, it may, while you're at it, be worth using 10mm.

But that to some extent depends on the length of the cable, and the likelihood of you changing to a bigger shower.

 

[securespark]

The replacement rule was originally written as replacing a cable of exactly the same kind following the same route. But that makes assumptions that the damaged cable was correctly installed to begin with.

 

[JohnW2]

The replacement rule was originally written as replacing a cable of exactly the same kind following the same route.

That may have been the intention and/or some people's interpretation, but to the best of my knowledge the notification rules never changed until they totally changed in July 2013 in England (and never at all, to date, in Wales), and the item in the list of work which is not notifiable has always contained, simply ...

1....(b) replacing a damaged cable for a single circuit only;

- i.e. no mention of 'same kind' or 'same route'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

To cover for the possible chance of replacing the shower in the future with a larger size, it may, while you're at it, be worth using 10mm.

But that to some extent depends on the length of the cable, and the likelihood of you changing to a bigger shower.

How much bigger is it likely to be? He's got 8.5kW already. 10mm cable is often used to supply a complete house.

 

[Mmcgar]

I should have noted that the house is in Scotland, not sure how or if the rules differ from England.

In terms of cable length I'd estimate somewhere in the 8-10m range. For the shower itself I don't think I'll ever want to go bigger, my main concern is that any work I do is compliant
Thanks

 

[securespark]

That may have been the intention and/or some people's interpretation, but to the best of my knowledge the notification rules never changed until they totally changed in July 2013 in England (and never at all, to date, in Wales), and the item in the list of work which is not notifiable has always contained, simply ...


- i.e. no mention of 'same kind' or 'same route'.

Kind Regards, John

Perhaps I am remembering the draft of Part P.

 

[JohnW2]

Perhaps I am remembering the draft of Part P.

Maybe - I don't recall ever seeing it, but I don't recall any changes in Schedule 2B after it's initial publication (until it was superseded, in England).

However, it now appears that we're talking about Scotland, in which case Part P goes out of the window (and leaving me, for one, with no idea of what the relevant regulations/rules/laws would be)!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Mmcgar]

Maybe - I don't recall ever seeing it, but I don't recall any changes in Schedule 2B after it's initial publication (until it was superseded, in England).

However, it now appears that we're talking about Scotland, in which case Part B goes out of the window (and leaving me, for one, with no idea of what the relevant regulations/rules/laws would be)!

Kind Regards, John

Hi, I had initially assumed that the UK had a standard regulatory policy for this until I seen your comments about laws in England. Don't suppose you know much about if Scotland is more /less strict with this sort of thing than England?

 

[JohnW2]

Hi, I had initially assumed that the UK had a standard regulatory policy for this until I seen your comments about laws in England. Don't suppose you know much about if Scotland is more /less strict with this sort of thing than England?

I'm afraid that I know nothing about the situation in Scotland, but hopefully someone here can help you. I think that there are certainly at least some things where the situation in Scotland is 'more strict'.

There is, unfortunately, no 'standard UK regulatory policy' as regards the regulation of electrical (or any other 'building') work. Don't forget that we are talking about legislation, and Scottish Law has always been different from that in England and Wales. However, as I've mentioned, since mid-2013 even England and Wales have been different in this respect - so we have anything but a 'Union' in terms of the regulation of electrical work - blame 'devolution'!

Kind Regards, John