Melting Shower

[Robert592]

Hi,

Really hoping someone can give some advice on this during lockdown.

My shower terminal block started melting today at the live section.

It’s a Triton 8-7–9.5 KW shower using a 10mm cable to 50A breaker RCD, the breaker did not trip.

No damage to pull cord, breaker and wire.

Any advice on what could be causing this? Could it simply be a loose termination, although it seems tight when I checked? If so can anyone provide advice on the proper way to put wires in these blocks?

I am planning on cutting back the damaged wire and replacing the block with a 60A terminal if no other obvious cause can be found.

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

The cause is a loose/poor connection.

Just do as you say with wire and connector.

 

[Robert592]

Thanks for replying, what is the proper way to use these terminals?

Should the screw be as tight as possible?

Should the cooper be twisted?

Should any copper be visible?

 

[Taylortwocities]

what is the proper way to use these terminals?

Should the screw be as tight as possible?
Absolutely

Should the cooper be twisted?
No. Conductors flat will give more connection area

Should any copper be visible?
No. But the connection is inside the shower cover, so no big problem if there is some.

As you say, you must cut back the cable to bright copper at both ends. Hopefully you can liberate enough cable slack to do this. Make sure the new terminal is at least rated as big as the shower's running current.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Tight as possible - within reason

Do not twist.

No copper visible - although not related to the problem.


If you have a large enough connector and can manage to insert both cables far enough (overlapping) so that they are both under both screws,
that would be better but not essential.