Removing shower fuse from old wylex board

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Hallo,
We have removed our electric shower and therefore disconnected it from the isolator pull switch, however, the wire from the fuse box to the isolator switch is still live. Since it will be hidden behind new plasterboard I'd rather it was completely safe.
Can I just turn off the mains power and pull out the fuse? (In the picture it is a black fuse not the white one with the switch). Without fiddling(which I'd rather not doing un-informed) I am not sure how those black ones come out, is it just a straight pull out?
thank you!
 

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Since it will be hidden behind new plasterboard I'd rather it was completely safe.
So is the cable currently on the surface? When concealed, will it be in an OK place? (see [wiki]electrics%3Awalls[/wiki] )


Can I just turn off the mains power and pull out the fuse? (In the picture it is a black fuse not the white one with the switch). Without fiddling(which I'd rather not doing un-informed) I am not sure how those black ones come out, is it just a straight pull out?
Yes, it just pulls out.

But then remove the fuse wire, and replace it - don't leave an empty slot.
 
Its best that the cable is removed from fuse board entirely for safety and for the future if that board is changed and so it doesn't get rewired in and if that cable ever suffers damage it doesn't cause nuisance RCD trips etc.. Also do you have a cover for that board? Because when fuses are not populated the live contacts are exposed and potentially a danger. But if/when removing a fuse then yes you would ensure there's no load on the circuit or preferable and safer, have the main switch off. Then pull the fuse straight out, sometimes they need a little jiggle while pulling. But don't leave the slot empty, remove the fuse wire in it.
 
Ban-all-sheds thank you for your reply. Sadly nothing in my house seem to follow the safe wiring in walls code. This is likely to be the same due to the configuration of walls, beams etc...see pic of where isolator switch is :( is relplacing a fuse wire a job for a pro?
omega015 thanks for replying, when you ask if the board has a cover....it is as it is in the photo but in a little wooden cupboard on the wall, should I have domething more?
 

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Thank you, I've done a bit more research, checked out how to remove the fuse wire, looks easy enough and checked out the cover issue....I think it is because I have the one fuse with the switch that the cover wouldn't have fitted back on (but at least I know what you mean now!)
 
The cable to the shower has three wires, live, neutral and earth.
If you remove the fusewire, you are only disconnecting the line/live conductor.

If the cable is going to be buried, redundant, then all three wires should be removed from the fusebox. This would mean turning off the main switch, removing the cover and getting into the guts of the thing.

BEWARE, even with the main switch off, there are still live areas inside the fusebox. You should get an electrician in, if you have any doubts about your ability to do this.
 
.... checked out the cover issue....I think it is because I have the one fuse with the switch that the cover wouldn't have fitted back on (but at least I know what you mean now!)
Do you still have the cover? At least the later versions were made so that one could cut out a section of the front to allow those plug-in breakers (with a switch) to protrude through.

Kind Regards, John
 
If you turn off the large white switch to the right, that should disconnect power to the whole fusebox.

The cover referred to is actually there - it's the 'frame' of material around the fuses fixed with a single screw above the fuses. Someone has already cut the front out of it.

Fuses and the circuit breaker pull out, after that the whole front of the fusebox can be removed by undoing the screws in the corners.

If the shower fuse is the one with a white label stuck on the front, you may find that it has been welded in due to being overloaded for an extended period, pulling it out may break the contacts out, resulting in the fusebox being destroyed.
 
Why would it be overloaded for an extended period?

What's the significance of the white label? (Hoping it doesn't say "use 45A fuse wire").
 
The cover referred to is actually there - it's the 'frame' of material around the fuses fixed with a single screw above the fuses. Someone has already cut the front out of it.
You're right - I didn't look carefully enough! However, I was going to suggest that if the OP had appropriate skills, he might have been able to cut out just the bit of the front required for the plug-in MCB - but it's too late for that!

Kind Regards, John
 
Why would it be overloaded for an extended period?
30A fuse, and although it's possible the shower was 7.2kW, it probably wasn't.
The surface of that fuse is different to the others, something that could have been caused by overheating.

20170203_092621.jpg


What's the significance of the white label? (Hoping it doesn't say "use 45A fuse wire").
No idea, but it wouldn't be the first time that people have done that.
 
No the shower is the one to the right of that. the label just says "leave" under it says "cooker", the shiny surface is because it has been sellotaped on!! Phew! Something less worrying than overheated fuses!
 

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