Replace shower pull cord switch advice please

[wrights]

My shower switch has stopped working. How do I know what size to buy to replace it( not sure of the technical terms but I have seen 45A and 50A which I assume is amps). Does it depend on my shower type? I recently had a new (cheap) shower installed and the plumber did not change the switch.

Can anyone point me to some advice about what to buy and how to fit it please?

Thanks in advance

 

[Adam_151]

Chances are the 45A would be adequate but as you do not know the rating of the shower then pick up a 50A one, also pick up a matching 47mm surface pattress (some of them are funny about what makes they fit on*). Switch power off at main switch(s) before fitting, note which is the load and which is the supply cable, cut any burnt cable back to bright copper (if you dont't it'll burn out again). Connect the new switch taking note of L/N and load/supply, and ensuring all inner cores are contained within the pattress

(you might have to pull a bit of extra cable through from the ceiling void, orient the cables correctly, strap them together with band of PVC tape and then put a set in each core to get it to its terminal, connect the earths last and leave a little more slack on these. Dress it in right and when you offer it back upto the pattress it'll fit in nicely. Lots of DIY folks have difficultly dressing it in, but even 10mm LSF will go in without trouble as long as you do it right.

Unfortunatly I have no pictures, RF lighting might have though...

After you have got everything connected, go round and re-check all terminals are tight as the cores more around the strands can settle and work loose


*a new ashley hager shower pull will not fit on a old ashley pattress

 

[wrights]

Chances are the 45A would be adequate but as you do not know the rating of the shower then pick up a 50A one, also pick up a matching 47mm surface pattress (some of them are funny about what makes they fit on*). Switch power off at main switch(s) before fitting, note which is the load and which is the supply cable, cut any burnt cable back to bright copper (if you dont't it'll burn out again). Connect the new switch taking note of L/N and load/supply, and ensuring all inner cores are contained within the pattress

(you might have to pull a bit of extra cable through from the ceiling void, orient the cables correctly, strap them together with band of PVC tape and then put a set in each core to get it to its terminal, connect the earths last and leave a little more slack on these. Dress it in right and when you offer it back upto the pattress it'll fit in nicely. Lots of DIY folks have difficultly dressing it in, but even 10mm LSF will go in without trouble as long as you do it right.

Thanks for the detailed info- can I do all this with basic DIY tools? I have fitted a replacement pull light-switch in the bathroom but have not tried anything more complex. I assume L/N is live/neutral? How will I know which is load and supply? ( sorry if these are stupid questions)

 

[AndyPRK]

Look how the old one was connected up.

If u get load and supply the wrong way round the light will be on all the time.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

My shower switch has stopped working.

In what way, the switch mechanism works but no power or it has jammed.

How do I know what size to buy to replace it( not sure of the technical terms but I have seen 45A and 50A which I assume is amps). Does it depend on my shower type? I recently had a new (cheap) shower installed and the plumber did not change the switch.

It depends on the shower output rating. But the installer should have left you with the installation/user manual and this information should be found within this document.

Can anyone point me to some advice about what to buy and how to fit it please?

This would depend on the above, generally showers rated at 10kW or less would be okay on either a 45A or 50A isolator switch, anything greater than 10kW then fit a 50A switch.
Selection of the isolator switch would also depend on the shape of the backbox (I assume this is surface mounted, plastic square box)
Some have rounded corners and some have square ones.
Also a reason behind the failure of pull switches, is that debris from the ceiling void from where the cable enters can jam the mechanism, I generally seal the entry hole up at the ceiling, will some silicon to help prevent this ingress.
When disconnecting the existing switch, (we can only assume this was done correctly prior to this replacement]
Mark the cables up to identify which are the load and which are the supply cables and copy that over to new switch.
Don't forget to keep the earth/CPC cables connected and continuous.

 

[wrights]

Look how the old one was connected up.

If u get load and supply the wrong way round the light will be on all the time.

So if I connect it the wrong way around it won't be a major issue- is there a way I can find this out or do I need something to check the power?

 

[EFLImpudence]

The terminals will be marked - Supply, Feed, In and Load, out.

Assuming it is correct on the old switch mark which cable is the supply and which is the load and connect to the new switch.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

is there a way I can find this out or do I need something to check the power?

If you have an approved test instrument such as a voltage indicator or multimeter? if so you can check the the supply side which when energized at the fuse board will be permanently live. The cables are normally twin and earth, so you would expect a voltage of around 240V between line/live and neutral and line/live and earth. This would be with the load cables disconnected or open circuit at the isolator. This is a live test, so take precautions against electrocution.
I have already stated in previous post,with regards to supply and load at the existing switch being copied, but that is assuming they are correctly made at present.