I currently have a very dated electric shower that has just died. I am looking to replace it. The current setup is wired with 6mm Cable back to a 30amp fuse at the consumer unit. There is also a power swich on the wall. I would like to replace it with a 7.5kw Shower, from my own research this should just be a simple swap with the only adjustment being replacing the 30amp fuse with a 40amp. Something that does confuse me is reference to also having a 30ma RCD fitted? any advice would be appreciated.
Replacing an electric shower
- Thread starter jjgrant
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May want to check out PART P...... You can swap the shower unit yourself, but if it says you need a bigger FUSE / Breaker then play safe and get a sparky to do it.
Also you mention that it needs an RCD. Then this will meen new consumer unit (split load type) with the RCD built into it to chop the power if there is an earth fault. A fuse will let you get a shock before switching off whereas an RCD cut's it in milliseconds.
Plus if you say it's fairly old you may have 2 fuse boxes running your house which will probably say your gonna need a new Consumer unit.
Remember water and electricity don't mix!!!!
Plus if you say it's fairly old you may have 2 fuse boxes running your house which will probably say your gonna need a new Consumer unit.
Remember water and electricity don't mix!!!!
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if you have a 30amp fuse for a 7.5 shower leave it were it is
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Thanks for all your comments, its a fairly old house but the hoiuse was re wired, there is only one consumer unit with a seperate 30 amp fuse for the existing shower that has failed. I am 99% sure the cable is 6mm as well. The shower I was thinking about installaing (7.5 kw) said you also need to install an RCD but can I not just use the setup how it is?
You could use it without an RCD ( there like the power breaker things for your lawnmower.
But it sits in the Fuse box and protects the whole house) but it depends on how confortable you'd feel if there was fault in the shower and you get a shock whilst having a shower.
It is totally your call. The manufacturers say to install one to avoid liabilty claims if something went wrong and you got fried!!!
But it sits in the Fuse box and protects the whole house) but it depends on how confortable you'd feel if there was fault in the shower and you get a shock whilst having a shower.
It is totally your call. The manufacturers say to install one to avoid liabilty claims if something went wrong and you got fried!!!
No - a separate CU for the shower is a perfectly viable option.royster said:
Why on earth do you say that?
Cheers, the manufacturer does say use a 30ma RCD. The one I am looking at is the mira sprt 7.5kw.
So I need to get a RCD installed, does this mean that the wiring going into the CU at the moment for the shower (which is on its own fuse) gets removed and wired in this seperate unit?
So I need to get a RCD installed, does this mean that the wiring going into the CU at the moment for the shower (which is on its own fuse) gets removed and wired in this seperate unit?
FGS.royster said:
No - it can be separate, just protecting the shower circuit.
The shower is currently wired to a wall switch before it gets to the CU unit, what your saying is the RCD unit sits between that switch and the CU unit? Just need to be clear about this. Would you normally mount the RCD next to the CU?
The RCD goes between the CU and the shower.jjgrant said:
But you might like to consider having the CU replaced with a more modern unit.
just to confuse things, if you have been rewired and you have a CU with crcuit breakers you may be able to replace an MCB with a MCBO
Thanks Guys, I think the answer is replacing my 32amp MCB with a 30m/a RCDO 40amp single module. The cable is 6mm, so with this setup I can install a 8.5kw shower no problem and it will be safe.
With the RCDO does it just click in the same slot on the CU as the MCB? and wires in the same?
With the RCDO does it just click in the same slot on the CU as the MCB? and wires in the same?
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