shower cable (flex) too short

[MattWills]

A bit of electrical advice please...

Just in the process of replacing an old Watermill electric power shower with a Mira Vigour. Unfortunately, the cable (flex in fact) doesn't reach the terminals of the new shower. Some details about the set-up...

- the supply is via twin and earth flex buried behind the tiles (definitely no slack), running to a 3-pin plug socket in the neighbouring bedroom.
- There is an RCD on the consumer unit
- The Mira Vigour is rated at 150 Watts

Because the footprints of the old and new showers are different, which exposes the cable entry point, I intend to use a short length of surface trunking to route the flex into the new unit - this will also serve to hide the entry hole through the tiles (fortunately this is quite small and neat).

With this set-up, about an inch of flex would reach inside the shower via a top entry point, and once inside the unit it would run very close to the hot and cold supplies. So I would like to know what would be the accepted way of extending the supply by another 6 to 8 inches to reach the terminals, and whether the solution(s) is classified as notifiable work.

Thanks in advance
Matt

 

[Whitespirit66]

Don't even think about it - unless this post is a wind-up. Cable joined and mounted in trunking in shower, and running to 13 amp socket or have I read this wrong.

You need an unbroken 6 or 10mm run of twin and earth, on a dedicated supply from the consumer unit.

Get a spark in.

 

[MattWills]

Thanks Whitespirit. However I think your confusing this unit with an 'electric shower' rated in the kilowatts (8, 9 ,10 kW etc) for the heating element. This topic is about an electric POWER shower (150 Watts to run the pump motor).

Matt

 

[Boilerman2]

Electrical Work in BATHROOMS has to be completed by a Part "P" Registered Electrician and notified it is illegal to carry out electrical work in Kitchens, Bathrooms and External (not an exhaustive list,) unless qualified under building regs part P.

 

[londonboy]

You could crimp the cable inside the trunking. Use proper rachet crimpers with red crimps.

Im not sure if this would be notifiable, if it was a like for like swap then it wouldnt be, but as you intend to extend the cable its not like for like.

 

[seco services]

your power shower is only needs 3 amp supply and a min of 1.0mm2 cable.

don't invite them round they'll never know.

 

[MattWills]

Thanks boilerman, yes I thought it was likely to be notifiable. Could you tell me what the solution would be to extending the flex. Since I can't do it myself I would at least like to to be able to advise my customer.

 

[MattWills]

Careful Seco
I've seen crimping mentioned elsewhere on here Londonboy. Wondered whether that might be a solution. I think you're right though; I don't think it would be considered like for like.