Shower on same ring as sockets

[hoojar]

I've just bought a new house. The electrics were rewired around 25 years and all seem fine except the shower is on the same ring as the upstairs sockets. It appears to be on the thicker cable than the sockets.

Is this safe? I thought the shower and cooker should always be on their own ring?

 

[LoveRocket]

Is it an electric shower or a power shower?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Electric showers they should be, with cookers it depends on the load, some smaller powered cookers can just plug in to a standard socket outlet.

 

[hoojar]

Its an electric shower.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

What is the ouput power rating of it?
and are you sure the cable is connected to the socket circuit and not fed back to the fuse board?

 

[hoojar]

Not sure what the output rating it. Its quite an old shower so without taking it to bits I can't even see what make it is.

Does it matter about the distance from the distribution board? A friend has just mentioned to me that he thinks if its under a ceratin length cable its fine to be on the same ring?

I've never heard that before tho?

 

[hoojar]

and yes. its definetly connected into the sockets. it goes up into the loft so I've not traced it back yet but the board is labeled up and theres no shower and if I flick the upstairs sockets off on the board the shower goes off.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

They should be installed on a separate circuit, with both cable and protective device(MCB/fuse) suitably rated for the output of the shower, the regulation now recommends additional protection by means of RCDs.

 

[hoojar]

Thanks. I'll rewire it.

 

[ricicle]

By same circuit do you mean you are you switching off an MCB or an RCD ?

 

[GaryMo]

They should be installed on a separate circuit, with both cable and protective device(MCB/fuse) suitably rated for the output of the shower, the regulation now recommends additional protection by means of RCDs.

It's more than a recommendation:

701.411.3.3 - Additional protection by RCDs

Additional protection shall be provided for all circuits of the location, by the use of one or more RCDs having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does it matter about the distance from the distribution board?

• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.11.htm
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.3.1.htm
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=81696#81696
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
  
  
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080213151445/http://www.kevinboone.com/cableselection_web.pdf
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Charts/VoltageDrop.html
  

Thanks. I'll rewire it.

• //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part-p
  
  
• http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm
  
  

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

They should be installed on a separate circuit, with both cable and protective device(MCB/fuse) suitably rated for the output of the shower, the regulation now recommends additional protection by means of RCDs.

It's more than a recommendation:

701.411.3.3 - Additional protection by RCDs

Additional protection shall be provided for all circuits of the location, by the use of one or more RCDs having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1.

Indeed it is, should have stated it's a requirement.