Shower replaced RCD or not ?

[delmel]

Thanks all.yes instructions do say one should be fitted.Any idea on cost to supply and install one,South Yorkshire area.Board is an MEM 80amp with a trip switch rating of 0.03amps

It sounds as if you already have an RCD! Does that device with a trip rating of 0.03 amps have a test button on it? Is there any possibility of a photo of it?

Kind Regards, John

I agree but if it has been holding in on the lower one it is not really a safety concern, better to be under than over. Some will go and wack the biggest universal nail they can find in and say yipee its fine.

sorry regarding the mcb not the rcd

Its not

 

[JohnW2]

I agree but if it has been holding in on the lower one it is not really a safety concern, better to be under than over. Some will go and wack the biggest universal nail they can find in and say yipee its fine. ... sorry regarding the mcb not the rcd

As I've already said, I certainly wouldn't personally worry about it, but the OP needs to be aware that it is strictly non-compliant.

I'm not sure I could agree that (in terms of MCB ratings in relation to load) "better to be under than over" - particularly if one rephrases that as "better to be non-compliant with regs than compliant with them"! Furthermore, regs aside, 'overloading' MCBs, even by a relatively small amount, is not particularly good for them!

Kind Regards, John

 

[donetello]

Thanks to you all for your time to reply.Yes it does trip all the power when the test button is pressed,actually tripped a few weeks ago when a light bulb blew.The 32amp breaker has been on for at least 10 years.Will look at replacing it with a 40amp as someone already pointed out its an old board MEM and might be hard to get one for it.

 

[winston1]

Just replaced an 8.5kw Jade II for a aquatronic 3 ultra 8.5kw so a straight off and on nothing altered anywhere.This is on a 32amp breaker ...

Strictly speaking, a 32A MCB is not adequate for an 8.5kW shower. Even if (as is usually the case), the "8.5kW" is quoted at 240V, it would still draw nearly 34A at 230V - you should really have a 40A MCB. Do you know what size cable th circuit is wired with?

Kind Regards, John

Yes and if his voltage is the more usual of 240v it will draw over 35amps. Again if the shower is quoted at 230v it will draw almost 39amps on 240v. Lots of unknowns except that he should have a 40 amp MCB.