I need to replace my shower it is 8.5kw and want to upgrade to 9.5kw. There is 10mm cable running to it with a 32A trip in the CU. Can the 32A trip be replaced with a 45A trip
Shower upgrade
- Thread starter markrut
- Start date
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Depends on the length of the cable and how it's installed - i.e. whether it is clipped to the surface of walls, buried in insulation, bunched with other cables etc etc.
This is a little out of date now, but it gives you the general idea....
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
This is a little out of date now, but it gives you the general idea....
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/4.3.1.htm
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He has a point though..
Markrut - how and where are you measuring the cable?
See this: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:flatpvccables
Markrut - how and where are you measuring the cable?
See this: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:flatpvccables
Yes it is RCD protected
The cable is 10mm wide.
go to the local B&Q..
find a roll of 10mm cable and snip an inch off the end..
(without the staff seeing you) !!!
then compare that to the cable you have..!!
alternatively if you can accurately measure the solid copper core (ie with a micrometer.! ) of the conductors (not the CPC) it should measure 3.56mm in diameter..
6mm cable will be 2.75mm diameter
find a roll of 10mm cable and snip an inch off the end..
(without the staff seeing you) !!!
then compare that to the cable you have..!!
alternatively if you can accurately measure the solid copper core (ie with a micrometer.! ) of the conductors (not the CPC) it should measure 3.56mm in diameter..
6mm cable will be 2.75mm diameter
That's theft!
If he's measured the diameter of the outer sheath as 10mm then according to the link posted above he only has 2.5mm2 t&e
If he's measured the diameter of the outer sheath as 10mm then according to the link posted above he only has 2.5mm2 t&e
its only theft if you intent to permantly deprive the owner of it..
im sure he will return the one inch of cable when done..!
so its taking without owners consent, not theft...!
slightly less penalty at court.. ;+)
10mm across the full width of the sheath could mean anything.
how old is the cable, what brand.. etc etc
either way im sure its not 10mm2
but only way to be sure is measurement of the conductor..
(or buy new)
im sure he will return the one inch of cable when done..!
so its taking without owners consent, not theft...!
slightly less penalty at court.. ;+)
10mm across the full width of the sheath could mean anything.
how old is the cable, what brand.. etc etc
either way im sure its not 10mm2
but only way to be sure is measurement of the conductor..
(or buy new)
I'm sure B&Q would see it as theft.
Anyway, it's difficult to accuratly measure the diameter of a conductor which is made up of seven single strands. You would ideally need to measure the diameter of an individual strand and use that in your calculation to get the overall CSA.
Anyway, it's difficult to accuratly measure the diameter of a conductor which is made up of seven single strands. You would ideally need to measure the diameter of an individual strand and use that in your calculation to get the overall CSA.
Given the limited range of discrete cable sizes available you can establish the size perfectly well by making sure the strands are all twisted tightly together and using a caliper gauge across the whole thing.
I agree that would not work if you had no idea what the cable sizes were, or if they could be anything, but when faced with a choice between 4/6/10/16 (actually fewer choices than that if you look at the cpc) it does work.
But we can say with certainty that your cable, makrut, is not suitable for a 45A breaker, or a 9.5kW shower. It may not even be suitable for your existing shower, or a 32A breaker. Are the live & neutral cores solid, or stranded?
And as if that's not bad enough, you shouldn't even have your current shower on a 32A breaker, it's not a high enough rating.
I'm afraid that the fact that nothing has gone wrong yet does not mean that it's safe, and it would be illegal for you to even replace your shower with another 8.5kW.
I agree that would not work if you had no idea what the cable sizes were, or if they could be anything, but when faced with a choice between 4/6/10/16 (actually fewer choices than that if you look at the cpc) it does work.
But we can say with certainty that your cable, makrut, is not suitable for a 45A breaker, or a 9.5kW shower. It may not even be suitable for your existing shower, or a 32A breaker. Are the live & neutral cores solid, or stranded?
And as if that's not bad enough, you shouldn't even have your current shower on a 32A breaker, it's not a high enough rating.
I'm afraid that the fact that nothing has gone wrong yet does not mean that it's safe, and it would be illegal for you to even replace your shower with another 8.5kW.
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