To fit an electric shower...possible for an 'amateur'?

I don't think the advice you've had is bad.
The work is notifiable and all sparks will tell you the only point you know the job has been done done safely is when you test the installation.
 
:oops: ricicle

Point I was making was no matter how good the design/installation is, it's the testing that proves all is well - this includes inspection
 
I think you are looking at the worst and most probably most unlikely outcome that i cannot obtain enough advice to do this myself.
I can't speak for the others, but my main point has been that no matter how much advice you get, and no matter how good a job you do, if it invalidates the liability insurance you have with respect to the people who rent your cottage then you should seriously consider whether you should DIY.

If you would never consider letting your property to people without taking out insurance to cover any claims against you if they suffer a loss then all I am saying is FFS CHECK THAT YOU WILL NOT INVALIDATE YOUR INSURANCE IF YOU DIY ELECTRICAL WORK.

If you don't give a stuff about insuring yourself against claims for damages then COR - it may be a chance in a million, or 10,000,000, or whatever, but AIUI there is no formal cap on what you could be asked to pay, and how little would it take to bankrupt you?

That's why we have insurance - we all hope it's a complete waste of money, but come the day it's not you'd better hope you've not contravened the agreement you have with your insurers.

I do work on my car-change brakes etc but have never had an insurance co. ask questions in the event of an accident.
Maybe not, but have you ever checked the small print? What if it did say that unless you could prove that your car had been serviced according to the manufacturers recommendations by a VAT registered garage, how much would your accidents so far have cost you?

You make the assumption that the worst possible scenario will be the outcome-that i will bodge the work and start fires/electricute my tenants.
No - all I am saying is FFS CHECK THAT YOU WILL NOT INVALIDATE YOUR INSURANCE IF YOU DIY ELECTRICAL WORK.

I know that some aspects of your work are too complex for me to indulge in but equally a lot of it is not rocket science.
In a domestic context there are no aspects which are too complex for you to indulge in - if you can read without moving your lips and do 'O' level maths you can do anything.


My advice has nothing to do with "can" - it's all about "may".
 
chillpill.jpg
 
Okay Mr crasher, it is not rocket science and your are quite good anyway, so far so good, I’ll buy that for the moment.
Just tell us one thing, how do you intend to TEST what you have fabricated?
How will you check that your earth fault loop is good enough to engage when things go wrong AFTER you have put it together?
How will you test that your rcd is working within 30ms AND in both halves of the cycle when water is leaking INSIDE the shower unit?
For your information, one tenth of an amp, 100 mA or 0.1 A is sufficient to kill someone who is healthy, decidedly less could be fatal for someone with hart or neurological problems.
Do a search on the forum for nuisance tripping and “faulty” rcd’s, chances are that the majority of those “faults” are actually protective devices doing exactly what they are supposed to do. This might give you an inkling as to how common electrical faults are.
Even if you have the skill and the guidance how to install the shower, how would you make sure that the safeties work?
 
bengasman said:
Just tell us one thing, how do you intend to TEST what you have fabricated?
To be fair, the OP did write this:

Since i am doing up an annex (new window/interior wall/plumbing etc etc ) I am in touch with a BCO and will run the electrics past him and see what he says. I have also emailed an electrician in Blandford and await a response.
Do you have some reason to think that the LABC will skimp on inspection and test? :?
 
IF the council will inspect the electrics, they take the responsibility, and whether or not they are any good is irrelevant; it is all a landlord can do.
However, “being in touch” , “running it past somebody” and emailing an electrician are not the same as having it inspected.
If op had any plans in that direction, let alone arranged an inspection, methinks he would have mentioned it by now, if not right away.
It is exactly the kind of language I hear when I come across very dodgy heating systems, invariably powered by one of the brands favoured by cowboys.
“Oh yes, I had somebody have a look at it last year” you open it up and there are mushrooms growing underneath the burner. Big ones.
I get suspicious when I hear fluffy expressions, and the more I check, the more suspicious I get. Never a name, never a phone number. :?
 

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