What code would you give this?

One issue I noted was they had two standard domestic showers both supplied by a BS3036 fuse and no RCD.


Are they on the same fuse? That might be a bit of a concern, what size fuse, cable and what is the power of showers


There was no supplementary bonding, and there is a socket outlet within 3 meters of the shower head.

Presume MPB is all in place.

You get sockets near sinks in kitchens in every home in the country, no requirement to supplementary bond kitchens.

C3

When is a shower a shower?


701.512.3
Socket outlet in a location containing a bath or shower

upgrade CU for a safer and more user friendly power supply

C2.
 
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When is a shower a shower.
In terms of the regs, that's surely the criucial question, isn't it. I had always assumed that when the regs talk about 'a location containing a bath or shower', they were referring to it in an everyday sense. Even if it uses an electric 'shower unit' what one usually sees in a hairdressers could be regarded as an electric instant water heater with an attached hose and 'spray head' - and I think it would be quite easy to argue that the regs do not regard that as 'a shower'. If there were merely a basin and electric instant water heater with a fixed outlet (i.e. a tap), I doubt that anyone would dream of saying that turned the location into a 'bathroom' - so does the bit of hose and head really make a difference?

Kind Regards, John
 
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Surely just semantics. I've never said it was a bathroom but would treat the whole area as an increased shock risk environment. Belt an braces.
I'm not clear if the two showers are on one fuse? I'm sure if that was case RF would have posted some figures.
 
Surely just semantics. I've never said it was a bathroom but would treat the whole area as an increased shock risk environment. Belt an braces.
Sure, no argument there. However, this thread is (or started as being!) about regulations ("What code should I give this") and, in that context, it's clearly more than just semantics. Hairdressers premises clearly do pose particular issues and, if it's true that the next edition of the regs will probably address this specifically, that's probably a very good idea. As for the actual situation, at the very least, RCD protection is clearly desirable.
I'm not clear if the two showers are on one fuse? I'm sure if that was case RF would have posted some figures.
I agree that it wasn't totally clear, but I read it as meaning two seperate fuses.

Kind Regards, John
 
Sorry for the confusion chaps. It was two seperate showers on individual circuits and fuses.

The showers are 8.5kW each so the circuits are slightly overloaded, but not too bad. The cutout is single phase, but it's only a small hairdressers, and there is sufficient capacity to accomodate both showers.

I didn't give too much information so as not to influence your thoughts.

My take on the situation was that there is no shower tray or bathtub, so as far as the regs are concerned, it isn't actually a shower, and as someone said earlier, the risks are lower than with a normal shower as there are no bare feet and wet body situations.

There are sockets within 3 meters, but they are a meter or so away and unlikely to get wet in normal situations.

I feel there is still a small risk of something going wrong, and this is a business premises and the showers are used on customers, so I have noted the lack of RCD protection to the showers as C3.

There is no need for supplementary bonding as this is not a special location.
 

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