shower cable

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by davidor, Dec 18, 2003.

  1. davidor

    davidor New Member

    I currently have an electric shower, wired by 6mm cable from the c.u.

    I want to take out the electric shower and fit a power shower pump under the bath.

    Can I use the exiting 6mm cable, if I put in a lower fuse in the c.u.? Obviously I can't connect anything into an electric shower supply, but if the electric shower is taken out can I then use the cable?

    Thanks guys.
     
  2. RH

    RH New Member

    I can't see why not.

    The bath panels need to be attached so that a 'tool' is needed to remove them though, otherwise it won't comply the bathroom zone regs.
     
  3. MICC

    MICC Member

    You will need to put the 6.oomm cable in a fcu to fuse the shower pump down to 3amps(check pump) the mcb at the consumer unit can stay the same as the cable is large enough, it will be the fuse in the spur which will protect the shower pump.
    If its a 230v pump you will require an rcd because of the bathroom area.
     
  4. RH

    RH New Member

    It should be RCD protected anyways if it fed the shower before.
     
  5. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    davidor

    You can use your 6mm2 shower cable to run the pump. No need to down rate the fuse. It is not the pump you would be protecting its the cable which effectively would be oversized.

    Just a tip. If you did convert your shower back to electric replace the cable with 10mm2 and preferably include 30mA RCD protection.

    Not sure what Mr Fish is talking about regarding the bath panel. He appears to be misinterpreting the zones. Just ignore; its irrelevant.

    RSS
     
  6. MICC

    MICC Member

    Not necessarily mr fish, if the shower unit is 12v, which alot of units are, and the fcu is situated outside the bathroom.
     
  7. RH

    RH New Member

    Not sure what Mr Fish is talking about regarding the
    bath panel. He appears to be misinterpreting the
    zones. Just ignore; its irrelevant.

    pg 132 of the Electricians guide to the 16th edition regs says:

    If the space under the bath can only be accessed with the use of a tool, then that space is outside of the zones. Otherwise it's in Zone 1

    For a pump to be fitted in zone 1 it must be suitable for the conditions, protected from water and have a 30mA rcd (pg 134)

    So pretty much any pump is ok if the panel needs a tool to access.

    Not exactly irrelevant ;)
     
  8. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    You made an assumption he would fit the pump under the bath? He made no mention he was going to do this
     
  9. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    yes he did...okay I agree then was relevant my mistake ...:)
     
  10. davidor

    davidor New Member

    Thanks for your help guys. I planned to use a fused spur off the cable to the pump anyway. The bath panel will require a screwdriver to remove so it is out of zone.

    The original electric shower was not RCD protected, but this seems a good idea. Just a thought: Is it actually required by the current regs, as it is out of zone?
     
  11. ban-all-sheds

    ban-all-sheds New Member

    A shower can't be out of the zone, unless it has an unfeasibly long hose, as the presence of the shower defines the presence of the zones.
     
  12. bilco

    bilco New Member

    If your shower pump is under the bath behind the panel it is outside the zones.
     
  13. ban-all-sheds

    ban-all-sheds New Member

    My mistook - I read davidor's last post too quickly - thought he was saying his electric shower was outside the zone.
     

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