Unsafe Electrics - need advice please

Kandipandi

Looking for advice plz guys.

Plz forgive my ignorance I know nothing about electrics at all.

British gas electrician came today as the power to my shower has gone (I have the homecare cover). Apparently there is power to the shower its the actual shower unit that is broken - fair enough.

So .......... he checked all the electrics while he was here and found that:

• the RCD would appear to be wired as an on/off switch only - it was not tripping with his tests!!!!
• The shower circuit is not on the RCD and the cable to the shower needs upgrading to 10mm.
• The gas meter has no earth wire and the stopcock has a sub-standard earth wire.

So from me expecting to pay to have my shower installed I have to get this all sorted out first!
He reckons British Gas will quote me about £900 to have this all repaired (they will send out a quote in the post).

I will have to contact local electricians for more quotes but how much should i be expecting to pay? I'm devastated - I cant afford £900.

Kandipandi

Andy

Many thanks for the reply.

The cable run is from the RCD downstairs striaght up through the ceilling to the airing cupboard above it and the shower is on the wall behind that - about 4m if that.

I already have a shower - I bought one the same kw as the old one so that it would be straightforward to fit 8.5kw - the existing cable is 6mm and he recommended 10mm.

Would you reckon £250 just to get the shower put in or with the new RCD and cable also?

That cost looks manageable - I am really worried about it - the guy did stress how bad it was and he recommended that i didnt use British Gas as they were very expensive but said to get it attended to ASAP. Which is all well and good but at £900 that was not an option.

Kandipandi

Just a quick bump to see if anyone has any extra advice?

markowen

It all depends on how easy to replace the cable and put new earthing in, but it sounds like it could be done in a day, so £250 would be a good price, but may be a bit more. If the RCD is built into the fuseboard, it could be expensive, but otherwise the rcd is about £10-15

Don't go anywhere near big companies for the work- use an independant electrician, preferably from a recommendation. We had someone in for 2 days and he charged £650 inc parts for a new fuseboard, wiring in a cooker (from the exisitng circuit) and running a brand new cable for a whirlpool bath from the front ground floor to the rear upstairs. Also sorted out earthig, and signed off everything. Whoever you get, make sure they are NICEIC approved (go to the website and they will be listed as registered)- it's the equivalent of the old CORGI for Gas.

Kandipandi

Thanks very much guys.

zax47

markowen wrote: »

Whoever you get, make sure they are NICEIC approved (go to the website and they will be listed as registered)- it's the equivalent of the old CORGI for Gas.

NO, with all due respect, NICEIC isn't "the equivalent of the old CORGI for Gas"!

NICEIC, despite what they would like you to think - do NOT hold the monopoly as the only registration body for electrical competence!! Others include NAPIT, ESA and ELECSA (there are others). A member of ANY of these will be fine. NICEIC are a purely a for-profit company and just ONE of several in this field who assess and hold a register of competent and certified electricians. None of these are Government bodies, they are companies just like any other.

I'm registered with NAPIT and it bugs me no end that people think NICEIC is "the same as CORGI for Gas" (now "Gas Safe Register", as the CORGI COMPANY lost the contract to run the register to Capita). IT ISN'T!

thechippy

6mm cable is the minimum recommended size for an 8.5kw shower.
The electrician probably recommended 10mm, as should you wish to upgrade the shower in future, then 6mm would be too small. He is basically just giving you sound advice. If the cable is easy to change, you may as well get it done along with the other work.
If you have no intention of going bigger than 8.5kw, then 6mm is adequate for the task.

Kandipandi

thechippy wrote: »

6mm cable is the minimum recommended size for an 8.5kw shower.
The electrician probably recommended 10mm, as should you wish to upgrade the shower in future, then 6mm would be too small. He is basically just giving you sound advice. If the cable is easy to change, you may as well get it done along with the other work.
If you have no intention of going bigger than 8.5kw, then 6mm is adequate for the task.

Thanks for that - like you say if its going to be straight forward they may as well replace it - if its a hassle (i.e. much more expensive) I will leave it at 6mm.

Thanks for the advice guys. Im clueless I know.

I have called two electricians today and asked for quotations, so just waiting to hear from them.

baldelectrician

thechippy wrote: »

6mm cable is the minimum recommended size for an 8.5kw shower.
The electrician probably recommended 10mm, as should you wish to upgrade the shower in future, then 6mm would be too small. He is basically just giving you sound advice. If the cable is easy to change, you may as well get it done along with the other work.
If you have no intention of going bigger than 8.5kw, then 6mm is adequate for the task.

6mm will only do on shorter runs with NO loft insulation and no other cables nearby
I did a shower last month and had to change the cable to 16mm as the shower was 10kW and there was loft insulation.

The BG guy was probably correct. Go for 10mm as a minimum

On the bit about the NICEIC- there are other bodies:

You should use a competent person for the work, links below
In Scotland:
Individuals registered;
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/ListAC.asp
Companies
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/SearchCo.asp?T=Construction&ID=2
In England and Wales:
http://www.competentperson.co.uk

Kandipandi

Thank You.

I have just checked your link and the electricians I have called for quotes were all on the competent persons register so that is further peace of mind.

This place was obviously wired by cowboys so I need it fixed properly.