Trouble switching electric shower on - help??

Lychee

I'm having a problem with switching the electric shower on. I normally pull a string next to the shower and this little white box with a little red light on the ceiling will light up indicating the shower can now be used. Then I'll pull the string again to switch it off.

The problem is now when I pull the string, the light does not come on and there is no water coming out of the electric shower. Is this an electrical problem with the switch?

It has been happening for a couple of days now and I've had to pull the string several times and hopefully it will eventually actually switch on. Bizarrely, it will spontaneously switch itself off mid-shower. This happened once and the water came back on 30secs later. The second time, the water never came back:P We've not been doing any sort of DIY work in the bathroom.

Hope that makes sense. Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks

hussain786_2

it could be that your double pole switch is faulty they normally cost £10 from local builder merchants any probs im me?

BobProperty

I'm not an electrician but my guess is that one or more of the contacts on the switch are damaged. I would be tempted to change the switch if it were mine, but I'll wait for an electrician to confirm the diagnosis.

Lychee

Would it cost just to have an electrician come round to have a look first?

ollyk

considering showers are generally high current devices and are situated in a 'special' location I would not recomend this as a DIY job.

YorkshireBoy

Some thoughts...

1. The pull switch has been 'contaminated' with plaster.

2. Someone has fitted a 32A rated switch where a 45A should have been used.

3. The shower has been upgraded to a more powerful one and the switch wasn't upgraded at the same time. This would be a major concern to me because it would signify that the cable hasn't been upgraded (from 6-10mm sq) to suit.

4. Of course it could just be normal 'wear and tear', in which case you could simply change the switch.

Replacing the switch itself shouldn't fall under Part P as it's replacement would be classed as 'maintenance'. However, in light of points 2 & 3 above, you might consider bringing in an electrician to take a look.

ollyk

YorkshireBoy wrote:

Some thoughts...

1. The pull switch has been 'contaminated' with plaster.

2. Someone has fitted a 32A rated switch where a 45A should have been used.

3. The shower has been upgraded to a more powerful one and the switch wasn't upgraded at the same time. This would be a major concern to me because it would signify that the cable hasn't been upgraded (from 6-10mm sq) to suit.

4. Of course it could just be normal 'wear and tear', in which case you could simply change the switch.

Replacing the switch itself shouldn't fall under Part P as it's replacement would be classed as 'maintenance'. However, in light of points 2 & 3 above, you might consider bringing in an electrician to take a look.

I believe it does indeed fall under part p! You have spelt out a couple of very good reasons why the OP should get a proper spark in to have a look there.

YorkshireBoy

ollyk wrote:

I believe it does indeed fall under part p!

Whilst I'm professionally qualified in electrical engineering, domestic/contracting work is not my particular area of expertise (although I'm 16th Edition qualified I'm not Part P certified). The reasons I said "shouldn't fall under Part P" are several...

Repairs and Maintenance
The Part P website's Does Part P Apply To Me? section states...

...you do not need to tell your local authority's Building Control department about...repairs and maintenance work

...and I believe replacing a switch falls under this category.

Nature of the Work
The above website's Can I Carry Out DIY? section talks about installations, alterations and extensions being notifiable. Replacing a switch, IMO, is none of the above.

Common Sense & Practicalities
Where do you draw the line?

If the isolating transformer in the light fitting above your shaving mirror fails, do you have to notify the Local Council that you're going to Argos to buy and then fit a new one costing £17.99, meaning the total job cost will come in at around £100 once they've been out to check the job?

Similarly, if the lighting pull switch fails, do we have to bring in a Part P qualified electrical contractor to swap a £2.50 switch? Of course we don't - we DIY it as a 'like-for-like' job.

I do concede though, that there's little point in swapping an under-rated 32A switch for another one of the same rating - and that's why I suggested bringing in an electrican (no need for Part P qualification) to take a look at the installation.

24_hour_sparks

i can confirm being a registered installer, a replacement fisture or fitting does not fall under the scope of part p, yet anouther common misconception to confuse the public me thinks.

ollyk

24_hour_sparks wrote:

i can confirm being a registered installer, a replacement fisture or fitting does not fall under the scope of part p, yet anouther common misconception to confuse the public me thinks.

regardless of being in a 'special location'?

YorkshireBoy

ollyk wrote:

regardless of being in a 'special location'?

It appears so.

From the NICEIC website's Pocket Guide 8 Part P – Notifiable or Not?...

Examples of non-notifiable work

Anywhere in a dwelling or it's surroundings:

...<snip>...

Replacing an accessory, such as a socket-outlet, control switch, ceiling rose, or a fused connection unit.