Help Bathroom stinks of fish

palmski

Please can somebody help me....
Over the last couple of days we have noticed a fishy smell in our downstairs Bathroon. to try to give a better picture of whats going on.
I have spot lights in the ceiling
a aqua 3000 SI elec shower
Toilet Sink and cupboard.
I have checked all the obvious to try and find the smell but no luck.
It seems to be worse when shower is on, However we always use shower at night with the lights on. (Could it be possible of Electic fault)
I have read a little on the internet to try and solve and fingers do point that way however i would be really grateful of any help or advice as i am not Mr DIY Many Thanks

loracan1

I think you need someone in (an electrician) to check that out, a fishy smell is often a symptom of an electrical fault.

(Once traced similar smell to a floor lamp that later found had been taken off the market due to its tendency to set on fire!)

WestonDave

A fishy smell can be a sign of electrical circuits overheating. Its obviously impossible to check this for you over the internet, however an electric shower is a huge power user and this will cause a sub standard cable to heat up. Your shower appears to come in a number of power models - ranging from an 8.5kw to a 10kw. Old cabling would probably originally be OK for the lower one, might struggle if it was old enough for the insulation to be breaking down, and would be potentially dangerous if someone had just retro fitted a more powerful shower without upgrading the cabling (where necessary).

As you aren't Mr DIY and this isn't an easy one for a non electrically competant person to work out, I would suggest you get the electrics to the shower and other bathroom fittings checked urgently. An inspection and test by an electrician shouldn't cost the earth, but might save your life if this is the first sign of something serious. If its not and there is a fish down the back of the radiator, you'll be out of pocket but will at least know your electrics are OK. I [ersonally would avoid using the shower until its been checked given its power draw.

cyclonebri1

If that is the case the most likely place to find a burnt cable would be the isolator switch for the shower, the pull cord one.
Pull the breaker/fuse for the shower and take a look inside.
Please take care.;)

palmski

WestonDave wrote: »

A fishy smell can be a sign of electrical circuits overheating. Its obviously impossible to check this for you over the internet, however an electric shower is a huge power user and this will cause a sub standard cable to heat up. Your shower appears to come in a number of power models - ranging from an 8.5kw to a 10kw. Old cabling would probably originally be OK for the lower one, might struggle if it was old enough for the insulation to be breaking down, and would be potentially dangerous if someone had just retro fitted a more powerful shower without upgrading the cabling (where necessary).

As you aren't Mr DIY and this isn't an easy one for a non electrically competant person to work out, I would suggest you get the electrics to the shower and other bathroom fittings checked urgently. An inspection and test by an electrician shouldn't cost the earth, but might save your life if this is the first sign of something serious. If its not and there is a fish down the back of the radiator, you'll be out of pocket but will at least know your electrics are OK. I [ersonally would avoid using the shower until its been checked given its power draw.

Its a rented house so will try landlord see what he comes up with thanks for your excellent response

palmski

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

If that is the case the most likely place to find a burnt cable would be the isolator switch for the shower, the pull cord one.
Pull the breaker/fuse for the shower and take a look inside.
Please take care.;)

Ok i have removed cover from pull cord switch and 1 of the 2 black wires is all bubbly and looks different from the others
Would you say this is causing the smell.
Any advice what i need to do

macman

Have you isolated the circuit first?!

cyclonebri1

Private Message from palmski reads;

palmski wrote:

Ok i have removed cover from pull cord switch and 1 of the 2 black wires is all bubbly and looks different from the others
Would you say this is causing the smell.
Any advice what i need to do
Again thanks for your help

Sorry chap but there's nothing in your post that shouldn't be shared on the forum, hope you agree.

So, the earklier poster hit the nail when he suggested that the shower was over rated for the size of the cable. I agree

2ndly it could simply be the issue that the connections in the switch were not tightened sufficiently.

You really do need someone to check the cable size and the switch rating against the shower you have.

And now really without offence, are you foreign?? the name .....ski makes me suspect you maybe. That's not an issue but you may not be aware of the UKs quite strict control of power supplies in the home. Please get someone in to check, yes they may condem it, but again they may just save your life, as I said, please take care.

Edited to say I've just realised you also posted this in the forum, not just a pm, :T

palmski

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Private Message from palmski reads;



Sorry chap but there's nothing in your post that shouldn't be shared on the forum, hope you agree.

So, the earklier poster hit the nail when he suggested that the shower was over rated for the size of the cable. I agree

2ndly it could simply be the issue that the connections in the switch were not tightened sufficiently.

You really do need someone to check the cable size and the switch rating against the shower you have.



And now really without offence, are you foreign?? the name .....ski makes me suspect you maybe. That's not an issue but you may not be aware of the UKs quite strict control of power supplies in the home. Please get someone in to check, yes they may condem it, but again they may just save your life, as I said, please take care.

Edited to say I've just realised you also posted this in the forum, not just a pm, :T

LOL no im a true bristolian mate. Nickname something that stuck with me since school. Thanks for all your advice i will get the experts in i think.