10mm shower cable

[SUNRAY]

Personally I don't find 16mm² is all that much more difficult than 10mm² but that may be because I get involved with more commercial work than domestic where larger cable sizes are commonplace.
When a pull-switch is accessible from the loft, my 16th lecturer suggested using a plasterboard box, remove the back of it and mount it into the back of an adaptable box, gland the cables into the side. Loads of space to work in.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Let's not forget that with no derating, 6mm² is adequate for showers up to 11kW, even if one had to install a length of 16mm² because of some unavoidable insulation.

 

[JohnW2]

Let's not forget that with no derating, 6mm² is adequate for showers up to 11kW, even if one had to install a length of 16mm² because of some unavoidable insulation.

Quite so. Much as I'm no lover of 'additional joints', particularly in a high current circuit, if there were some 'unavoidable' reason why a bit of the cable run had to be in installation, I would be hesitant to to install a long run of 16mm² cable for that reason - but, rather, would be inclined to use 16mm² for just the 'in insulation' segment.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Personally I don't find 16mm² is all that much more difficult than 10mm² but that may be because I get involved with more commercial work than domestic where larger cable sizes are commonplace.

I suppose that's where 'experience' counts. I personally find 16mm² T+E a nightmare to work with (and, fortunately, have only occasionally had to use it) - to me, such activities feel more like 'plumbing' than 'wiring'

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

I suppose that's where 'experience' counts. I personally find 16mm² T+E a nightmare to work with (and, fortunately, have only occasionally had to use it) - to me, such activities feel more like 'plumbing' than 'wiring'

Kind Regards, John

I know what you mean but when you're used to wiring 75KW fans or building panels with 2000A supplies, suddenly a piddling little bit of 16mm² seems a breeze.

 

[JohnW2]

I know what you mean but when you're used to wiring 75KW fans or building panels with 2000A supplies, suddenly a piddling little bit of 16mm² seems a breeze.

Yes, I can understand that - as I said, it's all down to experience. As you will understand, other than a few short lengths of 25mm² singles, 16mm² is the largest (singles or T+E) I've ever had to deal with.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, I can understand that - as I said, it's all down to experience.

Oh absolutely

As you will understand, other than a few short lengths of 25mm² singles, 16mm² is the largest (singles or T+E) I've ever had to deal with.

Kind Regards, John

I fully understand this, far more than you can possibly know at the moment. Having worked in the commercial arena far more than domestic I have had to put right a lot of stuff done by house bashers where the standards are simply not acceptable, I don't say this in any nasty or derogatory way and it has not been my intention to offend but the two environments are very different and the procedures do not bounce back and forth very well.
I am apprentice served at BT as telephone exchange tech and it came as a bit of a surprise the first time I was involved with terminating 25mm² singles, in fact I still have that first rejected lug I crimped so I was made to crimp all of the ends for the practice. Very soon after that I walked into a dead exchange and quickly discovered a failed 240mm² lug on a battery connexion, luckily the crimpers for the previous job and a box of assorted lugs were still 'laying around' a couple of miles away and I was able to get them quickly and make the repair.

I much prefer it when someone is happy to say they don't know how to do something rather than just getting on with it and getting it wrong.
I don't like domestic work now, there always seems to be too many problems with decor, access, flooring, space etc. and particularly price

 

[scousespark]

Daniel
You would have been better ignoring the salesman and speaking to an electrician from the outset. There is a process to calculate cable size and routing, which is in his area of expertise.

 

[333rocky333]

...

 

[Adam_151]

such activities feel more like 'plumbing' than 'wiring'

With MICC in those sizes, then thats certainly the case, I've only had very little involvement with such cables (due to switchgear upgrades*) and have to take my hat off the chaps who would have installed them in the first place, perfectly straight and neatly set into switchgear

*you generally try and plan it so that you drill matching holes into the new panel, or a suitable enclosure, trunking etc and avoid moving the cable too much!

 

[JohnW2]

With MICC in those sizes, then thats certainly the case, I've only had very little involvement with such cables (due to switchgear upgrades*) and have to take my hat off the chaps who would have installed them in the first place, perfectly straight and neatly set into switchgear

I can believe it - and, as you say, one has to admire them who are skilled at such things. I've never even handled pyro but, I have to say, when SWA gets bigger than about 6mm², it really does feel like plumbing to me!

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

With MICC in those sizes, then thats certainly the case, I've only had very little involvement with such cables (due to switchgear upgrades*) and have to take my hat off the chaps who would have installed them in the first place, perfectly straight and neatly set into switchgear

*you generally try and plan it so that you drill matching holes into the new panel, or a suitable enclosure, trunking etc and avoid moving the cable too much!

I have to agree on this, my pyro experience is very limited and no I'm not good at it. If ever I have to move old pyro I try to get it as warm as possible as I think it reduces the stress on the pots.

I can believe it - and, as you say, one has to admire them who are skilled at such things. I've never even handled pyro but, I have to say, when SWA gets bigger than about 6mm², it really does feel like plumbing to me!


Kind Regards, John

And I have to agree that 6mm² is about the limit where it feels 'flexible', even then it depends on the make and temperature. Outdoors in the depths of winter a piece of 2.5 SWA can feel like a 20mm conduit

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Exactly ! Some 8kW will outperform much higher rated models

No they won't.

as with most things there are showers and showers

Ye cannae change the laws of physics.

and it's not always just about the numbers

Yes it is.

 

[JohnW2]

No they won't. .... Ye cannae change the laws of physics. ... Yes it is.

Indeed (with qualifications) ...

I guess it depends upon what you mean by 'outperform'. You can't change the laws of physics, so a given amount of electrical power will produce heat at the same rate (hence same temperature rise at a given flow rate) with any shower. However, the perception of 'how good' a shower is will depend on a number of factors, such as the flow rate and spray pattern etc.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Flow rate is entirely governed by how much energy the shower puts into the water. For any given combination of shower power and temperature rise the flow rate is fixed.

Spray pattern is a function of the shower head - nothing to do with what power the heater is.