Cost of re-wiring to upgrade shower?

[cheekyminx]

Hiya,

I am a total newbie when it comes to all things electrical, especially electric showers it would seem! I have read lots of posts on here about kW & amps and I think I vaguely understand the concepts.

I currently have an old Mira Advance Thermostatic. It is about 7 years old and on its last legs. The service light comes on regularly and it often goes cold mid shower. Not knowing the first thing about trying to fix it myself I think a new shower is called for - especially when the repair costs seems so expensive. So I have scoured many websites and totally confused myself with kW ratings. Having found this site, I then checked my fusebox and the shower fuse is labelled B32 which would mean that I need a 7.5kW shower which I have ordered.


But, then I finally found some info on my current shower and it is 8.7kW. All the info here suggests that this set up 8.7kW/32 amp isn't correct but in the 7 years I have lived here - no fires yet! So I have a couple of questions that I am hoping someone can help me with.

Could the problems I am having with my current shower be because the setup is incorrect?

Is a 7.5kW shower going to seem pretty rubbish compared to what I am used to?

And finally, what sort of cost/labour would be involved if I wanted an electrician to upgrade the wiring (apologies if the terminology is wrong!) so that I can have a higher kW shower?

Wow, sorry for the long post but I would be grateful for any help or advice.

nat

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[riveralt]

I agree with Holmshaw, but just check that you have an RCD fitted - most if not all shower manufacturers insist on one being fitted as part of their installation instructions.

If you are going to get an electrician in, then I would reconsider the 8.5kw shower or higher especially if you upgrade the cable and MCB. Price will depend on the amount of work involved.

 

[maguire]

On a related note I was asked by a homeowner to remove the pullcord switch and replace it with a wall switch as he found it difficult to operate he was an retired gent with bad athritis, when I arrived I found that he had bought a new shower also, a 10.5 and the original was an 8.0, first problem was cables were to short to come down the wall and being 6mm would have to be upgraded any way so now the job is a bit more involved, I told him I needed to have a look at his board, and yes not rcd'd and was a real state I could have fitted a dedicated shower unit but that was I think skirting round a whole load of possible problems After a Ze and a sample test of 2/3rds of the circuits I told him the bad news.Makes you think though how many homes are like that and never get any attention, the electricty cupboard is a lonely place indeed
DM