electric shower and cable size

[garrymum]

Hi

I have at the minute a Redring shower, believe it is an 8kw as it is called a "super 8". It is starting to show it's age now (9 years) and am wanting to replace it with a 8.5 or 9.5kw shower. The current cable is only about 4mm I think and is only single cores, not multiple cores twisted around as you get on the thicker cables. Would I be able to run an 8.5/9.5 shower on a 4mm cable?

However I have read up and some websites say that the supply cable needs to be around 10mm2 in size, but others say it should be ok.

Just want to know what the experts think.

Thanks

 

[Bahco]

Hi

Would I be able to run an 8.5/9.5 shower on a 4mm cable?

You can run up to 8.5 kw shower in 6 mm cable up to 15 metres length.
Anything over 8.5 kw needs 10 mm cable.
Post in sparkies forum for the full regs

 

[PEDANTICVINDICTIVEMAN]

I had an eletrician anorak type work out the cable size for an 8.5Kw shower on his calculator, it came out at 21 metres with 6mm cable !

 

[taydo]

The size of cable is dependant on the lengh, where it runs and what it runs through trunking stud wall etc, dont no the facts and figures but be careful.

 

[andemz]

have a look at the electrical forum oin this site it will give you plenty of info on cable ratings etc. I tend to think in advance and think along the lines of what if you wanted to have an even more powerful shower in the futrue. Granted 8.5kw and 9kw are high but given that you are making the change from 9 years ago to this date and you are upgrading, maybe it's time to get more of a beefy cable in there. Taydo made a good comment on it depends what it is running under length etc but as a general rule of thumb 10mm should do the job.

For a more detailed view visit the sparkies forum.

 

[garrymum]

Thanks to all....my neighbour has just told me a plumber has just installed his new shower, a 10.5kw on the original cable (4mm)!!

 

[ollski]

Then it could be a fire waiting to happen.....the thinner the cable the hotter it will get and the more likely it is just go up in flames!

 

[Bahco]

Thanks to all....my neighbour has just told me a plumber has just installed his new shower, a 10.5kw on the original cable (4mm)!!

Insist that your neighbour fits fireproofing materials between yours and his property