Electric Shower cable help!

[Pippa66]

Morning all (please be gentle!!)

I recently moved into my first house, and replaced the existing electric shower with the same make/model (triton 8.5kw) for which there is a cooker style switch in the airing cupboard, next to the bathroom. Since changing the shower, there is occasionally a funny smell from the airing cupboard (with the cooker type switch becoming hot).

Having had a read of this forum, I can see that this should have a 10mm cable, but have a horrible feeling that its nowhere near this (and is the cause of the smell/heat)!

The following is on the cable 6242yh 2x6+2.5 sqmm altin 2007 - I'm hoping that (as I'm not an electrician) I'm being stupid, but is this a 2.5mm cable connected to my shower?!

Thank you!

PS. Fully aware that I need an electrician to replace cable if it needs changing/investigate if the existing cable is suitable.

 

[OwainDIYer]

No, it's 6mm cable with a 2.5mm earth. This should be okay (just) for a 8.5kW shower provided the cable length is short and the cable isn't in insulation or bunched with outher cables etc.

If the switch is getting hot this points to a poor connection or possible a faulty switch, and the switch should be replaced and the connections remade. Hopefully there is enough slack in the cable to allow this. It would be as well to get an electrician to do this and give a quick check of your consumer unit and main bonding to make sure there's nothing terribly dangerous if you don't know what state the wiring is in.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Since changing the shower, there is occasi²onally a funny smell from the airing cupboard (with the cooker type switch becoming hot).

Then you need a new switch - quickly.
This is a common occurrence due to loose connections.

Having had a read of this forum, I can see that this should have a 10mm cable,

Not so - unless the cable travels through thermal insulation, which it shouldn't.

The following is on the cable 6242yh 2x6+2.5 sqmm altin 2007 - I'm hoping that (as I'm not an electrician) I'm being stupid, but is this a 2.5mm cable connected to my shower?!

No, it is 6mm² (2 x 6)

 

[Spark123]

More likely there is a loose connection in the switch which is causing it to heat up. From that code it is probably 6mm with a 2.5mm earth but without seeing it myself that is only a guess. If the switch has gone toasty it will probably mean making off the cable again. My advice to is not to use it and get an electrician in to have a look.

 

[Pippa66]

Thank you all so much for your quick replies will get someone to come look at it pronto

 

[JohnD]

With stranded copper cable, especially in large sizes, it is quite a soft metal and will squash a bit over time.

It is a good idea to tighten the screws after a few days and again after at least a week. This is more use than trying to tighten them down with enormous force the first time and hoping they will stay tight.

Once they have got hot due to being loose, the metal softens and will squash down even more if you try to refix it. If the metal is discoloured by heat it needs to be clipped back to bright metal. The same applies to the terminals in switches.