Electric shower switch repeatedly burning out. What can I do? :-(

Another alternative, is to fit a wall mounted switch, just out side the bathroom door. Make it high on the wall, but still within reach as a deterrent to regular use. I only turn mine off, when I need to service my shower.
 
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Another alternative, is to fit a wall mounted switch, just out side the bathroom door. Make it high on the wall, but still within reach as a deterrent to regular use. I only turn mine off, when I need to service my shower.
That sounds like a good idea, although clearly a lot more work because of moving the cables etc. What about the risk of people touching it with wet hands if they have to shut off the switch in an emergency?
 
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If it's failing that frequently the it's not correctly installed. Scolmore Click have a round 50A offering as good as Crabtree's.
 
That sounds like a good idea, although clearly a lot more work because of moving the cables etc. What about the risk of people touching it with wet hands if they have to shut off the switch in an emergency?

Outside the bathroom door is safe zone for switches. My own shower switch, landing light switch and bathroom light switches are there. Point is, you are not in contact with the bath or other conductive items, when out on the landing operating switches.
 
Cut the string shorter, and/or put a label on saying "emergancy isolation only"?
SFK
 
If the switch is a reasonable enough make and its terminated properly, there should be no issues even if its operated often. When ever I replace one due to aburnt terminal, it always looks like it was connected without much throught for dressing the cores then then forced back, and of course no nipping up after the cores assumed their final resting positions
 
I've only used my shower pull switch once, and that was when replacing the shower a few years back.

12 years and counting on the switch with no issues!.

As said above loose or poorly conducting contacts cause the wire and switch to burn out.

I can imagine operating the switch while the shower is in use and drawing power regularly will shorten the life of the pull switch significantly..
 
Quoting from HERE

Isolator Switches
Isolator Switches are designed to isolate an electrical circuit from its power source. Isolator switches does not have any interruption capacity. It does not have any making or breaking capacity.

Isolator switches are only intended to be operated on open circuit. That means, Isolator switches must be closed on open circuit and then other means of device (like C.B.) to energize line or isolaor switches must be opened after opening upstream device (like C.B.) to de-energize line.

Isolator switches are purely mechanical device and it can conduct normal operational currents as well as under short circuit current for defined period.

Interuption capacity is the ability to break a current without doing any damage to the surfaces of the contacts from the arc that will exist until the contacts have moved far enough apart to break the arc.
 
Quoting from HERE

Isolator Switches
Isolator Switches are designed to isolate an electrical circuit from its power source. Isolator switches does not have any interruption capacity. It does not have any making or breaking capacity.

Isolator switches are only intended to be operated on open circuit. That means, Isolator switches must be closed on open circuit and then other means of device (like C.B.) to energize line or isolaor switches must be opened after opening upstream device (like C.B.) to de-energize line.

Isolator switches are purely mechanical device and it can conduct normal operational currents as well as under short circuit current for defined period.

Interuption capacity is the ability to break a current without doing any damage to the surfaces of the contacts from the arc that will exist until the contacts have moved far enough apart to break the arc.
I don't believe that's quite correct.

An isolator is designed to safely break the load, but not to make it.
 
There is a conversation on a mailing list about an isolator that was operated to OPEN while the load was connected. The isolator blew itself apart causing minor injuries to the person who operated it.

This was an industrial incident. The isolator ratings are 120 amp carry / 30 amp breaking.
It is estimated that the current at the time the isolator was operated was about 80 amps
 

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