Power Shower, tingling (current?) in pipes.

[ricicle]

DO NOT USE THE SHOWER OR BATH UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD YOUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED BY A COMPETENT ELECTRICIAN

 

[seco services]

no the original poster who thinks everyones a cowboy.

 

[AngelV]

no the original poster who thinks everyones a cowboy.

I apologised for the loose term of phrase before, what I had tried to put across in the term of 'local cowboy, was just that - I meant no harm - it was simply a statement to let any readers of this post know I have used a qualified plumber to do the job.

Obviously there is something not right with the electrics and I'm desperately seeking ideas from knowledgeable people in order that the problem can be fixed properly.

Again, I'm sorry if Ive upset you

 

[Taylortwocities]

Angel,

What makes you think that the plumber knows anything about electrics?

 

[Steve]

your brave...you wouldnt get me anywhere near showering with a problem like that.

Brave? Or bloody stupid?

If I started getting tingles through me during a shower, I'd isolate it immediately and call an electrician.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not a plumber then?

 

[riveralt]

Not a plumber then?

No NO get the plumber back and let him test the shower - if he tingles THEN call the electrician in

 

[AngelV]

Not a plumber then?

No NO get the plumber back and let him test the shower - if he tingles THEN call the electrician in

I'll tell him to bring his trunks so he can test it.

TBH I have not noticed 'me' tingling in the shower it is only when I touch the pipes while I am in the shower (with water running on me) that I feel the tingles - the rest of the time its ok (which is pretty useless really as the whole point of a shower is to get wet LOL!!)

anyhow - my assumption that the plumber knows electrics... was an assumption. I asked if he was OK doing all the electrics etc and he said Yes. So my 'contract' (per se) with him was based upon him telling me he was able to do it.
Perhaps I will check out his electrical quals when he comes back to fix it.
Having said that, I am encouraged by your replies to go and get a qualified electrician to come and look at the whole thing.
If I get Building Regs folks over, what will they do (other than condemn my house?)

I'll let you know how how I get on with my shower experiment today..

 

[sparkiemike]

If I get Building Regs folks over, what will they do (other than condemn my house?)

I'll let you know how how I get on with my shower experiment today..

Building control will want YOU to make sure it complies with the regulations. They will not act on your behalf in dealing with the plumber.
As far as building regs are concerned the homeowner is responsible and should be able to prove that all electrical installation work meets Part P.

If the work is indeed notifiable then as I see it your options are
1. Ask the plumber for the electrical certificate and the the certificate of compliance
2. Get it re-done by a registered electrician who should issue an electrical certificate and notify for you.
3. Call your local authority building control and ask them, they might want you to pay a fee and then get it inspected or BC appoint an inspector themselves to check it. If it fails then you will need to make arrangements to make it good.

Any contract issues with the plumber will have to be negotiated with them (the plumber), or trading standards or you sue them (the plumber).

 

[JohnD]

or your dependents and executors, as the case may be.

 

[AngelV]

or your dependents and executors, as the case may be.

I'm still alive (not live, just normal human impedance...)

Yes, I know it is not a joking matter but Sunday Humour prevails.

I didn't shower in wellies...
I did discover the 'tingling' becomes less the further away from the shower you feel down the pipes.

The shower, for the person who asked (and I forgot to answer) is a Triton AS2000XT.

And a little bit more information.

The shower is intended to be a temporary installation while I go about doing the house up. House is old - c1900. The electrics are 'intersting' in places but the consumer unit is relatively new and the eleccy meter is one of the digital ones. The new meter is connected by new looking wires to what seems to be an old incoming (looks like bakerlite?) and here is a large earth wire.
From the consumer unit (which is also earth bonded) the wires go to the lighting and socket rings (2 of each). What happens after that is a mystery to me....

The shower is wired into what WAS the wire for an old bathroom (now removed) wall heater (one of the ones that has the element across and a pull switch from itself). But this is where I made the assumption it was from the lighting ring. I need to make sure it is not!

The plumbing...
The hot and cold to shower are taken from the hot and cold to sink, the pipes run along the long side (about 2 incjes clear of the bath itself though) of the bath and up the wall to the shower (as I say, this was only ever intended to be a temp measure until I 'do' the whole house).

The pipes go up into the shower and the eleccy goes down from the conduit from the pull switch (which is about a meter and a half aaway from the shower unit).

I've had a right good nosey around and cannot see anywhere any earth bonding on the pipes.

Interestingly, the CH system was replaced about 8 years ago by BG, a new boiler was also installed too. No earth wires apparent on that lot either...

I'm now pondering whether or not to put a ground spike in and attach cross bonding from the water pipes onto it. That might just do the trick.

Thank you all so much for your advice

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'll tell him to bring his trunks so he can test it.

I saw a film once which involved a plumber and his customer testing the shower. He didn't bring his trunks, though....

 

[sparkiemike]

I'm now pondering whether or not to put a ground spike in and attach cross bonding from the water pipes onto it. That might just do the trick.

Thank you all so much for your advice

So are are proposing having two earthing arrangements in your property, which could be at different potentials?

The only sound advice is to get an electrian in.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Hi AngelV,

Might i suggest that whilst you ponder about what to do next, stop using the shower and call an electrician before its too late and an accident happens.

If, as you say, you are in the process of doing up the house, the current shower is intended to be temporary and you have 'interesting' electrics anyway, calling an electrician now rather than later must surely be the right way of doing things, wouldn't you agree?

Talk of spikes and 'cross bonding' whatever that happens to be, is not giving out a feeling of safety. BTW, thats your safety were talking about

Which is the hardest cost to bare, an electrician's labour charges or a dead person in your bath? Coffins are quite expensive y'know [/u]

 

[AngelV]

I saw a film once which involved a plumber and his customer testing the shower. He didn't bring his trunks, though....

For all I am female I shan't be making any films in my spare time,

So are are proposing having two earthing arrangements in your property, which could be at different potentials?

The only sound advice is to get an electrian in.

I'm not going to do this myself. Years ago I rewired a house from scratch.. This is a whole different ball game, it's a potentially lethal situation and I am not going to do any of this myself, I will be getting a qualified/certified electrician to look at the whole lot.

I like being alive.....