Installing a Shower

trotter_inc

Hey lads!

We're planning on getting another electric shower installed in the house. We bought the house last year and it came with an electric shower in the ensuite but none in the main bathroom.

We're going to get another electric shower installed in the main bathroom and I just wanted to ask about the order of getting things done.

I understand that due to electical constraints within the house that we wont be able to have the 2 showers on at the same time.

Do I get the electrician to do the cabling first? Or do I get the plumber to do his few bits first? Also, the walls are not tiled yet, should I wait until the shower is on the wall and working before getting the tiler around?

Thanks lads….

SOD OF SPOLLOX

Hey trotter,
You should get the shower wired and any plumbing done first.Then get the tiler to tile the wall.Then the shower can be fitted to the finished wall.You will need a priority or non-priority shower fuseboard if you already have an electric shower.Alternatively, you could install a pump shower which may not require as much work but will have to use your central heating water but would have very good water pressure.

trotter_inc

SOD OF SPOLLOX wrote: »

Alternatively, you could install a pump shower which may not require as much work but will have to use your central heating water but would have very good water pressure.

Ah! I didnt realise this...sounds good...would it be a better option than the electric shower?

Its just going to be used by guests so its not going to be used that often really...

Stoner

pump showers are great, they have a good flow etc, however electric showers are very handy, and above the new shower location if you have an attic with cold water storage in it this could be the shower for you, the fact that the shower will not be used a lot pushes it toward an electric shower IMO.

SOD OF SPOLLOX

It all depends on whats there at the moment. If you have an existing shower there with a mixer valve, installing a pump in the hotpress or attic will probably be cheaper and provide you with two different showers which i personnally think is good. If there is nothing there at present, either shower would be fine except the pump shower should still be cheaper to install.

northdublin

for an electric power shower you need a ten square cable from the fuse board to where the shower will be and should be rdc protected. if there is allready an electric shower in the house you will need a shower ditribution unit which allows power to only one shower at a time. the ten square cable should be ran trough a 45 amp double pole switch either on the wall outside the bath room or using a 45amp ceiling pull cord switch.
the shower then should be fed of the tank in the attic, not the mains water supply comming in to the house.the feed from the tank should have an inline service valve to allow you to turn off the water to the shower without shutting all the water off.

Sparky

You're best off to get a plumber for the pluming and then a sparks for the electrical side of things.
Especially since you have a shower in existence already, these are the times when mistakes happen in installing them yourself (not saying you're incompetent ) and fatal accidents can happen.
As said above you will need a shower priority relay board installed, shower needs to be fed with 10sq twin and earth to a local double pole switch, or D/P pull switch back.
Your relay board will have two RCBOs installed in it, a current sensing relay aswell as a contactor to stop whatever slave shower you choose.
Remember one shower is the master shower, so if anyone else is in the other shower, it will be disconnected.

*I think* there is units out there that operate on a first come, first served basis, but I havnt used them.

Titainus

in any case leave all that to to electrician. he will be able to get a non/priority unit from his suppliers the only problem might be that you may need to run a new 6sq cable form the new shower down to the consumer unit. he may be able to pick up the existing cable and tie in there

and lads just to clarify,
its a 6sq pvc cable with an rcbo of 32 amp/30mA protection in Ireland

Corkey123

Yep it says 6sq cable in the manual alright, however there's not an electrican in the country that would use 6sq. 10sq and nothing else

You don't need to get the priority board if you can get the ESB to upgrade the main fuse, this can be costly last time I heard it was €400.

DK47

Titainus wrote: »

in any case leave all that to to electrician. he will be able to get a non/priority unit from his suppliers the only problem might be that you may need to run a new 6sq cable form the new shower down to the consumer unit. he may be able to pick up the existing cable and tie in there

and lads just to clarify,
its a 6sq pvc cable with an rcbo of 32 amp/30mA protection in Ireland

MartinCorcoran wrote: »

Yep it says 6sq cable in the manual alright, however there's not an electrican in the country that would use 6sq. 10sq and nothing else

You don't need to get the priority board if you can get the ESB to upgrade the main fuse, this can be costly last time I heard it was €400.

1) the size of the cable depend on the wattage of the shower and the cable run i.e. how long the cable is.

2) Esb wont just upgrade the main fuse to accommodate a second shower. the main esb fuse is rate at 80amp on a single phase installation and wont be changed by the esb so easy. its the 63amp main fuse in the consumer unit that will also have to be changed because it protect the installation also. the shower switching unit is the best way to go.


do not install the shower your self its too dangerous, plus your house insurance will be void. and make suer the plumber does the pluming and the electrician does the electrical. and make sure there both qualified, electricity and water are a lethal combination:)