Electric shock from shower recently installed

Hi,

a bit of advice if that's ok. I had a new bathroom installed which was an absolute disaster. The worst of our issues being that my wife and I received an electric shock from the shower installed (you could feel the jolt up to the wrist). It has transpired that the plumber who installed the toilet also put in the electric shower and all the lighting.
I asked if he was an electrician and the owner confirmed he wasn't, he was just a plumber.


I have seen the add on TV where the cowboy calls to service the womans HOB!! yes that ad, but it does say it's illegal to allow anyone but an electrical to carry out electric work in a home. When an electrician actually did come to look at it, he said it was very dangerous and earth to neutral was close to full voltage not zero. He told me to get legal advice even.


Anyone shed some light as to what's wrong with this picture from a professional standpoint? did they fook up badly??? any RECI lads there willing to advise? considering I was standing in water at the time!

meercat

rusty cole wrote: »

Hi,

a bit of advice if that's ok. I had a new bathroom installed which was an absolute disaster. The worst of our issues being that my wife and I received an electric shock from the shower installed (you could feel the jolt up to the wrist). It has transpired that the plumber who installed the toilet also put in the electric shower and all the lighting.
I asked if he was an electrician and the owner confirmed he wasn't, he was just a plumber.


I have seen the add on TV where the cowboy calls to service the womans HOB!! yes that ad, but it does say it's illegal to allow anyone but an electrical to carry out electric work in a home. When an electrician actually did come to look at it, he said it was very dangerous and earth to neutral was close to full voltage not zero. He told me to get legal advice even.


Anyone shed some light as to what's wrong with this picture from a professional standpoint? did they fook up badly??? any RECI lads there willing to advise? considering I was standing in water at the time!

Do not use the shower

It’s illegal for anyone other than a rec to do electrical work in bathrooms
Did the electrician you had out to investigate it rectify the problem
Contact the cru and report illegal works

https://safeelectric.ie/help/report/

Again. Do not use the shower until it’s tested and certified.

2011

Statistically the risk of electrocution in a bathroom is far higher than anywhere else in the home. For this reason there are special wiring rules for bathrooms, particularly those containing an instantaneous electric showers. You should take this very seriously. As advised by meercat do not use the bathroom until this has been resolved. This work should only be completed by a qualified electrician in a way that is fully compliant with the National Rules for Electrical Installations (ET101:2008). To comply fully with the law this electrician should be a REC.

If I were you I would report this dangerous installation immediately to the CRU before someone else gets seriously hurt, or worse. You should consider yourself very lucky.

Also next time when someone receives a shock don’t copy what they did to see if you will get a shock too or it might be the last thing you do! Remember mains voltage is potentially lethal.

Hi Guys,

Ok firstly thanks a million for the safe advice. I had a good idea that they messed up but I was looking more for advice in terms of how badly and to whom I should report them to in terms of a regulatory body..

I had initially got a shock past my wrist when I tuned on the shower, it seemed fine then so I wasn't sure what to think being honest. a few hours later my wife called me and when I went into the bathroom, the shower was on and she was shocked, literally and figuratively. I turned off the mains and the powered the shower off. The next day when my wife called to the bathroom showroom (yes they have a showroom) the Director pawned her off with a remark about static electricity. I was furious when she told me and so made plans to call in myself the next day however they called her next day to ask if we would allow an electrician to look at it. The guy came out and he was only hired for the day by them, he was very nice and very informative. He showed me the multi meter readings in each case as he tested live to earth and live to neutral. on the final reading he told me they'd fecked up big time, it was very dangerous and I should get an electrician to look over the full job.
They actually took out our instant electric shower which was 9.2kw I think and replaced it with another electric one which requires you to turn on immersion, again one of the many things they did without prior discussion. The switch for this is in our attic now, so we have to go up there to turn it off if say we were on holidays. Also the sparks told me that they ran some relay thing from the old shower so the newer one can absorb full amps at about 40 I think he said. They only sent that qualified guy after they were caught out. What If I had a pacemaker perhaps?? I'd have been killed maybe! how many other builds have potentially the same problems.
I wouldn't mind, the same plumber put in out toilet and it leaked very badly overnight. He said it was a faulty fitting or some shyte.


I have since hired a reputable RECI guy to come and look at the job as a whole before I take matters further.

2011

Do not allow the wiring to be altered until it has been inspected.

Lackadaisical

You absolutely need to bring in a registered electrician immediately. This could quite literally kill someone.

You also need to make a complaint to the CRU as these guys could end up killing or seriously injuring someone else. You’re describing dangerous and illegal electrical work basically carried out by someone who shouldn’t be anywhere near wiring.

If this is an expensive refit, I would also consider contacting a solicitor.

meercat

2011 wrote: »

Do not allow the wiring to be altered until it has been inspected.

This is really important
Any issues you may have will be void if anything is altered. By all means get a rec to inspect.
You should also get him to check the lighting that was installed. All circuits in bathrooms should be rcd protected(including light circuits). If new cables were installed then they should be protected to current regulations

It states on safe electric Ireland that "all work" carried out should be certified.
I have been told buy our electrician that we absolutely should have been issued with a test report and a Cert 3 after the work was finished.

We got nothing of the sort, which makes sense al things considered.
Is there any way they could wrangle out of this when I put it to them?

2011

rusty cole wrote: »

We got nothing of the sort, which makes sense al things considered.

Only a Registered Electrical Contractor can issue a cert.

Is there any way they could wrangle out of this when I put it to them?

Not if you report them and you haven’t altered the work.
This is a very serious matter. They must have done something ridiculous for you to get a shock.

They've come back today and said they want to arrange to have a RECI guy to redo all the work and that I'll be issued with the 2 certs there after.

They are now admitting that the job was basically done with non compliance to safe electric standards. A guy in work told me that if there'd been a fire, I would not have been covered buy our insurance either!! insurance only stands over bona fide RECI works in such instances. It just gets worse with this crowd!!

WTF!! I've asked to meet with a director this week before I allow them or any nominated party, carry out work in our home again.

2011

To be fair it took guts to admit that what they did was wrong, most wouldn’t.
I would want to know exactly who is going to do exactly what and what the impact would be in writing before any work commences if I were in your shoes.

it didn't take guts really, they were happy to leave this in our lap had the shower issue not arisen. They're only covering themselves now. I'll be asking if all of customers received certs to show the electrics are bone fide. if the answer is yes, why didn't we, if the answer is no, do all those customer know there home insurance is void now for having had uncertified work carried out. If you'd a fire, this is the very thing they'd look for as an avoidance so as not to pay out. It's the same as leaving your alarm off or house unlocked and then asking to be covered really I would imagine NO?

hufpc8w3adnk65

rusty cole wrote: »

it didn't take guts really, they were happy to leave this in our lap had the shower issue not arisen. They're only covering themselves now. I'll be asking if all of customers received certs to show the electrics are bone fide. if the answer is yes, why didn't we, if the answer is no, do all those customer know there home insurance is void now for having had uncertified work carried out. If you'd a fire, this is the very thing they'd look for as an avoidance so as not to pay out. It's the same as leaving your alarm off or house unlocked and then asking to be covered really I would imagine NO?

Do not let these cowboys inside your door again. As stated above get on to the CRU and Safe Electric. Immediately and I’d also contact a solicitor. These gangsters need to be stopped. You have copped it before serious injury occurred but how many other installations have they done this sub standard work in? If you allow them to clean up their own mess and sweep it under the carpet then there is no telling if they will learn from it. What if there next customer isn’t as lucky and is killed as no body was informed of their incompetence, could you sleep at night with this hanging over you? We are not talking about someone doing dodgy painting offering to fix it. We’re talking about people breaking the law and now trying to cover it up. CRU, Safe Electric And a solicitor in that order.

Risteard81

I think you'll have to report to RECI before the CRU (or perhaps the Report Illegal Work function links through to [he CRU).

How do you even **** up a shower so bad that you get a dart off it anyways ?
Its 3 wires ffs

2011

rusty cole wrote: »

it didn't take guts really, they were happy to leave this in our lap had the shower issue not arisen.

I was referring to their admission of guilt only.

I made my feelings about their behavior up to this point and the dangerous state of the work carried out very clear in my earlier posts.

2011

rusty cole wrote: »

I'll be asking if all of customers received certs to show the electrics are bone fide. if the answer is yes, why didn't we, if the answer is no, do all those customer know there home insurance is void now for having had uncertified work carried out.

The insurance aspect important as it is pales into insignificance when you consider that someone could have been killed as a result of dangerous wiring in a particularly high risk area (bathroom).

Kristopherus

rusty cole wrote: »

it didn't take guts really, they were happy to leave this in our lap had the shower issue not arisen. They're only covering themselves now. I'll be asking if all of customers received certs to show the electrics are bone fide. if the answer is yes, why didn't we, if the answer is no, do all those customer know there home insurance is void now for having had uncertified work carried out. If you'd a fire, this is the very thing they'd look for as an avoidance so as not to pay out. It's the same as leaving your alarm off or house unlocked and then asking to be covered really I would imagine NO?

Get the work redone by the correct proffessional(s) at the suppliers cost. When you hav received the correct certs, then hit them via Reci and CRU.

Risteard81

Kristopherus wrote: »

rusty cole wrote: »

it didn't take guts really, they were happy to leave this in our lap had the shower issue not arisen. They're only covering themselves now. I'll be asking if all of customers received certs to show the electrics are bone fide. if the answer is yes, why didn't we, if the answer is no, do all those customer know there home insurance is void now for having had uncertified work carried out. If you'd a fire, this is the very thing they'd look for as an avoidance so as not to pay out. It's the same as leaving your alarm off or house unlocked and then asking to be covered really I would imagine NO?

Get the work redone by the correct proffessional(s) at the suppliers cost. When you hav received the correct certs, then hit them via Reci and other

How could RECI investigate after the work has been replaced?

hufpc8w3adnk65

Kristopherus wrote: »

Get the work redone by the correct proffessional(s) at the suppliers cost. When you hav received the correct certs, then hit them via Reci and CRU.

DO NOT do this. Let RECI see the shambles first. Then rectifiy it

Bass Reeves

Risteard81 wrote: »

How could RECI investigate after the work has been replaced?

All RECI need to investigate is if the company was using/letting workers who were uncertified carry out electrical work.
This area is a minefield.but 1-20other things stand. The isolation switch for the shower should be accessible via a pull switch in bathroom or a switch outside the bathroom door.it not just for switching off electricity to shower when going on holidays. If the shower went on fire or you had an incident you need to isolate it from the electrical network.

As well they have installed a thermostatic power shower ideally they should only be installed where you are not dependent on the immersion to heat the water for them during the summer. They are ideal where you have instant hot water from Gas and oil or where you have solar hot water from spring to Autumn.

Finally while I have no issue with a Plummer just reconnecting the electrical to a replacement shower him rewiring it or rewiring bathroom lights is a no no. I Imagine that OP got new low energy fittings installed and other electrical work

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate this help.

yes we got a PVC ceiling which had to be replaced again and then the spot lights are LED types, 4 in the room. The spark I had in said they musta made the holes with a hammer as it's a shyte job on that too, even from a fitting and aesthetic standpoint.

On the shower, when the second guy came he put a multimeter on it for voltage etc. I'm no electrician but he said the live to earth and live to neutral was fine but the earth to neutral had 180 volts going through it, it should have been zero.
when he was fixing it he said a wire just came out of the connector without hardly a quarter turn of a screw. He thinks the jolt came from the shower body coming in contact with this source. The body was plastic but something must have been at least semi conductive in it. plus obviously it was wired wrong.

again, I'm no sparks so forgive me if that does not make sense.

Bruthal

BrownFinger wrote: »

How do you even **** up a shower so bad that you get a dart off it anyways ?
Its 3 wires ffs

It would be interesting to see how it was connected. It can be a few causes from botched shower connecting, to an existing problem in the installation. A correctly connected 3 wires wouldnt eliminate existing problems in the installation. Proper testing may have shown any problems though.

to be honest ideally what I'd like to do is this.
Fix all the electrical work for me, certify it.

Then refund me the 9K so I can have the whole thing done again by a better company. Or the very least the tiling which is abysmal. I've had loads of work done and broke my boll0x sitting in for months to save for that job and I don't think this crowd should not get to skate off in the wind leaving me with a crappy bathroom. Sure even as a plumber, he installed our new toilet and it leaked badly overnight. He pawned it off on faulty materials.....I mean FFS!!

For the refund, I think it would cost me legal fees and a day in court. Based on the stress alone, I'm thinking of doing it. The arrogance of them is mind boggling too.

Also when I told the Co-Director that we would be getting a RECI sparks to now go over the work, as my wife felt unsafe with the whole thing, his response was " that's your prerogative, you're well within your rights to do that"


And now they're offering to re-do the whole lot??? you don't need to be Shakespeare to know something stinks in suburbia here!

Risteard81

It's not a RECI Contractor you need to speak to at this stage - it's RECI themselves.

punisher5112

If they are offering to fix and the job is done to the correct standard then why not let them do this with the agreement you can have all the work inspected at no cost to you.

Get it in writing and look forward to a great looking and fully working bathroom.

Risteard81

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they are offering to fix and the job is done to the correct standard then why not let them do this with the agreement you can have all the work inspected at no cost to you.

Get it in writing and look forward to a great looking and fully working bathroom.

Should they not be culpable for unlawful and illegal (and dangerous) electrical work?

Risteard81

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they are offering to fix and the job is done to the correct standard then why not let them do this with the agreement you can have all the work inspected at no cost to you.

Get it in writing and look forward to a great looking and fully working bathroom.

Should they not be culpable for unlawful and illegal (and dangerous) electrical work?

Bass Reeves

punisher5112 wrote: »

If they are offering to fix and the job is done to the correct standard then why not let them do this with the agreement you can have all the work inspected at no cost to you.

Get it in writing and look forward to a great looking and fully working bathroom.

If they have done a botch job once they will botch it again. He paid 9k for a new bathroom looks like they are cowboys. Not all cowboys wear cowboy gear some wear suits and sunglasses without the hats. The plumber bling faulty materials they f@@king supplying the materials.

we paid 9K and when they found out about the shower they gave me 250.00 off the invoice. They never even came back to explain why the tiles were a variety of sizes. Anyone know is it practice to fully tile, cement and grout a bathroom in 6-7 hours? do you not tile it first and grout the next day?
Also they used sand/cement grout in the corners and floors, this cracked badly after a few weeks. I heard that you use silicon or caulk or some such soft medium in this regard. The bathroom door was reversed and he never copped on to reversing the lock also, which a 5 year old would know. This was the same plumber guy. should that have been a carpenter?