Shower cuts out

Thanks for that Bruce, I find those videos very interesting…
However, I agree with you about installing a pump where the water pressure is constantly low, but in Carol’s case it is only temporary, so I think fitting a pump would be a waste of money and only required when the water company are making repairs to the supply, which must be rare as she has not had this problem before.

An electrical fault wouldn’t necessarily cause the electricity to trip, it would depend on the type of fault.

“He advised me to get a new shower - unfortunately he didn’t say anything about water pressure - but then again he’s an electrician.”

Not a very experienced one by the sound of it.
Some electricians (myself included) know how to install electric showers including the plumbing of it.

2 Likes

You could be right Judd.

I won’t be using him again.

Thank you Judd for this suggestion. The electrician didn’t check for this but 2 days ago it got stuck & had to be yanked quite hard to get it working again. There are no yellowing, cracks or fishy smell but I’m wondering if this might be the problem anyway…

The new shower is still cutting out the same as the old one did.

The water board came on Monday & checked the water pressure outside & in & it was normal. I could see that for myself - there was a good flow.

So what do I do now? We’ve got a brand new shower & the water pressure is normal - could it be something as simple as the pull switch causing all the problems?

I asked the man from the water board what I could do and he said if it happened again I should get a plumber to inspect my internal pipes.

I’m totally at my wits end now. I don’t know if I need an electrician or a plumber. The first electrician let me down badly. He surely should have looked at the pull switch instead of just telling me I need a new shower.

I must stress it doesn’t happen all the time. Tonight it happened three times to me so I gave it up as a bad job and ended up finishing my shower off with a bucket of water from the bathroom sink.

Half an hour later Tony used it & it worked ok. He has the temperature lower than I do. Could that be why I wonder?

Definitely sounds like the pull switch. I presume you mean that the lower temperature is the low power setting? If that’s the case, less current will be used - around 16 amps instead of the full power setting of 32 amps (assuming 8kW shower), and the switch won’t be affected as much.

Another sign to look out for is the red indicator on the switch. If this goes out when you turn your shower on, it usually indicates a problem on the neutral side of the switch.

Thank you Judd. I’m 99% sure that’s what it is. It’s such a massive relief to have got to the bottom of the problem - it’s almost driven me insane.

I feel so annoyed at the electrician who first came to my problem & told me I needed a new shower. He never even looked at the pully switch. I wish I could claim the money from him that I had to pay for a new shower but I only had his word verbally - I would need written proof!

Awful man - we’ve used him for years & he’s always been ok - maybe he’s going through a personal crisis.

I’ve texted him but he’s ignoring me now. I’ve also phoned but it’s gone to voice mail.
I hope he’s ashamed!!

Electricians should check the source of supply first (i.e. check the MCB for burning first), before moving on to the pull/wall switch, then finally, the shower itself.

I think I mentioned that as long as we have ours on the Low power setting it seems ok.
I’m sorry you’re having such a time of it.

I’ve noticed that the electric supply fluctuates, especially at this time of year when everyone is making tea (or other hot drinks and food) do you think that this might also be contributing to the shower cutting out Judd? Just a thought…
:017:

I shouldn’t think so - all the appliances would be affected if that were the case.

Yes But! Yes But! wouldn’t a faulty pull switch reduce the current even more…?
Do you think the flashing light before cut out suggests that overheating is taking place?

Yes. That’s what I’ve said all along. You can bet it’s the switch burning out that’s causing the problem. The switch will tend to arc as the current increases - using the shower on high, for example, but the switch can’t manage that much power going through it.

It’s best to get it looked at ASAP, as leaving it too long will cause damage to the cable and insulation, making the task of replacing the switch more difficult.

Yes I agree Judd, and considering replacing the switch would have been the cheapest option, and the first place I would have looked…
:+1:

1 Like

This is a long shot, but have you paid your water bill?

1 Like

Yes - we’re got an electrician coming to do it in the morning.
Fingers crossed. :thinking:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: @ Harbal!!

1 Like

The electrician has been & gone. He showed me the wire that had burned out.

I’m very relieved that the problem has been solved.

Thanks to everybody who helped me. :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes

You want to consider leaving your pull-switch on all the time - less wear and tear because switches tend to arc when switched off under load. I installed my pull-switch twenty years ago, and it’s never been switched off. The switch is there purely for isolation if work is needed on the shower unit proper.

1 Like

We have just always turned the power off after using the shower - same as we turn all the switches off at night - kettle, microwave, TV etc.

However I will take your advice Judd & leave it on to save wear and tear.

Just out of curiosity it would be interesting to know if anybody else turns the power off after use or if they leave it on permanently.