Domestic Electric Shower in a Hairdressers

[GQuigley67]

Having recently fitted an electric shower in a hairdressers, after I installed it I looked in MI's and seen that its designed for Domestic and not Light Commercial, obviously it will be getting used constantly in the hairdressers.

My question is, will this dramatically reduce the lifespan ? and will this invalidate the warranty ? ? the other electric shower is a domestic model i believe and so was the one that I replaced, although the one that I replaced was a Triton that lasted 6 months. Wish I checked before I bought but was a real busy day and the woman kept pestering me and expected me to drop everything i was doing and run to the rescue lol

 

[tackleburger]

Thing about electric showers under heavy use is the cable size, regardless of length of run and power you need to make it 10mm. As constant use means hot cable!! Other than that it just wont last as long. I had a cable burn out in a similar situation. A flat with too many occupants shower in use for an hour non stop. 6mm cable pretty much melted. Only 8.5 KW been fine for years until the Polish mob moved in.

 

[GQuigley67]

its a 8.5Kw model with 10mm cable with only around 0.5m from fused spur

will it invalidate the warranty though ? I'm guessing yes

 

[Blackcatgas]

Chill, stop worrying, it el be reeet! .

 

[tackleburger]

I should think it'll last a year.

 

[Paulus]

I have a hairdresser customer with two electric showers for the backwashers. Both 8.5KW Triton. I need to replace them about every two years and the guarantee isn't valid due to commercial use. The customer accepts this rather than paying vast amounts for a shower with a guarantee for commercial use, if you can find one.

 

[Pcplumb]

its a 8.5Kw model with 10mm cable with only around 0.5m from fused spur

I'm not a sparky but doesn't the cable need to be run back to the consumer unit? Not from a fused spur

 

[SimonJohns]

its a 8.5Kw model with 10mm cable with only around 0.5m from fused spur

will it invalidate the warranty though ? I'm guessing yes

How will that work off a fused spur. Max fuse rating you can get is 13 amp. The shower will be drawing about 30amps ?????


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[GQuigley67]

its not a fused spur sorry, just a switch, I tried to trace it back to the consumer unit but couldn't find the switch for it. It was her hubby who wired and plumbed everything in she claimed he was a spark but I doubt it I spoke to my sparky friend to check if it would be ok and he said it should be fine

 

[GQuigley67]

the shower would be drawing around 37amps, but the previous model was a 10.5kw with no problems so I replaced it with a smaller unit

 

[tamz]

Don't worry about it.

 

[Guest123]

Will be fine. If it's wired up ok, it will last fine. Seen showers in guest houses, yonks years old and in constant use with no problems. If you have to replace it further down the line, tell her then that she'll have to upgrade to a heavier duty model and give her a price.

 

[Kimou]

If it's downsized then the RCD might not trip before it overheats. You want to check that out and get it passed and ticketed, even more so in a commercial situation. Electric showers can be killers. I'd hate for any bad come from this due to you trying to do some good. Just think about that.

 

[GQuigley67]

what do you mean because I have put in a lower rating shower ? the existing 2 showers were 10.5kw, I replaced one with 8.5Kw. I couldn't trace the wiring back to the consumer unit it came down from the ceiling in a bit of trunken and went to a switch which isolated the 2 showers, no labels at consumer unit. Cable was 10mm to the shower, she says her hubby done the wiring and that he was a spark. What do you think of this installation ? I could recommend to her she gets it checked by a professional because I don't think her hubby is a spark to be honest

 

[Guest123]

Just tell her as you had no part in the installation of the electrics, you can only guarantee the water connection.

 

[Kimou]

Put it this way. you have 10.5kw protected by a breaker that is designed to allow enough power to give it full potential. If its design installation was correct. Now you've reduced the shower's power if the heat exchanger in that shower has a problem then the shower connections and casing can melt before the RCD reacts. Same as putting a 13A fuse in boiler spur. You're not protecting the circuit. I'm not a sparks, but this stuff is bloody dangerous and if you want to sleep at night get her to get it checked out or you make sure you disconnect it so you are in no way liable.
You seem to be a nice enough chap and I'd hate to hear of anything bad come your way. Someone can die through unintentional ignorance. Risk assessment for this should have the connection as a top priority. If you screw the connections too tight, if they're not bright copper it can cause failure and melting. You won't have a leg to stand on if the worst happens. I hope this scares you into doing something about it cz it scares the hell outta me. You've already stated you doubt the integrity of the original installer. And that doesn't matter anymore as you've updated it and are the last person to touch it. The law says you are responsible now.
I know won't touch them anymore.

 

[Gray0689]

If it worked fine with 10.5kw then it will be fine with 8.5kw

 

[Kimou]

Ok, fine. I'm just relaying an incident that happened to me which is my reasons for not touching them anymore. Though I will add that the mantra of this forum can be summed up with engineers doing work that their not qualified to do. Case in point, I rest my case.

 

[Gray0689]

Ok, fine. I'm just relaying an incident that happened to me which is my reasons for not touching them anymore. Though I will add that the mantra of this forum can be summed up with engineers doing work that their not qualified to do. Case in point, I rest my case.

Lol bit touchy Mate time of month isit

 

[Kimou]

Has it got a seperate 10mm earth running back also? It should have. If it's not passed in a commercial environment then there'll be hell to pay and they will be using it a lot more than it's designed for. These are all very good reasons not to connect it. The plumber has done his duty. Connections are someone else's issue.

 

[Gray0689]

I don't really care what it's got
It's fitted now if it burns the place down you can say I told you so lol

 

[Kimou]

Lol bit touchy Mate time of month isit

Not in a month of bloody Sundays

I'm sure you know me enough by now that I like a joke as good as the next. And yes, reading back my reply it is a bit PMT'ish. Though, I think it a good thing to have varying opinions around to help someone make up their mind with an informed decision.
No offence intended if any is taken.

 

[Gray0689]

Non whatsoever mate

Technically your spot on but as I see it if the bigger kw worked fine then don't really see a problem but that's just my opinion

 

[GQuigley67]

a spark told me it would be ok although he didn't obviously see the installation itself, i'll take your points seriously though kimou and i have told the misses to tell her boss to get the wiring checked by an electrical contractor if her hubby isnt a qualified spark which i think he isnt

 

[Kimou]

Good man, you know it makes sense. Now at least you're covered. And that's what matters.