Very hot!
I have found the 45w pull switch in the bathroom gets very hot
while the shower is in use
Installed about a year ago, proper cable from RDC to switch then on to
shower
shower was new then too.
Should it really get this hot?
Oh, and this week it won't turn off anymore
but if I change the switch (expensive little buggers aint they)
will this happen again? whats the cause?
TIA
--
Vass
YZF-R1, CBR1000F
Beer is the answer, but I can't remember the question.

In article ,
"Vass" writes:
Very hot!
I have found the 45w pull switch in the bathroom gets very hot
while the shower is in use
Installed about a year ago, proper cable from RDC to switch then on to
shower
shower was new then too.
Should it really get this hot?
Oh, and this week it won't turn off anymore
but if I change the switch (expensive little buggers aint they)
will this happen again? whats the cause?

The shower draws a very high current, the highest of any of your
domestic appliances. All the connections need to be of the highest
quality. Any connection which isn't will generate heat. The heat
itself leads to deterioration of the connection making it rapidly
worse, generating even more heat. The bad connection could be one
of the cable connections, or it could be the switch contact. One
can often cause the other by conducting heat. Eventually you can
get a fire.

A shower switch is one switch where you really must buy a good
quality one. It will have better contacts, and better cable
connections than the cheap end of the range. If the cable has
got hot (which it probably has), it may need replacing too.
If you're lucky, there will be enough slack to cut the damaged
ends off and pull more through. You really want to avoid joining
this cable if possible, as that just introduces further points
where it might overheat. Make sure the copper conductors are
bright and shiney before you insert them into the terminals,
and do the screws up tight. It would be a good idea to check
the state of all the other connections on that circuit too,
including retightening the screws, and to recheck the tightness
of the new connections after a month or so.

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
You really want to avoid joining
this cable if possible, as that just introduces further points
where it might overheat. Make sure the copper conductors are
bright and shiney before you insert them into the terminals,
and do the screws up tight. It would be a good idea to check
the state of all the other connections on that circuit too,
including retightening the screws, and to recheck the tightness
of the new connections after a month or so.

thanks Andrew - there is a join in the garage (choc block) as I bought too
short a langth of cable, I will go buy a better switch and new cable this
morning and do the job properly
thanks again
--
Vass

6mm cable
45W switch
into 40 trip switch on fusebox
all ok?
--
Vass.

Vass wrote:

I have found the 45w pull switch in the bathroom gets very hot
while the shower is in use

Hmmm - maybe it's faulty?

Oh, and this week it won't turn off anymore

Hmmm - it's faulty.

David

In article ,
Vass wrote:
You really want to avoid joining
this cable if possible, as that just introduces further points
where it might overheat. Make sure the copper conductors are
bright and shiney before you insert them into the terminals,
and do the screws up tight. It would be a good idea to check
the state of all the other connections on that circuit too,
including retightening the screws, and to recheck the tightness
of the new connections after a month or so.

thanks Andrew - there is a join in the garage (choc block) as I bought
too short a langth of cable, I will go buy a better switch and new
cable this morning and do the job properly thanks again

A choc block is only satisfactory in a suitable flame proof enclosure.
Best to use a junction box designed for the job - they're not expensive.

However that won't cause the switch to overheat. Most likely cause is
loose switch terminals. Like all such things they should be tight - it's
pretty difficult to break them. So use a standard screwdriver with a blade
the same width as the screw - so called electricians types often aren't
suitable.

--
*According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Vass writes
6mm cable
45W switch
into 40 trip switch on fusebox
all ok?

If you're not at the shops already then 10mm2 would be more future proof:

6mm2 in free air or trunking is ok up to 8.5 kW but you can lose 5% of the
power in the cabling on a long run. If you have a run through insulation then
it should be 10 (or move it out of the insulation).
10mm2 is needed for 9kW or above and will lose less power to the cable.

Figures courtesy of TLC electrical:
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technica...ltageDrop.html

Rest looks fine if you're under 9kW
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

"fred" wrote in message ...
In article ,
Vass writes
6mm cable
45W switch
into 40 trip switch on fusebox
all ok?

If you're not at the shops already then 10mm2 would be more future proof:

6mm2 in free air or trunking is ok up to 8.5 kW but you can lose 5% of the
power in the cabling on a long run. If you have a run through insulation
then
it should be 10 (or move it out of the insulation).
10mm2 is needed for 9kW or above and will lose less power to the cable.

Thanks Fred
I was wrong, I have 10mm and the Shower is 10.5kW
I have opted for a switch to be situated outside the bathroom
that way the cable will run straight up from the garage to the airing
cupboard
which is next to the bathroom and where the back wall of the shower is
so becomes simple.
proposing then
10.5kW shower
10mm cable
45w switch
40 trip switch on RCD'd CU
--
Vass

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...

A choc block is only satisfactory in a suitable flame proof enclosure.
Best to use a junction box designed for the job - they're not expensive.


Thanks Dave
the Choc block is in a box butI will replace as suggested
until I get the cable replaced
Do you have a link so I know what to look for?
thanks
--
Vass

"Vass" wrote in message news:45bb2fea$0$8727

proposing then

correction 9,5kW shower
--
Vass

In article ,
Vass writes

Thanks Fred
I was wrong, I have 10mm and the Shower is 10.5kW
I have opted for a switch to be situated outside the bathroom
that way the cable will run straight up from the garage to the airing
cupboard
which is next to the bathroom and where the back wall of the shower is
so becomes simple.
proposing then
10.5kW shower
10mm cable
45w switch
40 trip switch on RCD'd CU

Ok, 10mm2 is fine unless it's passing through insulation, move it (cable or
ins) if it is. Real world load (the uk is really 240V, not yet 230V) is just shy
of 44A so switch is fine but breaker is a bit light. At 10% overload it won't
burst into flames and probably will never trip but an upgrade to 45A might
be something to add to the to-do list.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

In article ,
Vass writes
"Vass" wrote in message
news:45bb2fea$0$8727

proposing then

correction 9,5kW shower

Ok, breaker fine too then.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

Vass wrote:

the Choc block is in a box butI will replace as suggested
until I get the cable replaced
Do you have a link so I know what to look for?


http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AAJB60.html


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
Vass wrote:

the Choc block is in a box butI will replace as suggested
until I get the cable replaced
Do you have a link so I know what to look for?


http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AAJB60.html


ordered
thanks again to everyone for your assistance
very much appreciated
--
Vass

Vass wrote:

I have found the 45w pull switch in the bathroom gets very hot
while the shower is in use

Oh, and this week it won't turn off anymore

Once its at this point it may catch fire at any moment during use.


NT

wrote in message
ups.com...
Vass wrote:

I have found the 45w pull switch in the bathroom gets very hot
while the shower is in use

Oh, and this week it won't turn off anymore

Once its at this point it may catch fire at any moment during use.

glad I caught it then
removed, binned, replaced with wall switch
sorted
--
Vass