Stuart wrote:

On Fri, 14 Apr 2006 20:38:47 +0100, John White
wrote:

Stuart wrote:

My present electric shower is presently powered by a 45 A Fused Connection Unit
near to the CU and then has a pullcord switch mounted near the shower . As part
of my bathroom renovation I am putting in 10mm cable and will either replace the
existing 6mm or juust leave it in place for future use to avoid any upheaval
,probably the former .
What I was wondering ( but not necessarily adopting) was whether the pullcord
switch is really necessary .Could the shower not be operated by using the switch
on the FCU when the shower was to be used ?....just a thought .

You need an isolator between the supply and your shower unit. This is
a very specific sort of switch. Regulation 537-02-02 has the details
but in this case you need a suitably rated switch that breaks both the
Live and Neutral conductors and which has a mechanical indicator
showing when an appropriate contact gap has been achieved.

The switch on your FCU might be such an isolator - the pull switch
will almost certainly be one. It's also considered good practice to
put the isolator where it can be supervised by anybody working on the
circuit in order to guard against the equipment being switched on
while it is being worked on.

I've just realised that I misled you by saying FCU when I mean a Wylex type 104
45 A Switchfuse like this one only it is lower rated .I'm not sure that it is DP
as I can't see that either on the unit or in any description .It had the
original cartridge fuse replaced by an MCB

http://www.ryness.co.uk/ProductDetai... roductID=1779

The main switch is a double-pole isolator the MCB is not.

I would still keep the pull switch.

John

--
John White,
Electrical Contractor