Tough Guy no. 1265 wrote:
On Sat, 12 Dec 2015 10:27:11 -0000, Mike Humphrey
wrote:
Graham. wrote:
On Fri, 11 Dec 2015 23:29:35 -0000, "Tough Guy no. 1265"
wrote:

Had a look around on t'internet, seems to be no real reason to
have a shower cord in the bathroom. Why does it need to be
switched off any more than any other appliance? Apart from
maintainence once a decade, in which case you pull the fuse in the
fusebox.

Doesn't have to be a pullcord, can be a dolly switch outside the
bathroom.
I don't trust pullcord switches, even if they have a mechanical
tell-tail, so I would always isolate upstream as well.

Every appliance needs an isolator, and an isolator must isolate all
live conductors - that is both line and neutral. It also needs to be
either near enough the appliance that someone working on the
appliance can see (and stop!) somone going to turn it back on, or it
needs a lock. So the fuse in the main fusebox doesn't count - it's
single pole and out of sight (in practice with a fuse you can pull
the fuse and put it in your pocket, but it's still single pole and
technically not an
isolator).

For most appliances, they have a plug. Unplugging meets all the
requirements for isolation. Appliances that don't have an accessible
plug need an isolator switch. That's usually a rocker switch in an
appropriate rating mounted next to the appliance. These aren't
allowed in a bathroom, though, so you have three choices:
a) A pull-cord isolator in the bathroom
b) A rocker switch isolator outside the bathroom, but still within
sight of someone working on the shower.
c) An isolator outside the bathroom that can be locked out.

The default choice seems to be a, though I would argue b is better if
possible.

But why does it need to be isolated on a regular basis? With day to
day operation, you switch off the shower with the switch on the
shower itself. On the very rare occasion you need to repair or
replace the shower, you simply remove the fuse from the fusebox, or
switch off its breaker. Consider a television set, you don't unplug
it or switch it off at the wall unless you're trying to
replace/repair/move it.


phucker = prick