My CU has no spare ways, but I'm putting in an electric shower. I
happened to have one of these lying about:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...99711&id=90026
It was going cheap at B&Q a few months ago.

Can this be installed alongside the existing CU to provide for the
shower circuit? If so how are the connections made to "piggy back" it?
The cable to the 9.5kw shower (which is only about two metres from the
CU) is 10mm stuff but this is a 63A unit, so surely it needs some
further protection in the form of an MCB?

I think it's time to call out an electrician, but I'd like to know
what's what before I do.

O
Can this be installed alongside the existing CU to provide for the
shower circuit? If so how are the connections made to "piggy back" it?
The cable to the 9.5kw shower (which is only about two metres from the
CU) is 10mm stuff but this is a 63A unit, so surely it needs some
further protection in the form of an MCB?

I think it's time to call out an electrician, but I'd like to know
what's what before I do.


Normally the meter tails are split via a henley block, rather like a large
junction box.One set goes to the existing cu and the others go to the
shower cu. You really need a RCD & MCB combined enclosure, virtually a 2
way cu as you suspect.

Dave

This is the Screwfix block
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...06301&id=11497

THis the Screwfix shower enclosure

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...06301&id=69659

On 19 Jul 2006 02:10:03 -0700 someone who may be "Martin Pentreath"
wrote this:-

My CU has no spare ways, but I'm putting in an electric shower.

To add to what has already been said. Do you see a need for any more
circuits than the shower one? If so then it may be worth getting a
consumer unit fitted that has a few spare ways. Getting something a
little larger and leaving part of it spare is more effective than
constantly adding small things. You would then wire the shower via
the RCD unit you already have.

If you are certain that all you want is a shower then you should be
able to find an enclosure that will take the RCD unit you already
have, along with a fuse or MCB to provide overcurrent protection.
You would then discard the enclosure you already have. However, I
would want to look at short circuit currents and a few other things
before connecting the unit in such an arrangement.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Many thanks for helpful advice. As what I have isn't much use on its
own I think I'll follow David's suggestion and just upgrade the CU.