Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement (thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have bought a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

On Jan 8, 9:28*pm, "John" wrote:
Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement *(thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have bought a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

wrote in message
...
On Jan 8, 9:28 pm, "John" wrote:
Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement (thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have bought
a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

Thanks - perhaps it is butyl - but I will replace it as the ends seem a bit
brittle.

Incidentally - do I need a fused (13 amp) outlet - or is it better to fit a
20 amp switch?

On Jan 8, 9:45*pm, "John" wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Jan 8, 9:28 pm, "John" wrote:

Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement (thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have bought
a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

Thanks - perhaps it is butyl - but I will replace it as the ends seem a bit
brittle.

Incidentally - do I need a fused (13 amp) outlet - or is it better to fit a
20 amp switch?

I prefer a 13 amp local fuse, and the MCB should be RCD protected at
the Consumer's Unit.

wrote in message
...
On Jan 8, 9:45 pm, "John" wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Jan 8, 9:28 pm, "John" wrote:

Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is
a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement (thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have
bought
a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

Thanks - perhaps it is butyl - but I will replace it as the ends seem a
bit
brittle.

Incidentally - do I need a fused (13 amp) outlet - or is it better to fit
a
20 amp switch?

I prefer a 13 amp local fuse, and the MCB should be RCD protected at
the Consumer's Unit.

Can you find any reg that says you need an RCD for this? (assuming not a TT
supply)

Adam

On Jan 8, 10:02*pm, "ARWadworth"
wrote:
wrote in message

...
On Jan 8, 9:45 pm, "John" wrote:





wrote in message

...
On Jan 8, 9:28 pm, "John" wrote:

Checked it out tonight and found that it was the switch in the airing
cupboard that had failed on the neutral side.

The circuit is fed by a 16amp MCB. The switched spur that has failed is
a
Compactum.

Any recommendations for a replacement (thinking MK)

Also it is wired in PVC Flex between the switched /fused outlet and the
immersion heater. Is there something better (years ago I would have
bought
a
length of asbestos insulated flex.)

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

Thanks - perhaps it is butyl - but I will replace it as the ends seem a
bit
brittle.

Incidentally - do I need a fused (13 amp) outlet - or is it better to fit
a
20 amp switch?

I prefer a 13 amp local fuse, and the MCB should be RCD protected at
the Consumer's Unit.

Can you find any reg that says you need an RCD for this? (assuming not a TT
supply)

Adam- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No. But I would take a best practise, belt and braces approach to the
job personally

Contactum I think you'll find. Replace with another Contactum -
perfectly good make. The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

Of course - Contactum as in Contacts. Like MK originated from
"Multi -Kontact" in the days of round pin plugs.

wrote:

The flex to the element is probably "butyl" heat
resist, and should be retained, or replaced with the same. It's
generally 85 centigrade rated.

That's interesting. I've just swapped out my heating pump, and as the
existing cable was a bit short - got in the way of the washing in the
airing cupboard - used a bit of PVC cable I had lying around. Should I
swap it? Pumps do get a bit warm!

Andy

On Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:32:36 +0000 someone who may be Andy Champ
wrote this:-

That's interesting. I've just swapped out my heating pump, and as the
existing cable was a bit short - got in the way of the washing in the
airing cupboard - used a bit of PVC cable I had lying around. Should I
swap it? Pumps do get a bit warm!

The instructions for the pump (many of these are available on-line)
will undoubtedly say to use at least 85C flex for the connection to
the pump.


--
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

David Hansen wrote:
On Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:32:36 +0000 someone who may be Andy Champ
wrote this:-

That's interesting. I've just swapped out my heating pump, and as the
existing cable was a bit short - got in the way of the washing in the
airing cupboard - used a bit of PVC cable I had lying around. Should I
swap it? Pumps do get a bit warm!

The instructions for the pump (many of these are available on-line)
will undoubtedly say to use at least 85C flex for the connection to
the pump.


OK thanks.

The pump was free (off freecycle) and I don't have any instructions! I
can't find them either (except one that tells me to install it with the
shaft horizontal - which it is!)

If you could point me at some instructions I'd be grateful.

Andy

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:03:31 +0000 someone who may be Andy Champ
wrote this:-

If you could point me at some instructions I'd be grateful.

To find them on-line I would use a search engine to find the web
site of a large manufacturer, such as Grundfoss and look for a
similar pump. The names of other manufacturers can be found by
looking up an on-line shop, like Screwfix, which sometimes contain
links to the instructions for the pumps they sell.

I suspect you could do this just as well as I could.


--
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