Fitting an electric Shower

[BreenM]

my girlfriend has just had a new bathroom fitted. Part of this was the installation of a new electric shower (she's never had one fitted before). I'm a bit concerend about the way it's been wired. Does it need to have a separate fuse included now for this?
The wires just appear to go into the top of the consumer unit but I don't know what it's connected to. it looks like it might just be connected to the main on-switch on it. in fact the sheathing around the wiring has been stripped back and showing the brown and blue wires where it goes into the box. Secondly the power cable coming down from the shower just hangs loose in the downstairs cupboard. Should this be put in trunking? finally part of the wired wouting involves the cable just lying under the stair carpet so can be stood on. i know that is dangerous but is any part of this illegal?

The guy is coming out sat to look at some other minor problems but I want to challenge him on this stuff so any advice in simple terms would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Buenchico]

There are others on here (e.g. Raysparx) who know far more about wiring regulations than I do, so I'll leave it to them to respond to each of your individual points.

However, since the shower installation has not been a simple 'like for like' replacement (i.e. it's required the installation of a new circuit to the consumer unit), the law requires that you must notify the local council's Building Control officer about the installation.

You need to ask the 'electrician' (although he doesn't seem to be worthy of the title) whether he's both qualified and registered under an appropriate scheme. If he is (which seems unlikely!) the operator of the relevant scheme will send you a Buildings Regulations compliance certificate.

If the 'electrician' is appropriately qualified (irrespective of whether he's registered with a relevant scheme) he should provide you with a signed BS 7671 electrical safety certificate. However, if he's not registered, you'll still need to get the Building Control officer to inspect the work and check that it meets the legal requirements (which I very much doubt that it does).

As I stated at the beginning of this post, I'll let others deal with the finer points of the wiring regulations but my feeling is that the guy's work shouts 'Cowboy' even louder than if he'd actually turned up on horseback, wearing a Stetson and toting a six-shooter ;-)

Chris

[buildersmate]

To add some of the technical requirements to Chris' excellent answer:
The shower must be on a separate circuit (it appears to be from what you said).
The shower must have its own MCB (miniature circuit breaker) in the consumer unit
It's advisable (though not compulsory) that it is also protected by an RCD.
There must be a double-pole pull switch which breaks the live and neutral connections located somewhere outside the room where someone using the shower can't reach it
This sounds like it has been wired by a cowboy - it must be done by an electrician able to self-certify the job, or a Building Control application should have been made so it can be inspected / signed-off.

[terence7556]

if the cable does not have a separate earth cable it must be R.C.D. protected as per the 17th edition.(it should not have a separate earth because that was the system of protection under the 16th edition). the bathroom is considered a "special location" and has different rules compared to the rest of the property i.e. no sockets (please do not come back with a comment about the 3metre rule).
on the points of technique you mentione,d the outer grey insulation must be taken into a fitting/consumer unit when terminating and it is not safe to tuck a cable under the carpet or to have it exposed.
to give you an idea of the potential harm you face i recently had an inspect and test on my new extension that also included my 10 year test on the rest of the property and i know i have a 60 A service fuse. i expressed concern about this to the spark, a mate and he measured all my electrical load. everything in the house at once, the whole lot. out of a 83A full load ,a 9.5 kw shower was pulling nearly 40A.the biggest single item so please do not take any chances with your installation
ask him about your concerns and don,t be put off (try not to lose your temper).if he cant prove that what he has done is safe, tell him you will report him to the building control/trading standards/watchdog whatever, and try to get your money back because i think you will be paying another electrician soon, if only for peace of mind

[the-knobb]

Well all I can say is that from what you say he has done a complete and utter dangerous bodge.

He was not polish by any chance was he? as I have seen some of the bodges that these so called qualified people have bodged.

Please do not use this shower as it is totally dangerous, please get a proper electrician in ASAP and if you owe him any money do not pay it

[the-knobb]

Also if this so called electrician has bodged the shower up as dangerous as this then I suggest that you get the rest of the work checked as well.

I have over 30 years experience in the trade and I cant emphasise how dangerous this could if it is wired up as you have explained

[BreenM]

Thanks guys for more than i expected great advice. It's times like these i wish I was in the building trade myself and new these things. He's coming out tomorrow so hopefully things will get sorted when I point out all these potential dangerous flaws.

[the-knobb]

Potential lethal more like breenm

[No,Knowledge]

finally part of the wired routing involves the cable just lying under the stair carpet so can be stood on.

__________________________________________
just by reading that bit ^
i don't think you need to know anything about building work or electrical work to realise this bloke is an idiot

excuse me if i pmsl (because as stated this is dangerous) but please tell me he has not gone up a riser along a tread all way up the stairs????

i know that sounds ridiculous but i know someone who did that with 15mm copper pipe to get water upstairs.

[LCDMAN]

Deadly and dangerous - this cowboy obviously has no idea what he is doing. Should be shot - giving us real sparks a bad name. Ditch him and get someone decent in. Check they are registered with one of the Part P schemes at the competent persons website.

http://www.competentperson.co.uk/

[A-anonymouse]

Who switched the bloody lights owt