I need help with an electric shower wire which is too short

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

We had our bathroom renovated about 10 years ago and the original builder had left the shower wire too short and i didnt bother to get it fixed right away as we had another shower in the new loft extension done by the same builder around the same time. A few years go by and i then decided to ask someone to have a look and suprisingly no one had a simple answer i dont know if the electricians in my area are no good or it genuinely is a difficult or risky thing to do. to this day i have not found anyone who wants to do it so i have come here to get a better idea of what i could do or what is the best option. The bathroom has been tiled and there is a bath tub under where the shower is meant to be. Sorry if ive not given enough information im not very clued up when it comes to bathroom wiring or any wiring really.

Rockingit · May 14, 2021

I think we need some more information here - what type of cable, where is it and how short is short?!

Some pics might help if you can post some.

Spoon · May 14, 2021

The best option is to replace the cable for a longer one from the shower isolator to the shower. This would possible mean removing tiles to get to the shower. But as the cable is too short to reach the shower now then it looks like tiles will have to be removed anyhow.
Is the shower fitted now?
What size shower?
What is on the other side of the wall where the shower is (or to be fitted)

Rockingit · May 14, 2021

Spoon said:
The best option is to replace the cable for a longer one from the shower isolator to the shower. This would possible mean removing tiles to get to the shower. But as the cable is too short to reach the shower now then it looks like tiles will have to be removed anyhow.
Is the shower fitted now?
What size shower?
What is on the other side of the wall where the shower is (or to be fitted)

There is of course the possibility that the existing cable wasn't clipped inside it's short run inside a stud wall - in which case with a huge amount of luck and patience you can sometimes use the old one as a draw to pull in a new one.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Rockingit said:
I think we need some more information here - what type of cable, where is it and how short is short?!

Some pics might help if you can post some.

Will get some pics as soon as possible im not at home at the moment. Sorry.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Spoon said:
The best option is to replace the cable for a longer one from the shower isolator to the shower. This would possible mean removing tiles to get to the shower. But as the cable is too short to reach the shower now then it looks like tiles will have to be removed anyhow.
Is the shower fitted now?
What size shower?
What is on the other side of the wall where the shower is (or to be fitted)

Shower has not been fitted and behind where the shower is meant to go is the outside of the house.

Spoon · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
Shower has not been fitted and behind where the shower is meant to go is the outside of the house.

As @Rockingit has mentioned, is it a solid wall?
Has an isolator been fitted?
What size cable?

telectrix · May 14, 2021

one way or another it can be sorted, but a site visit would be needed to ascertain the best way without ~~dynamite~~ excessive disruption. i could manage that, but it's right on the edge of my travelling distance.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Rockingit · May 14, 2021

looks to be an easy job to be honest! Chisel out some more of the block around the cable for access, three crimp n shrinks and job done.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Rockingit said:
looks to be an easy job to be honest! Chisel out some more of the block around the cable for access, three crimp n shrinks and job done.

What kind of crimps?

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
What kind of crimps?

Are they called crimp n shrinks?

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
Are they called crimp n shrinks?

Sorry if i sound dumb ?

telectrix · May 14, 2021

you would need 6.0mm insulated crimps (yellow ones). but they would need to be securely crimped as they will be carrying c. 40A, so must be as tight as a duck's arse. (I'm assuming 6mm cable from your pics ).

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

telectrix said:
you would need 6.0mm insulated crimps (yellow ones). but they would need to be securely crimped as they will be carrying c. 40A, so must be as tight as a duck's arse. (I'm assuming 6mm cable from your pics ).

Ok thanks for the info

littlespark · May 14, 2021

The “shrink” part of crimp n shrink is heat shrink sleeving.

it goes around the crimped cables, and when heated will shrink and pull tight against cable and crimps, just for added safety. Much more robust than insulating tape.

it is a simple job for someone with the right tools. As mentioned, you could have 40A running through it, and you don’t want to be in the shower when that joint suddenly fails.

telectrix · May 14, 2021

freeze his goolies off when it goes cold.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

littlespark said:
The “shrink” part of crimp n shrink is heat shrink sleeving.

it goes around the crimped cables, and when heated will shrink and pull tight against cable and crimps, just for added safety. Much more robust than insulating tape.

it is a simple job for someone with the right tools. As mentioned, you could have 40A running through it, and you don’t want to be in the shower when that joint suddenly fails.

Ok that makes sense thank you

Spoon · May 14, 2021

You would also need to put some decent heatshrink around all the joints and both cables.

loz2754 · May 14, 2021

That's 10mm twin and earth. Stranded 4mm CPC.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

loz2754 said:
That's 10mm twin and earth. Stranded 4mm CPC.

So would need 10mm crimps not 6mm?

littlespark · May 14, 2021

Yes.... and they don’t come insulated, so definitely heat shrink over them

SEPARATELY

loz2754 · May 14, 2021

10mm through crimps for the brown and blue. 4mm insulated yellow crimp for the CPC (bare earth conductor).
And a crimping tool appropriate for the type and size of each crimp.

timhoward · May 14, 2021

You also need to consider if It might actually be cheaper to get someone in to do it as you'd need:
-a short section of 10mm T+E (and probably have to buy more than you want)
-2 x 10mm crimps
-1 x insulated 4mm crimp
Heat shrinking in various sizes
6mm earth sleeving
+ Crimping tool if you don't have one

It all adds up!

pc1966 · May 14, 2021

This is probably pushing DIY limits, as you will need the proper crimp tool and some means of heating the heat-shrink. An electric paint stripper gun can be used for that with great care as they can also melt PVC insulation and destroy it.

loz2754 · May 14, 2021

And don't forget a multifunction tester to test the Zs and RCD trip times once the shower is installed.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

timhoward said:
You also need to consider if It might actually be cheaper to get someone in to do it as you'd need:
-a short section of 10mm T+E (and probably have to buy more than you want)
-2 x 10mm crimps
-1 x insulated 4mm crimp
Heat shrinking in various sizes
6mm earth sleeving
+ Crimping tool if you don't have one

It all adds up!

Yh i was thinking that as i also wouldnt know if ive crimped it properly and stuff like that anyone know how much i should be paying for a job like this?

pc1966 · May 14, 2021

If you have space to put it in, and it is definitely away from any water, but you have some means of accessing it for any maintenance, then something like this junction box is a better bet:

60A Junction Box 3 Terminal White

A selected range of special purpose moulded and stainless steel accessories

www.cef.co.uk

If it were me and I could somehow get the cable in the roof space above it, then using something like that and a longer run of new wire down to the shower would be easier.

littlespark · May 14, 2021

Would it be an idea to fit the shower unit higher?
It might be simpler extending the water pipe up, than the cable down.

loz2754 · May 14, 2021

littlespark said:
Would it be an idea to fit the shower unit higher?
It might be simpler extending the water pipe up, than the cable down.

Good suggestion

timhoward · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
Yh i was thinking that as i also wouldnt know if ive crimped it properly and stuff like that anyone know how much i should be paying for a job like this?

You will get a variety of opinions on this!
Mine is that if you can find someone very local who doesn't charge more for 1st hour because it's local, it's less than an hours work to just extend the cable. £45 -£70 bracket.

littlespark said:
Would it be an idea to fit the shower unit higher?
It might be simpler extending the water pipe up, than the cable down.

I wondered that earlier too. A John Guest coupler and away you go...

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

littlespark said:
Would it be an idea to fit the shower unit higher?
It might be simpler extending the water pipe up, than the cable down.

Great idea how have i not thought of that already. So i would just need to make a chanel in the tile for the cable and just extend the water pipe instead which is much safer i assume.

littlespark · May 14, 2021

You’ll just need to chisel away enough brick away to get a push fit coupler over the pipe.
Don’t let any chips of brick enter the end of the pipe.

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
View attachment 85731

This is where the shower was meant to go

loz2754 · May 14, 2021

Ahh. Looks like there's no headroom to go any higher. Back to plan A.

timhoward · May 14, 2021

Is left hand section designed for rear entry, and could you actually move it down?

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

timhoward said:
Is left hand section designed for rear entry, and could you actually move it down?

You mean where the wires are meant to go in?

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz · May 14, 2021

Umarhafiz said:
View attachment 85734 View attachment 85735

1st pic is front 2nd pic is back of unit

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