Advice please - Power Shower supply showing 75V

[Shrapnel]

Hi Y'all,

I've just stumbled across your forum. (I'm enjoying all the pictures of the nightmare installs etc). I wonder if anyone can help me please?

My power shower has just stopped working this morning. When pressing the power button I get nothing from the unit. No power light or sounds of life. There is a light on to the isolator switch outside the bathroom.

I checked the voltage going into the power shower and it's only 75 volts! What can cause this? (We had a new consumer unit fitted about two weeks ago).

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Has your shower been working at all since the board change?

 

[Shrapnel]

Yep, worked fine until this morning.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Okies,

What method have you taken to measure 75v (what location, and what terminals)?

 

[Shrapnel]

I put a multimeter across the red and black wires running into the unit. Part of the install was to fasten these into the 'chocky-block' inside the shower. I checked the voltages on both sides of the 'chocky-block'.

I did note that when the isolator pull cord switch (outside the shower) was in the 'off position' there was a small voltage (approx 10v) across the wires.

Also, I should mention that the electrician who did the consumer unit also installed trunking for the cableing from the consumer unit to the power shower. Previously it had just been tacked to the wall - running along the outside of it.

Thanks for your input so far.

 

[telectrix]

try measuring live/earth. if you get 230, then you have a lost neutral. this frequently gives rise to lower voltage readings across live/neutral.

 

[camerabloke]

Agreed, bet you the shower pull cord is burnt out on the neutral

 

[Shrapnel]

Progress : live/Earth = 230V , Netrual/Earth = 196v . Live/Neutral = 75V (as previously stated)

Lost Neutral then. So - how can I track down the location of the lost Neutral? Should I measure the voltages going into the pull cord from the consumer unit? Or should I simply start with replacing the pull-cord?

Thanks again.

 

[Sintra]

Isolate the circuit and open pull cord to check for signs of burning on the neutral conductor.

 

[nickblake]

Agreed with the guys sounds like a lost neutral ,as its a power shower and drawing lower current that a normal self heating shower it may be not as easy to spot any burning , not saying there wont be , check the switch and see if you have the same reading each side of the switch then check the connection on the new board if the circuit tails were extended it could well be a loose joint , so check all connections , could even be a fault on the supply

 

[pushrod]

Isolate the circuit and open pull cord to check for signs of burning on the neutral conductor.

Agree - had a similar thing the other week just down to loose neutral terminal.

 

[Shrapnel]

Thank everyone. My shower is an electric shower, not a power shower. Sorry for mis-leading you. Therefore I'll go looking for signs of burning and check the supply between the shower and the new board.

 

[telectrix]

as above. work back from shower pump to board till you find 230 L/N. then you're there (theoretically).

 

[nickblake]

Thank everyone. My shower is an electric shower, not a power shower. Sorry for mis-leading you. Therefore I'll go looking for signs of burning and check the supply between the shower and the new board.

Ah in that case check the switch bet its burnt out a terminal , did you or have you smelt a wiard fishy smell over the past few days thats the first tell tail sign

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Agreed, bet you the shower pull cord is burnt out on the neutral

Beat me to it