Dividing showers by 240? Whaaaaa?

[rocker]

It's been mentioned on here, though I don't know if it's a bit tounge-in-cheek, that showers can be divided by 240v when rating. Is this true? And if so, how come?

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Are you on about design current?

It's common for manufacturers to stick with 240V when they provide the rating of their equipment.

for example, they make a shower that works at 30Amps. They then have to provide it's power rating. If they use 240V, they can say its 7.2kW. Whilst if they used 230V, it would be 6.9kW.

Now if you put your product on the market, having switched to 230V, and your competitors stick to 240V. Although the showers are the same and both pull 30Amp, customers will see that one is 6.9kW whilst the other is 7.2kW so if they are the same price they are likely to think that the 7.2kW is the better value for money.

 

[rocker]

Whoa, so in actual fact I can rate a 9.5kW shower at a little under 40A? Is that correct?

I think I've replaced a lot of 6mm that didn't nbeed replacing in my time

 

[telectrix]

eggsactly. just what i was saying. never seen a 10kw pull more than 40A. usually nearer 36A. i have got a 9.5kw pulls no more than 37A on any setting. it's on 6mm and i've had temp. sensor on cable and the warmest it's ever been was 52deg. centigrade.

 

[rocker]

Blows my mind!

 

[telectrix]

all you have to watch out for is when the 6mm cable is smothered in itchy poo.