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

[Umarhafiz]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

 

[Rockingit]

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]

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]

What kind of crimps?

Are they called crimp n shrinks?

 

[Umarhafiz]

Are they called crimp n shrinks?

Sorry if i sound dumb ?

 

[telectrix]

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]

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]

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]

freeze his goolies off when it goes cold.

 

[Umarhafiz]

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]

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

 

[loz2754]

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