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Original poster

My shower has just tripped the fuse box and I am absolutely broke and in a panic!

21 replies

Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:19

Any ideas what might be wrong?

Dd turned the shower on to use it..It worked for two seconds and then all the electrics on the second part of the fuse box went off. Through isolation I worked out it was the shower that tripped it so I've turned that one off and all the others back on.

Any idea what might need fixing or how much it might cost?

Seriously in a panic as on a tight budget and this may screw it up! :(

Thanks..

OP posts:
evertonmint · 09/09/2014 19:22

I'd try again - sometimes it can trip once and never do it again so you may get lucky.

Do you have lights in/near shower? A dead light bulb always trips my switches on fuse board.

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:24

I've tried it on and off a few times - nothing, shower works for a second and trips it out again. There wasn't a light on at the time but I guess that may be a possible! I'm on my own with the kids tonight as dh is working late and i'm worried I'm going to set fire to something!

OP posts:
randomkeckwasher · 09/09/2014 19:24

When my shower did this it had too low a fuse rating in the box when they put a new shower in.

You need PigletJohn LOL

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:25

I wondered that re the fuse but we've had the shower 2 years so I thought that would have happened if it was fairly new???

Thanks for the replies.

Wails for piglet John! :)

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 09/09/2014 19:29

I suppose it is an electric shower. How old is it?

What is written on the thing that trips? Letters and numbers? e.g. B40, or 30mA? Does it have a button marked "T" or "Test?"

When it trips, do other lights and sockets also go off?

Was the washing machine or kettle running at the same time?

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:42

Oh wow that was quick! Hello... switch says "B32" ... Shower is an electric - triton berlize. Nothing else upstairs was on at the time, washing machine or kettle not on. The only thing that was on was the tv downstairs which remained on as on a different circuit.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:43

There is a button marked "T" but it relates to the whole of the right hand side of the switch board, not specifically to the shower switch if that makes sense.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 09/09/2014 19:44

replacement shower of that type under £100. They are a consumable.

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 19:51

Special - I don't even have more than £40 really. I am hoping it's something daft or a wire or fuse...! £100 is a weeks food to us. We already spent our £5k savings replacing the roof last year that insurance wouldn't cover. Gulp.

OP posts:
roneik · 09/09/2014 19:56

Hey if the fuse is tripping don't use the shower. We are talking kilowatts .

That sort of current kills instantly . Get an electrician please don't use the shower could be internal leak and could be fatal

roneik · 09/09/2014 20:00

A shower is wired into it's own fuse at the consumer unit as it is a high wattage. That's why you have a ceiling pull cord for safety. Please don't use the shower

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 20:01

Thanks - don't worry I won't risk using the shower. I've left the shower trip switch off. Don't want to kill anyone!

The shower wouldn't work even if we wanted it to (not that we would! ) as it just trips the switch off again which turns it off.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 09/09/2014 20:01

Appreciate the issue - but sorry, but in that case you'll have to do without the shower until you can replace it. It will cost far more to repair it.

not worth the risk!

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 20:04

Thanks. I'm just so upset. It's all money after money after money :(

I've phoned the plumber / electrician we use to come and have a look (he's not rung back yet) and i'm looking at new showers online... its the cost to fit as well as replace the unit as well. Fuck it. Bloody houses.

OP posts:
roneik · 09/09/2014 20:09

It will probably be on the same circuit as the electric cooker , Very similar wattage , similar cabling. You don't mess about with things like showers or cookers , if they trip continuously then something is shorting. Both will kill you if you don't respect that fact. I am not being dramatic please dont use the shower please

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 20:14

Ron thank you but I'm not going to use the shower.Smile, don't worry. I just want to know if it is fixable / how much roughly it might cost / if someone has had the same problem and it was fixed.

OP posts:
roneik · 09/09/2014 20:15

Sorry didn't see your post saying you cant use. Was just worried you might use the shower ,

roneik · 09/09/2014 20:17

Well all the plumbing and electrics are there , a triniton shower can be bought for about a hundred quid or less . It then needs to be plumbed in and the wired . I would hazard a guess at 200 to 250 sqids

Original poster
Fairylea · 09/09/2014 20:39

Gulp. :(

Okay thank you for the ball park figure.

I will have to sell one of my kidneys. ....

OP posts:
roneik · 09/09/2014 20:52

It's only a guess and my guess included the shower unit. I plumbed and wired one in a property I owned a few years back. If the wiring is there and the plumbing it's not a massive job. I did have a friend to check it out afterwards who was an electrician. I would try and get a similar replacement so the the plumbing lines up. the wiring can be tweeked but plumbing side in a restricted place may cost more if it has to be modified

roneik · 09/09/2014 20:56

That's asumming plumbing is concealed behind the tiling. If it's external probably cost less

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