Electric shower problem - any electricians out there?? 😊

[Happydaze2]

We are a household of 4 adults with one shower between us that’s in daily high demand! It’s a 10.5kw Redring Glow shower and we’ve been v happy with it - but lately it keeps cutting out/tripping. Have discovered that it is only being supported by a 32 amp fuse whereas internet research suggests 10.5 kw showers need a 45 amp. Is that the problem and if so is it an easy thing to fix? (I am totally ignorant so apologies if it’s a stupid question.)

Most likely the cable will need to be replaced by a heavier grade, and then the MCB can be upgraded to match.

Please post a photo of your consumer unit ("fusebox") close enough to read the labels.

How is the hot tapwater heated?

@PigletJohn thank you for replying.
We have a hot water tank heated by our condensing boiler

Hot water from the cylinder and heated by the boiler costs about a quarter the price of electrically heated water, so consider a pumped shower when you are weighing up the cost of upgrading the electrical circuit.

I notice the shower MCB appears to be a replacement fitted after the CU. I hope it is not a repurposed Immersion Heater circuit.

The MCB is there to protect the cable as much the appliance. The maximum load before an MCB trips is the rating X mains voltage, in this case 32A x 230V = 7360W = 7.4kW. As soon as your shower tries to draw more than 7.4kW the MCB will trip. You need to get an electrician in to check that the cable is sized to supply 10.5kW, only if the cable is correctly sized can the MCB be uprated.

In the meantime try to put a lower demand on the shower, either turn the flow down a bit or the temperature, or both. The incoming water temp is colder during the winter so the shower is having to work harder to get to 38C.

@PigletJohn we have decided that a shower that draws on our hot water isn’t viable - basically we’d be running down the supply almost every time so would need to have the hot water on constant. As you say it’s a weighing up of pros and cons….
No, it isn’t a repurposed immersion heater circuit.
@Daftasabroom yes, that makes sense. I will get an electrician in asap.

Many thanks to both of you for your help.