Shower Cord Switch Challenge.

Why is it that some people have this compululsion to operate the shower switch when it is there solely to isolate the shower for servicing etc (or might be used urgently if a problem arises) otherwise it should be left well alone.

and the shower tray filled with water and was about to flood the floor. 

Perhaps due to the ‘plug hole’ being partially blocked?

   - Andy.

I think that some shower trays have a bell syphon in them so the filling starts unimpeded then once a certain level is reached the syphon starts. It might panic a few people as it gets nearer the full up mark

Jaymack: 
20.9 The operating member of a cord-operated switch shall have adequate strength.
Compliance is checked on a new specimen by the following test:
The switch is mounted on a support as in normal use.
A pull of 100 N is applied for 1 min on the operating member as in normal use, after which a
pull of 50 N is applied for 1 min in the most unfavourable direction within a conical surface with the centre being the operating cord and the angle not exceeding 80 ° to the vertical.
After the test the switch shall show no damage within the meaning of this standard. The operating member shall not have broken and the cord-operated switch shall still operate.

That means that if you attach a 10 kg weight, the cord won't snap, the switch will not fall apart, and the screws will not pull out of the ceiling.

I have just tested a light switch, which took a bit under 1.5 kg (the weight of a small lump hammer) to operate. I see no reason why a higher rated switch should require more force.

I fear that the old codger is very confused. He may be pulling down, but not letting go, in which case the switch will not operate.

So the operating force is only 1.5 kgf and is going downwards, it isn't even necessary to pull. That's 'cos an arm weighs significantly more than 1.5 kg. If you wrap the cord around a finger and just let the arm go floppy, the switch will operate.

Chris Pearson: 
 

Jaymack: 
20.9 The operating member of a cord-operated switch shall have adequate strength.
Compliance is checked on a new specimen by the following test:
The switch is mounted on a support as in normal use.
A pull of 100 N is applied for 1 min on the operating member as in normal use, after which a
pull of 50 N is applied for 1 min in the most unfavourable direction within a conical surface with the centre being the operating cord and the angle not exceeding 80 ° to the vertical.
After the test the switch shall show no damage within the meaning of this standard. The operating member shall not have broken and the cord-operated switch shall still operate.

That means that if you attach a 10 kg weight, the cord won't snap, the switch will not fall apart, and the screws will not pull out of the ceiling.

I have just tested a light switch, which took a bit under 1.5 kg (the weight of a small lump hammer) to operate. I see no reason why a higher rated switch should require more force.

I fear that the old codger is very confused. He may be pulling down, but not letting go, in which case the switch will not operate.

So the operating force is only 1.5 kgf and is going downwards, it isn't even necessary to pull. That's 'cos an arm weighs significantly more than 1.5 kg. If you wrap the cord around a finger and just let the arm go floppy, the switch will operate.

Problem simply solved. The old boy was very worried. So I went to see him today. I could not get a tri-angle nurse call pull at the local shops so I went to the open market next to Sheringham steam railway station. On the market I found a pet stall that sold short flat fabric dog leads. There is a hook at one end and a metal loop at the other. I took this to the old boy and I affixed it to the shower cord switch. He was then able to fully grasp the loop and operate the switch normally. The original cord was just too small for him to grip it firmly.

P.S. My local health centre is inviting me to undertake a health risk analysis into dementia run by the University of Cambridge. I imagine that soon that will be me struggling with every day simple tasks. 

Z.

It sounds like the pump has not been programmed and calibrated by the installers.

Either the pump is connected to the shower by a hardwired or Bluetooth connection or it is connected to a flow sensor in the water feed pipe, either way the shower tells the pump when it is turned on and off, starting and stopping it as required.

However the pump needs setting up and calibrating to the water flow, also the over run needs adjusting to allow for the water to drain down to the waste outlet. Then most pumps restart briefly after a few minutes to remove any remaining water.

Turning the shower off using the pull cord is not correct and will eventually cause problems, the pump needs sorting out.

It is possible to install a momentary pull cord to restart the pump, which I have done to resolve specific problems, it’s not in the AKW instructions but I had a chat with their technical guys and they said it’s okay to do it,  but generally this is not needed.

Otherwise put your Marigolds on and clean it out.

Sparkingchip: 
 

Otherwise put your Marigolds on and clean it out.

Not me Sparkingchip. I don't like getting my hands too dirty.? That's plumbers' work.

Z.

One of the firms I work for agreed to refurbish a bathroom reusing the existing shower pump, and yes I was the person who ended up donning the Marigolds and cleaning it out.

This week I have been to Somerset, Northampton, Leicester and Lincoln doing apparently simple electrical work, there are genuine reasons why they get me to do this rather than trying to find a local electrician, including that I have a some Marigolds on the van.

You have to bear in mind that some of the people who are getting specialist bathroom companies in to refurbish their bathroom have not been coping and have got into an awful mess, so you may need a throwaway boiler suit, shoe covers and gloves., though generally I avoid going on the first day to let the fitter clean up before I get there, perhaps a bit unfair on the fitters, but sensible from my point of view.

Plus there electrical installations may not have not been upgraded since the before the Second World War.

The one firm includes photos in the survey and I know full well I get some of the jobs that others have refused to do, because I have been told they refused to do them.

probably a bit late now, but for family use, I have turned up some wooden ends for the pull switches to make them both easier to see, being a brown varnished wood, not white string against white tiles, and also easier to pull with a poor grip (I have parents with one of each problem). 

I cannot comment on the shower pump situation, but the wooden ends certainly solved a problem that was not really one of weight, but one of immobile fingers.

I suspect that as the population ages, we will need more of this sort of thing.

Mike