Inadequate inspections on the safety of wiring in buildings across England are increasing the risk of fires, E&T has found. A flawed regulatory system has sparked a race to the bottom, with some businesses profiting at the expense of the public’s safety.
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but code the electric shower without 30 mA RCD protection in the same home C3, if so why?
I'm actually quite comfortable using a (properly installed) electric shower without a 30mA RCD - even having had the experience of realizing that one I was using had developed an internal leak and I could actually see water trickling down inside the case past the 'pressure indicator' window. That one was fed from a fully functioning 30mA RCD - which didn't trip, They way I look at it all live parts within the shower are either surrounded by earthed metal or have a very large creepage/clearance distance from anything I could touch - even if the whole thing filled with water I doubt I could get a significant shock from it. Unlike portable appliances outdoors it's highly unlikely to suffer increased Zs (from long extension leads) or damage that could exposed live parts (like a cut flex). It's not that long ago that electric showers were permitted on 5s disconnection circuits without RCD additional protection (but with supplementary bonding) - 30mA RCD protection (in some form or other) for portable equipment outdoor has been around for much much longer (15th Ed if I recall correctly). So if we're going to accept something less that complete compliance with latest standards (or 2018 at least) - then something that's not been acceptable for nearly half a century comes a lot higher on the list of worries than something that's not been acceptable for the last couple of decades.
- Andy.
but code the electric shower without 30 mA RCD protection in the same home C3, if so why?
I'm actually quite comfortable using a (properly installed) electric shower without a 30mA RCD - even having had the experience of realizing that one I was using had developed an internal leak and I could actually see water trickling down inside the case past the 'pressure indicator' window. That one was fed from a fully functioning 30mA RCD - which didn't trip, They way I look at it all live parts within the shower are either surrounded by earthed metal or have a very large creepage/clearance distance from anything I could touch - even if the whole thing filled with water I doubt I could get a significant shock from it. Unlike portable appliances outdoors it's highly unlikely to suffer increased Zs (from long extension leads) or damage that could exposed live parts (like a cut flex). It's not that long ago that electric showers were permitted on 5s disconnection circuits without RCD additional protection (but with supplementary bonding) - 30mA RCD protection (in some form or other) for portable equipment outdoor has been around for much much longer (15th Ed if I recall correctly). So if we're going to accept something less that complete compliance with latest standards (or 2018 at least) - then something that's not been acceptable for nearly half a century comes a lot higher on the list of worries than something that's not been acceptable for the last couple of decades.
- Andy.
So would you feel as comfortable in a hot tub in your garden without 30 mA RCD protection to the socket supplying it or even just a fishpond pump? Something I have seen in PRS home gardens along with people using lawn mowers from an extension lead thrown out of a window form a socket without 30 mA RCD protection.
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