Broken Shower Switch

As an emergency electrician we are often called to homes and properties where electrical problems have occurred, electrical accessories have stopped working or there are burning smells, funny noises and general causes for concern. 

This call out was no exception. We were called because there as an issue with the electric shower and the homeowner though that it might be the shower switch. It was a suspected BROKEN SHOWER SWITCH.

Electrical Faults Fixed are your local, trusted, Liverpool 24 hour electrician and we will attend properties late in the evening or early in the morning to fix and repair problems. This particular job took place at around 9pm so there was no daylight. We are always equipped with our torches though so it is never a problem for us to turn off all the power and work safely. In this case there was no daylight whatsoever and when we turned the power off we found that it was very dark! Torches on and back to work. 

1) What has happened for a shower switch to fail?

Shower switches are a common electrical accessory failure. There are numerous reasons for this. An Electric shower draws a lot of current and is a powerful electrical item in the home. Whenever there is a high demand for power there is a high probability for electrical failure alongside that especially when there may be weak links in the system. Weak links in an electrical shower circuit tend to be any breaks in the cable in the form of electrical junctions, switches and isolation points. 

A shower pull cord is not actually a switch as such but rather a point of isolation such that maintenance can be carried out on the shower safely without having to disconnect the circuit at the consumer unit. What actually happens is that these pull cord switches are operated on a regular basis which causes wear inside the switch. Sometimes people use them to turn the shower on and off when it's running and this is a big mistake. This causes shower pull cords to wear even quicker. 

As the inside of the switch wears the contact becomes loose. This sets off an ever increasing problem of loose connections, high resistance, high heat, higher resistance, higher heat and so on. This can result in burnt connections like we can see in the picture here. 

2) So burnt wires are a result of overusing a shower switch?

Not necessarily. Burnt cabling can be as a result of improperly torqued connections when installed, connections working loose over time or issues with the shower switch itself. The problem happens so regularly that there are clearly many issues that can cause it. 

The next time you think you have a  BROKEN SHOWER SWITCH do not leave it. It is important that an electrician investigate the problem for you as there is risk of electric shock and risk of further damage to the switch, cable or shower and also risk of permanent failure of the circuit. 

3) What is the solution?

I would consider leaving the switch in the on position as there is no real need to turn the switch off other than for performing maintenance on the shower or swapping the shower for a new one.

4) What about the electric bill leaving the shower pull cord light on?

The little red neon that is typically included in most shower pull cord isolators uses an absolutely tiny amount of electricity. So little that you are unlikely to see any difference in your bill. You have to weight this up against the cost of calling an electrician to replace the switch and repair the cabling should the problem be significant. I know what I do with my shower 😊 

5) I can smell a plastic type burning in the bathroom is this bad?

If you can smell a plastic or chemical type burning smell in the vicinity of the bathroom then it is possible that your shower isolator pull cord has failed or is failing. The smell is typical of overheating or burning plastic. Once this smell is apparent it is absolutely imperative that you call an electrician to come and investigate for you. There is a risk of fire if this is left.

6) How much does it cost to replace a shower isolator?

This would be our minimum charge plus the parts. Typically, around £90

7) How quickly can you do the job for me?

A minimum charge job such as replacing a shower isolator can normally be carried out within 24 hours or so as long as you are flexible on our visit time. For instance if we have a full day already booked we may be able to get to you before 8am or after 5pm if that is not too inconvenient for you. 

8) Will there be any extra charges? 

This does depend on the issues we are faced with when we come to do the job for you. If there are burnt cables that require sorting out then the cost is likely to increase. Hopefully there may be slack on the cables so that we can pull good cabling through and strip back to fresh copper making safe again. If there is no slack then the cables may require extending in order to repair the issue. We will be able to give you a quote for this whilst on site. 

9) What’s involved when you swap an isolator?

When we swap your BROKEN SHOWER SWITCH we will carry out safety testing on the circuit at the same time as swapping the isolator. We will check that the circuit is correctly earthed from each point all the way back to your consumer unit / fuse board and make sure the circuit breaker is the correct size, cable is the correct size and that you have adequate electric shock protection. 

A large part of electrical work is the safety testing, the knowledge and experience to use the correct test equipment and to be able to understand and interpret the results. We are experts in testing and inspection, and we will ensure that any work we carry out for you is safe and compliant with the latest edition of the wiring regulations in force at the time. Even if you decide not to use our services we hope that this blog gives you the confidence and information to choose the right electrician for your needs. 😊 For more information contact your local electrician in Liverpool today.