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[RobG]

Sister has a Mira electric shower. Pull cord and neon illuminates, but switch shower on and the neon goes out and shower doesn`t work. Been told it`s possibly a faulty neutral block in the pull cord switch and the way to doublecheck is to connect the neutral SUPPLY cable to the terminal carrying the neutral LOAD and shower should work if pull cord is faulty. Is this correct and safe?

[Kevin Wood]

You'd be better off just pulling the switch out and checking the contacts with a multimeter. What you propose won't hurt for a quick test but the regs require a double pole isolator on the shower. I suspect you'll find it difficult to get both conductors into a single receptacle on the switch for a check anyway.

If one set of contacts has failed, the other will probably not be far behind and, with the high currents passed by these devices, failure could well generate a lot of heat. Just replace the switch if, indeed, that's what's at fault. It could well be a high resistance connection in either line anywhere from the CU to the isolating switch IMO.

I'd be inclined to inspect all connections from consumer unit to shower for tightness and any signs of heat damage, rectifying as required.

[amba]

Best advise I could offer is ....electrics and water are a potential risk ,so any fault finding best left to a qualified electrician imho.

If the shower unit is of any age and well used, may be just a better option buying a new unit as in our "hard water area" anything that heats water by an element has a fairly short life 

[Diamond Black Geezer]

http://www.supremebathrooms.com/

Give them a bell some time. I work upstairs, but rather than me relay the fault, and after chinese whispers give you a reply which could be worse than useless, you might as well speak to the horses mouth. We stock all the major brands, and can get hold of spares, too. If you want to say James recommeded you ring, you should be looked after 


...Should... 

[Broomies Mate]

Isolate the shower circuit at the Consumer Unit.  Test circuit at the pull-cord with a meter to make sure it is dead. (Ceiling Mounted I presume?)

Replace Pull-Cord with 45A double-pole Pull-Cord (such as this http://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-45a-pull-cord-switch-white/65167)

Re-insate power at the CU, et Viola!

[TheBoy]

WHat Kevin Wood and Brommies Mate say

[Broomies Mate]

I suppose it's worth adding;

While the circuit is isolated (and tested to ENSURE it is isolated), whip the cover off of the shower and check the connections at the shower are nice and tight with plenty of conductive material (the cable) inside each terminal.  Check for any signs of excessive heat.

Any high resistance on the circuit will kill the weakest point of that circuit.  Unlikely to be the Pull-Cord, but not unheard of.

[zirk]

Give it a good wack with a hammer, that's I always do, used to work a treat until the kitchen blew up.

[Broomies Mate]

Give it a good wack with a hammer, that's I always do, used to work a treat until the kitchen blew up.

 

[RobG]

After testing, replaced with a 50A MK pull cord switch. Fault discovered. Anyone hazard a guess at what the all too common problem with ceiling switches are.

[Andy H]

After testing, replaced with a 50A MK pull cord switch. Fault discovered. Anyone hazard a guess at what the all too common problem with ceiling switches are.

Spiders 

[RobG]

After testing, replaced with a 50A MK pull cord switch. Fault discovered. Anyone hazard a guess at what the all too common problem with ceiling switches are.

Spiders 

Silly sod

[Broomies Mate]

Spring loaded Mechanism was Donald?

Either that or the Flux Capacitor had failed allowing the Foo Foo Valve to open???

[RobG]

Nope

[Broomies Mate]

Steam had got inside and corroded the contacts?