shower smells of fish

[phil hair]

i have noticed recently a faint fishy smell coming from bath while i am showering.
(**********ok enough of that fellers****************)

its an electric shower, used everyday, so doubt it stagnant water, any ideas?

 

[stani]

Shower is overheating and something is burning inside it. Get it looked at urgently.

 

[Masood]

Shower is overheating and something is burning inside it. Get it looked at urgently.

Totally agree. Hot motor windings smell like that, as does cable sheathing when it burns. Advise you not to use shower at all and get a competent plumber or sparkie in..

 

[phil hair]

ok, thank you, looks like a bath for me tonight, thanks.

 

[Rickster123]

If it still smells fishy after a bath get down the clinic first thing tomorrow!

 

[electron]

Smell of burnt insulation in shower electrics, get it checked out.

 

[lame plumber]

funny thing though, op said the smell came from the bath???

 

[Paulplumb]

Could be the rubber in the shower hose deteriorating

 

[phil hair]

the wiring in the pull cord switch thingy has charred. the wire from the circuit breaker to the switch. charred back about 1 inch. ive not checked yet if it was because of a lose connection. would it be ok to cut back the wire past the charring, and reconnect it to the switch/new switch, or does the whole wire need replacing?

thanks again.

 

[Worcester]

What power is the shower?
What size is the cable?
What rating breaker (MCB) is it on?

 

[phil hair]

8.5kw
6mm? not sure how to measure this, but its bigger than socket t/e but not huge
40 breaker

 

[Masood]

8.5kw
6mm? not sure how to measure this, but its bigger than socket t/e but not huge
40 breaker

If you can see enough of the cable, the size will be moulded into the sheathing.

The cable is likely inadequate. 6mm can carry up to 47A if clipped to an open wall. As soon as you run it through trunking or within a stud wall the load capacity drops. Even more so if the cavity is insulated - to as little as 34A. Your shower will draw almost 39A.

I would strongly advise getting a sparky in to assess the cable run and would certainly look to uprating it to 10mm2.

 

[Worcester]

Cable definitely undersized, typically shower has been replaced with a more powerful one
Rules of thumb 8.5kw -= 36A so need 40A MCB and min 10mm2 cable and new 40A double pole pull cord switch located in the correct place - there are regulations might need RCD/RCBO
- You need to get a qualified sparks in to check above and run new cable from CU

 

[Poolander]