Electric shower replacement, electrician or plumber?

loobylou

My old Mira shower has expired and I plan to replace it with a new Mira as close to the original as possible to use existing piping/wiring. Is this a job for an electrician or a plumber? The old shower was 8.5kw, the new 9.0kw.
Thanks, Ian

Stoner

If its more or less the exact match up then either one could do it, but it would be better if the sparks did IMO as he/she should prepare the cable connections better, a dodgy water connection is a bit of a leak, but a dodgy electrical connection is something else.

Titainus

would agree with stoner

best thing to do is ask the electrician would he be able to change it, most should be able to, but its best to ask. hardest thing he has to do is turn of the water from the tank.all the fittings should be there on the old shower anyway

and if there are any electricans reading this who can't , it would be an idea to learn some of the basics in plumbing. it comes in handy for jobs just like this

davelerave

Definitely a spark a plumber might leave a timebomb for you like no earth sleeving or a loose connection a spark will test the rcbo and circuitry as well

311

Its just ridiculous to say plumbers aren't competent enough to change a shower.

Wiring is part of a plumbers job ,who do you think fault finds parts like solenoids etc.:rolleyes:

Fairly dissapointing comments tbh.

Stoner

_Brian_ wrote: »

Its just ridiculous to say plumbers aren't competent enough to change a shower.

Fairly dissapointing comments tbh.

Well to be fair Brian, we were asked to pick one or the other, I never suggested that a plumber would not be competent to carry out this job. I gave advice on who would be preferable IMO.

IMO if an electrician messes up the plumbing there is a leak (very often visible to the user), but if a plumber messes up the electrics then there is the potential for a different, more dangerous result. The background checking associated with a shower (switch gear/cable/earthing) requires skills that a plumber can and may pick up, but it something that all electricians are trained for.

WRT the fault finding, I would imagine that it would come down to the individual and not really the trade.

311

I think it's fairly ignorant of someone to tar a trade with a certain brush.

I don't recommend a plumber or electrician to change a shower ,it is as you know a very simple job to do.
Installing a completely new shower and wiring it up is a different story.

Stoner

true,
I agree, I deal with both plumbers and electricians in work all the time, we have both in my place and I have nothing bad to say about either trade, just certain the standards of individuals,

el diablo

311 wrote: »

I think it's fairly ignorant of someone to tar a trade with a certain brush.

I don't recommend a plumber or electrician to change a shower ,it is as you know a very simple job to do.
Installing a completely new shower and wiring it up is a different story.

no need to be so sensitive, 311. the truth is that an electrician would be the best option in this case.. end of story...

311

el diablo wrote: »

no need to be so sensitive, 311. the truth is that an electrician would be the best option in this case.. end of story...

What story ,the thread was over before you posted

fishdog

Its just ridiculous to say plumbers aren't competent enough to change a shower.

Perhaps many would "get away with it" if the wiring was OK. They would not be insured to do electrical work though!

Wiring is part of a plumbers job

No, I dont think so! If it was, can they certify electrical work that they do???

who do you think fault finds parts like solenoids etc.

A generally an electrician. Sometimes a plumber may just by observation, but he should not connect/disconnect or test mains voltage cables. This would make the certification invalid.

Fairly dissapointing comments tbh.

Thats life!! I am disappointd that I can only do basic plumbing!! When I get it wrong no one gets killed (basic plumbing that is!). We all have to know our limitations.

Lets assume that a plumber replaces a shower and connects to wiring that was there already. What if that wiring was faulty? He will then be responsible for the electrical installation. It may be a fault that he is unaware of due to the fact that his training did not cover it despite the fact that he is a very talented plumber. Would the average plumber know for exmple what type of RCD should be used? The disconnection time? Have the test equipment on hand? Be insured to carry out electrical work?

311

The mentality here is that it's ok for an electrician to throw a bucket of water over a fuse board.

But it's not ok for a plumber to replace a shower.

And for the record ,I finish work on showers for RECI installers.

fishdog

And for the record ,I finish work on showers for RECI installers.

Good for you. Might I suggest that you do not tell your customers that you do this work and that you are not insured to do it!! They tend not to like it when you put their investment/lives at risk. A little knowlage can be a dangerous thing! The insurance issue is something you seem reluctant to discuss I notice!

The mentality here is that it's ok for an electrician to throw a bucket of water over a fuse board.

We have been trained to test if it is dead!:D:D

But it's not ok for a plumber to replace a shower.

The consequences of getting it wrong are quite different!

Having said this, I am the first to admit that a plumber is much more qualified to connect pipes. Every man to his own job!

I also have no problem admitting that plumbing is a very skilled job.

knighted

nice to see two trades measuring thier co cks

let me throw a spanner in the works

i completed a one year course back in the early 90s with fas -called electro mechanical etc -i know some of you sparks know it cause we used to get abuse from you
electro =electrical mechanical = plumbing ect

i was certified to install ,commission and service electro mechanical devices for example SHOWERS -

now while i dont normally install them as i am in another end of it ,i have on occasion

and my insurance policy covers me to carry out electrical and plumbing work -its not a big issue to get a policy like this i actually thought it was quite common and part of the public liability -

fishdog

nice to see two trades measuring thier co cks

Did you notice that I said:

Having said this, I am the first to admit that a plumber is much more qualified to connect pipes. Every man to his own job!

my insurance policy covers me to carry out electrical and plumbing work

Some electrical work perhaps. I have heard that people that have some electrical qualification can be a "partial member" of RECI and can issue sub certs of some description.

At least you have checked this on your policy. I suggest that you read the small print just in case!

The issue arises when you do electrical work to a certified installation. The original cert that was issued is then null and void, unless you complete a sub cert. Have you test equipment?? Are you trained to use it?? Are you up to speed with current ETCI regulations??

Somehow I dont think your insurance will cover you for that if there was a subsequent claim and it was found that your work was not certified!

311

I'm fully insured for all the work I do ,you can't do any work on gas unless your insured ,tax cleared etc.

Are you sure you need a cert for replacing a shower ? ,I've never been told this by any electrician I know.

fishdog

I'm fully insured for all the work I do ,you can't do any work on gas unless your insured ,tax cleared etc.

I doubt you are insured for working with mains electricity! I bet in the small print it will say that you need to be qualified in legal speak.

My insurance would not cover me to work on gas!!

Why not phone and ask??

Are you sure you need a cert for replacing a shower ?

Technically a sub cert if you were to do it by the book.

Ok I admit very few do it, in the real world.

I am sure most plumbers could connect a shower. I just had a bad experience with a plumber doing wiring once!

But the OPs question was which trade??

311

fishdog wrote: »

I doubt you are insured for working with mains electricity! Why not phone and ask??


Technically a sub cert if you were to do it by the book.

Ok I admit very few do it, in the real world.

I am sure most plumbers could connect a shower. I just had a bad experience with a plumber doing wiring once!

You can't have any form of heating in a home without electricity. Even old coal central heating needed a pump:D

Even modern gas cookers need electricity, to be honest almost every part of my job involves electricity.

Training in electricity was given to me in bolton street as part of my apprecticship. Electrons etc were discussed.
It's pretty much a daily part of any professional ,in my line of work.

fishdog

Training in electricity was given to me in bolton street as part of my apprecticship. Electrons etc were discussed.
It's pretty much a daily part of any professional ,in my line of work.

...and I am sure you know what you are doing. I was trained about plumbing in Bolton street and Kevin street too!! But I think we are better off sticking to our own areas and working as a team.

It is no harm getting the sparks to throw his eye over your work is it???

knighted

fishdog wrote: »

The issue arises when you do electrical work to a certified installation. The original cert that was issued is then null and void, unless you complete a sub cert. Have you test equipment?? Are you trained to use it?? Are you up to speed with current ETCI regulations??

Somehow I dont think your insurance will cover you for that if there was a subsequent claim and it was found that your work was not certified!

yes yes and yes

i do have test equipment ,a meggar etc and i like lots of others are trained to use it

my insurance is grand also and as most houses arnt certified to begin with its not a big issue to work on there installations


i never told you what area i work in any way so the regulations arnt a factor for me but if they do i will look them up -shouldnt take me that long

there is a fine line between a certified person and a competant person

read any machinery installation guidelines and it will state must be installed by a competant person or qualified electrician -no where will it ever state that it has to be a certified person

311

fishdog wrote: »

...and I am sure you know what you are doing. I was trained about plumbing in Bolton street and Kevin street too!! But I think we are better off sticking to our own areas and working as a team.

Having an electrician and a plumber in a bath or shower together ,could cause some issues though.:eek::D

Stoner

I think we have all given the OP enough information now to be totally confused.

but we have gotten side tracked along the way, but all is good now, time to end the thread with fishdog and 311 giving each other a backwash.