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Power tripping when shower on…

  • 16-11-2025 05:31PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭


    this only happens on occasion and it’s very clearly linked to the triton electric shower being in use, trips maybe once every few months, no real pattern to it


    we seem to have two “main” trip switches on the consumer unit, one is the main one which knocks off power to the whole house


    the second one is for the sockets


    It’s the second one that trips (even though the shower is hardwired and obviously not “plugged into a socket”)


    When you flick back up the switch it operates normally (though today it tripped again a couple of mins later then the shower was finished and then no problems)


    I’m lost


    any help appreciated (I’m obviously not touching this myself but am just wondering why the sockets one is tripping and not the main one)



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat


    it shouldn’t be on the socket rcd. You need a rec to come and check your distribution board



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    What happens to the showers trip switch?

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,218 ✭✭✭standardg60


    My shower is on the socket RCD too, might be an older acceptable reg.

    Though agree it should be moved to it's own rcbo which should help the OP.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica



    @con747

    Actually good question, no other one trips alongside it, just the main socket one 🤔



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    Time for a rec, but make sure it's a good one as we have an ongoing thread here about a mess that numerous "rec's" worked on. https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058425810/rec-query#latest

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica


    it’s interesting how this has only started happening since a replacement like for like shower was fitted



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica


    @con747

    Was reading through that thread. The guy that removed and re fitted the shower after tiling, hmm, is this a plumbers work or a RECs work or can they be qualified as both? What’s the position with the change of an electric shower? 🤔



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    Maybe the newer T90 uses more power than the last one, I think some were 8.5 kW and the newer are 9 kW. Anything could kick in at the same time to trip it like a fridge freezer motor or similar with the rest of the house load. Just a guess this now!

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat


    if a replacement shower was recently fitted then you should have gotten a certificate for this. It’s unlikely that it was tested as it wouldn’t pass the certification process with the setup you described. Most new showers also use more power and the cables feeding the shower should be upgraded to 10mm to facilitate this. Someone linked a previous thread describing a serious safety issue because the new shower wasn’t done correctly.
    post a picture of your fuseboard.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,716 ✭✭✭✭AMKC
    Ms


    Did whoever do that do anything at your board too? Was it an electrician, a plumber or both? Your shower really should be on its own RCBO.

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    AFAIK it's not allowed unless a rec to fit showers but the like for like fitting is what might catch people out. I'm sure all bathroom work needs a rec though but others can confirm or not.

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat


    yes. A bathroom is classified as a special location and only a rec is permitted to do electrical work



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica


    @meercat


    new shower was fitted 3 years ago after me checking invoice date


    The one that trips is circled red, as I say, it doesn’t happen very often, infact about 3/4 times in past 1.5 years I’d say


    didn’t get a cert as it was the plumber that connected it up (a reputable company)


    IMG_1613.jpeg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica


    @AMKC

    as far as I remember the consumer unit wasn’t touched at all, just the shower connected up where the old one was, replaced for an old t90 to a new t90sr


    it was a plumber (ie a fitter from a plumbing company)


    yes i think I’d prefer if it was on its own RCBO



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    Who most likely wasn't a rec as seen in the thread I posted above.

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭geographica


    @con747 you could be right re the loading 8.5kw vs 9kw 🤷🏼‍♂️ but there’s no consistency. I’ve taken a note of what’s running when it happens and i thought it was when washing machine was on too but no, no machine, no dishwasher and it still happened 🤷🏼‍♂️



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 10,671 ✭✭✭✭con747


    It could be just the fridge freezer motor kicking in that puts it over. Or anything similar.

    Edit

    Example for a fridge freezer.

    • Starting power (surge): The motor needs a much higher power draw for a very short time to overcome inertia and start moving. This can be 1,000 to 1,800 watts or more, depending on the appliance.

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,305 ✭✭✭Buffman


    Hard to tell 100% from the fuzzy photo but the highlighted component appears to be a standard RCD which would indicate a possible wiring/component issue, possibly moisture related given the circumstances.

    Was it 100% a like for like shower replacement, one potential other issue that might require attention is if the new shower is a 9.0kW, with that older consumer unit layout I'd expect to see a 40A MCB on the board for it, but as far as I can see the only 40A MCB is labelled as garage?

    (As mentioned, these days a shower like that would have its own RCBO with combines the functions of an RCD and MCB and won't take out the entire socket system if it trips like that RCD currently does.)

    As suggested, it would be prudent to get a competent REC in for an inspection.

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,855 ✭✭✭John.G


    Does the tripping coincide with prolonged shower usage, I have come across a few instances of where houses with single RCD protction was tripping the RCD but not the dedicated shower RCBO after say > 20 minute showering due to the higher level of moisture ("steam") presumably getting into the bathroom light fitting.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat


    Even 3 years ago it was a requirement for separate rcd protection on the shower

    I see your shower is definitely on the socket rcd protected by a 32amp mcb(1st photo)


    your main switch is also broken (2nd photo)

    This type of neoz fuse is known for fire issues and should be replaced assp


    definitely time for a rec


    IMG_0059.jpeg IMG_0062.jpeg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat


    you didn’t get a certificate as you say a plumber connected it up(reputable company)


    that’s the problem

    No plumber would do the tests that a rec should do (or have the equipment).

    A rec would have spotted that the shower circuit wasn’t Independent


    Also a rec would check if existing cable was capable of taking the extra loading of your new shower


    along with earth testing and rcd trip times.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,855 ✭✭✭John.G


    So, By the "book", a Plumber to install and a REC to commission/test??.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33 ImTiredOfItAll


    Old shower was most likely 8.5kw on 32amp trip switch. Connect a 9kw shower to the same fuse and it can cause tripping.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,964 ✭✭✭meercat




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    The new shower could cause tripping of the 32A MCB after extended use of the shower, this shouldn’t be a factor for a tripping RCD though.

    It used to be permissible to protect the shower with the same RCD as the sockets, and if it complied at the time I don’t see any reason why it this in and of itself would necessarily need to be changed. A separate RCBO doesn’t add any additional safety mechanism.

    Although given the relatively modern vintage of that board, separate a RCBO likely was a requirement at the time, and it was combined with the sockets RCD because the board was full and single mod RCBO’a weren’t as readily available then. Given that the cable is probably a little undersized, now might be a good opportunity to sort all.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,218 ✭✭✭standardg60


    3 or 4 trips in 18 months would indicate network blips rather than anything else, a separate rcbo for the shower may or may not help, but it doesn't point to an in house issue.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    Boderline low impedance between neutral and earth on any of the RCD protected circuits would do it. When the shower is on, some of the relatively high neutral current will take a parallel path to earth downstream of the RCD and cause an imbalance.



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