Your shower burned out, you bought a new one and thought: “why call an electrician? I can install it!”. And you really can. But one fine day, in the middle of your shower, you start to smell a burning smell. Look up and the electric shower wiring is literally frying right over your head.
Who throws the first circuit breaker who has never seen the cheap get expensive when trying to do an electrical installation on their own.
Installing a shower is not as simple as it sounds. The colors of the electrical wiring, the type and thickness of the wire, the amperage of the circuit breaker all influence the quality of the installation.
Did you read these terms and they sounded Greek to you? Keep reading the post and understand more about electric shower wiring and how to make the right choice.
Electric Shower Wiring: What You Need to Know?
To use the right electric shower wiring, you need to know three pieces of information:
1. Power: indicated on the shower package in watts (W), the most common in the market being 5500W and 7500W.
2. the voltage: 127V (former 110v) or 220V.
These two factors together will determine the correct wire thickness for the shower and the third information required which is:
3. the amount of amperes of current the circuit breaker must withstand.
The power, voltage and rated current of the circuit breaker are described on the shower packaging. If you can’t find it, just divide the power of the shower by the voltage.
Thus, an electric shower with 6800W power and 220V voltage, for example, will have a rated current of:
6800W / 220V = 30.9 amps.
With this information in hand, you need to purchase the right shower head wiring with the correct thickness/thickness to withstand the electrical current going through it and keep the shower running.
Each nominal section (thickness of wire measured in mm²) supports a maximum current. This way, it is necessary to install the correct wiring in the shower so that on a cold day, you don’t have to stop your shower because the wires have fried due to the high load.
Therefore, the cables must support a current equal to or greater than the recommended one to prevent problems from happening.
The function of the circuit breaker in shower installation
The circuit breaker is a small plastic or porcelain piece that has three inputs — two phases and a ground wire — to protect the shower wiring connection.
Manufacturers also specify this technical detail on the packaging, so check carefully to buy the right one. When in doubt, perform the calculation as shown above.
What are the colors of the shower electrical wiring colors?
To correctly install a shower, it is worth understanding what each of the colors of the electrical wiring means:
light blue wire: is the neutral phase Green or green and yellow wire: is the ground brown, black or red wire: is the phase.
NOTE: 220V showers are bipolar system, that is, they have two phase wires (of the same color) + one ground wire (green). The 127V showers, on the other hand, are uni polar: they have a phase, a ground and a neutral wire.
Check the video for how to correctly connect the shower wires:
What happens if I connect the wrong shower wires?
By miswiring the power shower wiring, you run the risk of getting a shock. When the ground wire is placed at the point referring to the neutral on the circuit breaker, for example, it becomes energized, which can cause electric shock. For Plumbing Services Consult here
To avoid this problem, the hot wire is on the left input of the circuit breaker, the ground wire on the middle input and the neutral wire on the right.
Can you Splice Shower Wire?
Another common question regarding electric shower wiring is whether the wires can be spliced.
The answer is yes, but it is not recommended, as the splice may not resist heating and cause a major accident if there are other installation faults such as poorly connected wires to the circuit breaker, for example.
If the process is done, a professional electrician must perform the splicing to ensure adequate safety in the electrical installation of the shower.
General shower installation tips:
– As the shower is in a humid environment, the installation must be done with the electrical power turned off. So before starting, turn off the shower breaker or main switch (default).
– It is optional, but you can tape electrical shower wiring to securely seal the connections and prevent shock.
– Once the installation is complete, turn the power back on and place the shower temperature regulation in the off position (cold water). Before using the electric shower on, it is necessary that it fill with water so as not to burn the resistance. Let the water run for a few seconds, close it and set it to winter or summer for the water to heat up.
Understand how electric shower wiring works?
Now that you know the most important details about electric shower wiring, here’s one last tip: hire an electrician to install your shower.
When properly installed, the shower is used correctly, without overloading the wires, that is, the investment pays off, as the product will last longer.
There you will find the best known brands in the market and choose the best option to make your baths more relaxing.
Buying online, you pay and receive your product without leaving your home with comfort and security. Enjoy!