Installing an electric shower is relatively simple, after all there are only three cables to connect, isn’t it? Although installation is apparently simple, make no mistake, because there are other fundamental factors that we should be concerned about when installing an electric shower, so we should ask some important questions, such as which shower circuit breaker? 127V shower or 220V shower? Which shower connector? Which cable to use for the shower? What to do when there is no ground?
Answering these and other questions is critical to a proper and safe installation, so there are no problems with the installation and put lives at risk. Thinking about the risks of installing or replacing a shower, we will clarify these and other questions about the correct way to install a shower, in addition to showing step-by-step how to install a shower.
127V or 220V shower?
Before installing any electric shower it is necessary to know its supply voltage, whether it is 127V or 220V. This information basically depends on two factors, which is the availability of the concessionaire in your region and the installation of your residence. Installing a shower that is not compatible with the installation will cause the shower to malfunction or burn out, so use a multi meter to identify the voltage.
It is important to point out that it is very common for some people to think that 220V saves electricity, when in fact it does not interfere at all with regard to electricity consumption.
Which shower circuit breaker?
Circuit breakers are protective devices designed to withstand a certain electrical current, if a short circuit or an overload occurs, the circuit breaker will break the circuit. Therefore, if the circuit breaker is poorly dimensioned, many problems can arise, the most common of which is the circuit breaker tripping.
We must choose a circuit breaker with the correct curve, and its current must be in accordance with the rated current of the electric shower, the most common causes of circuit breaker problems is to switch to a shower with higher power and resize the shower and the electrical cables of this circuit .
To be clearer in relation to the sizing of the shower circuit breaker, we will use as an example a shower that dissipates a maximum power of 5500W, fed by a single-phase 127V voltage.
It is very simple to obtain the value of the circuit breaker, to do this, just divide the maximum power of the shower by its supply voltage, thus the maximum current that will be required by this shower is approximately 43A. In this situation, we must choose the circuit breaker with a minimum of 43A, never with smaller or very high values. Therefore the closest selection value for a circuit breaker is 50A.
Which cable to use for shower?
Just like an incorrectly dimensioned circuit breaker, an incorrectly dimensioned conductor results in several problems, such as the melting of conductors, among other even more serious events, when combined with improper circuit breaker dimension.
For the proper dimension of cables for the shower, we must take into account the distance between the circuit distribution board (QDC) and the point where the shower will be installed, in addition to checking the current required by the shower.
Using the previous example, manufacturers require a cable with a section of at least 10mm² for a voltage of 127V, remembering that the cable section can vary according to the voltage, power and distance between shower and circuit breaker.
How to install shower?
Before installing the shower we must turn off the shower circuit breaker or general circuit breaker, make sure the circuit is de-energized using a test switch and ensure that no one will accidentally reconnect the circuit, for this we recommend the use of a padlock.
Which connector to use?
Connect the shower cables to the installation cables using wago connectors or porcelain connectors, tighten the connector screws securely. We do not recommend making splices, as it causes great heat at this point, causing greater damage to the installation.
Shower installation:
The electrical installation of the shower is very simple, first we strip the installation and shower cables, with the aid of stripper pliers. Then we connect the power cables, without restriction in relation to the phase and neutral cables, the only restriction being in relation to the connection of the ground cable, which is the green or green and yellow shower cable. See the wiring diagram in the image below.
Where to connect the ground Cable?
Where to connect the shower ground cable is the most dubious at the time of installation. For installations that have a grounding cable, the answer is obvious and simple, as it is enough to connect the shower grounding cable to the installation grounding cable.
When the electrical installation does not have a grounding cable, it is very common for people to make mistakes, as they end up connecting the shower grounding cable together with the installation’s neutral cable. In this situation, the best option is not to use the grounding cable, we should not connect it to the installation’s neutral cable, that is, just leave the grounding cable insulated, out of reach and hire a qualified professional to ground the installation. Home Renovation Tips
Observation:
Before turning on the shower, put it in the off position, then open the entire water valve and allow the water to drain for a short period of time, so that the shower does not burn, then just change the position of the switch to that of your preference, but do it with the shower off.
The video below shows step by step how to install an electric shower correctly, clarifying the main doubts when installing the shower.
We finished another article and we hope we have helped to clarify how to install an electric shower. If you have any questions or curiosity about the subject, leave us in the comments and we will respond!
