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[diydonut]

Just pulled the cord on my shower to switch it on but to no avail, opened up the box and it looks as though its been cooking since being installed, live wire is all black and the plastic protecting round the wire was all crumbling away. On closer inspection it looks as though the wire has been so hot that over time it melted and connected with another wire within the box. There is no fuse blown and the small red light still works (EVEN IN THE OFF POSITION) but the shower unit is getting no power at all...PLEASE HELP, from the dumbest diyer known. :(

[kbrownie]

Hi diydonut,
Sounds like you have problem that must be solved by an experience qualified electrician.
A few reasons this could happen, wrong sized cable for current causing cable to over heat my guess.
But isolate the shower by pulling fuse out and call for an electrician.
Better safe, this is a potential fire hazard!
Don't mean to scare but it can happen.
Kind Regards
KB

[sparx]

Hi I would think the problem is due to a loose connection in the pull switch.
this will have caused slight arcing to take place which will in turn have heated the terminals & cables. Unfortunately this is not uncommon due to the large cables used in a very small pull switch enclosure, as switch is screwed back to box the wires are strained and pulled outwards from terminals.
I try not to use a pull switch if at all possible to fit a surface wall switch just outside door or in adjacent airing cupboard say. Also inform users that they should not be using the switch each time shower is used, it should be left ON except for maintenance or emergency situations they are not usually rated for 'functional switching', thats what the shower's off button is for,
regards SPARX