Shower switch

[lillyprint]

Can anyone offer some advice please.
We have an electric shower (9 or 9.5 KW)
We have a 10mil cable from the fuse board to the switch and again from the 45 amp switch to the shower. However, the switch is getting quite warm when the shower is turned on. Would it be ok to change it from a 45 to a 50 amp.
The breaker in the fusebox is a 40 amp.

 

[CircuitRick]

Yeah, it's concerning that your shower switch is getting warm! That usually points to a poor connection within the switch itself, which can lead to increased resistance and hat, so a potential fire hazard. Simply upgrading to a 50A switch won't fix the underlying issue and could even be dangerous if the breaker doesn't trip as intended. I strongly recommend getting a qualified electrician to inspect the connections and assess your entire circuit. They can help ensure everything is safe and up to code!

 

[GodIsAWoman]

Yeah, it's concerning that your shower switch is getting warm! That usually points to a poor connection within the switch itself, which can lead to increased resistance and hat, so a potential fire hazard. Simply upgrading to a 50A switch won't fix the underlying issue and could even be dangerous if the breaker doesn't trip as intended. I strongly recommend getting a qualified electrician to inspect the connections and assess your entire circuit. They can help ensure everything is safe and up to code!

Poor connection or just an old switch that needs some refreshing.

If you're not into getting an electrician but know your way around switches and stuff like that, turn off the power and replace the switch, making sure that each connection is tight. If that doesn't solve the problem then you'll probably need to get some professional help.

 

[Jude_electricals]

Prolly a bad connection or a worn switch rather than it being undersized. A 9.5 kW shower on 230v will already be right at the limit of a 40A breaker, so swapping the switch for a 50A one won't solve the heat issue and won't change the fact the breaker is the limiting factor. Check the terminations and probably just replace the switch with a new 45A unit you shouldn't feel noticeable heat from it when it's running

 

[Gundersen_99]

Prolly a bad connection or a worn switch rather than it being undersized. A 9.5 kW shower on 230v will already be right at the limit of a 40A breaker, so swapping the switch for a 50A one won't solve the heat issue and won't change the fact the breaker is the limiting factor. Check the terminations and probably just replace the switch with a new 45A unit you shouldn't feel noticeable heat from it when it's running

Thanks for the info! Just installed a 9.5 kW shower on 230v in my uncle's old bathroom. Didn't realize how close that gets to the 40A limit. When checking terminations, is it mostly visual or should we be testing for resistance too? For the switch, does the 45A rating give a bit more safety margin, or is it just about matching the load better?