fixing an electric shower that smells of burning when being used

Question

I have an electric shower but I am concerned as there was a burning smell coming from it the last time I used it. What might be the cause of this and how can it be fixed?

Julian · Accepted Answer

Sounds like the cable is burning out either the insulation has deteriorated around the conductors Due to age, wear and tire inside the cable, or the the cable is too small to carry the amount of wattage the shower produces  In other words even though it works The cable is to small for the current it needs to supply the shower, hence in time the cable will burn out and either cause a fault and trip your RCD, providing the shower circuit is protected by one or become live in a special location where water is present which is very dangerous or cause electrocution or  a fire. Get it checked immediately by a professional electrician  water and electricity do not mix well when they come into contact with each other extremely dangerous do not use the shower until it been looked at properly by a qualified electrician not an odd jobber

Gavin · Answer

Hi it’s more than likely a loose connection in the shower or the pull cord but if it’s a burning smell means that the cable is getting very hot and is dangerous. I would advise to turn off at the fuse board, and get an electrician in to check it out before reenergising the circuit as it could catch fire

Lee · Answer

Hi it could be a lose connection which causes it to melt. This could be what your smelling. It will need fixing.

Pete · Answer

Sounds like there is a short in the wiring inside the  shower unit, likely a loose connection, it would depend on whether the shower has also be damaged in the process. I would suggest that you don't use the shower until you have had an electrician have a look at it.

Tony · Answer

Hi Karen. Sounds like either the shower pump or heater element is on its way out. Recommendation would be to replace the shower unit and inspect the wiring and pull switch. Should take about an hour or 2 depending on any further issues.
Kind regards

Tony

Albie · Answer

It may be an older shower or the cable has been utilised quite a few times with new showers fixed in to existing cables.The cables do deteriorate over time and become brittle if used extensively over time .

I would ask an electrician to replace the wiring and upgrade it , especially if you want a decent flow of water from your shower head, also improving your lifestyle and comfort.

Abass · Answer

Loose connection of terminals are the one factor of fire in electrical fixings. Please avoid using it ASAP and called an electrician to sort it.
He/ she (electrician) might need to look at cable size and protection device for that cable. And ultimately the terminations of cables. Hope this helps.

Jermine · Answer

Hi, it can be a number of electrical faults that cause this burning smell. You need to have an electrician inspect it before any further use.

Gary · Answer

Difficult to comment without seeing it, but I suspect it's a loose wire in the terminal block.
Depending on the make of shower, it might simply be a case of replacing the terminal block and hopefully there will be enough slack on the cable to strip back burnt bits and re-terminate. However if the terminal block is part of a circuit board, then it will be cheaper to replace the shower unit altogether. It could also be the micro switches on top of the pressure diaphragm, in which case it will be cheaper to replace the unit again.

David · Answer

Hi Karen, sorry I'm not sure if my previous answer went through so I will try again. Shower units draw the largest amount of current in your property, if you are smelling burning this normally means there is an issue and should not be used. The unit can be tested to find out what is wrong but new parts and time involved it typically works out a replacement shower is the answer. Hope that helps, thanks dmo-electrical services

Adrian · Answer

new showers are so cheap these days, it is more cost effective to replace the entire unit

fixing an electric shower that smells of burning when being used

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