Surge adaptor for electric shower.

[saveasteading]

I've just had our Aqualisa shower repaired under warranty (3rd of 5 years).

After changing the valve module, he found it was actually a software problem.

Do you get many powercuts? Yes we are in the countryside.

So he changed a circuit module and it works.

 

He advised fitting a surge adapter, as the surge at reinstating power can be a problem.

 

I'm wary of using amazon as the spec's are vague.

But where it is clear, I see that most are only for electronics and should not be used for higher power: in this case a pump.

The only one i have found that seems ok is from screwfix.

The reviews include one saying they have a kettle on it, and another has garage doors. Why they need surge protdction i dont know...maybe they like the switches. 

 

I don't need 3 outlets or any switches and could tape over to keep out spiders.

 

The pump is in the attic, with a dedicated, switched socket.

 

Any comments or advice?

 

[Carrerahill]

45 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

I've just had our Aqualisa shower repaired under warranty (3rd of 5 years).

After changing the valve module, he found it was actually a software problem.

Do you get many powercuts? Yes we are in the countryside.

So he changed a circuit module and it works.

 

He advised fitting a surge adapter, as the surge at reinstating power can be a problem.

 

I'm wary of using amazon as the spec's are vague.

But where it is clear, I see that most are only for electronics and should not be used for higher power: in this case a pump.

The only one i have found that seems ok is from screwfix.

The reviews include one saying they have a kettle on it, and another has garage doors. Why they need surge protdction i dont know...maybe they like the switches. 

 

I don't need 3 outlets or any switches and could tape over to keep out spiders.

 

The pump is in the attic, with a dedicated, switched socket.

 

Any comments or advice?

 

 

When you say your shower, do you mean and electric shower or do you mean a pump? What rating is it?

 

You could just fit a whole house surge device if you suffer powercuts and surges.

 

Depends on your setup you can put it in your board if space, or a little dual enclosure adjacent to the main board and wired into the consumer unit.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Carrerahill

[Nickfromwales]

3 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

When you say your shower, do you mean and electric shower or do you mean a pump? What rating is it?

 

You could just fit a whole house surge device if you suffer powercuts and surges.

 

Depends on your setup you can put it in your board if space, or a little dual enclosure adjacent to the main board and wired into the consumer unit.

It needs to be a filter, vs a one shot SPD etc. That will give protection from frequent fluctuations, and not need expensive replacement by an electrician ( after every power cut / surge ).

 

The shower is a digital mixer so no big power supply. The one linked in Screwfix should be fine. 
 

Or;

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9473188

[Carrerahill]

1 minute ago, Nickfromwales said:

It needs to be a filter, vs a one shot SPD etc. That will give protection from frequent fluctuations, and not need expensive replacement by an electrician ( after every power cut / surge ).

 

The shower is a digital mixer so no big power supply. The one linked in Screwfix should be fine. 
 

Or;

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9473188

I see. Electric mixer shower! Jeeze, we are getting fancy now! Remember we used to turn the hot and cold on a bit until it was about right!

 

However, if he suffers these issues, and it is now commonplace and the regs (18th AM2) basically require that surge protection is installed in consumer units, I think I would install it.

 

 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Carrerahill said:

electric shower or do you mean a pump? What rating is it?

Good question. Silly me.

It is pump only, with hot water from central system.

I can see from the instruction manual that it is a 3A fuse.

 

I saw the Belkin one at Argos and thought, known name, small and smart, that will do. But it is specifically for low power electronics, so I thought it won't be right for a pump.

Surge protection for small electronic keep your small electronic devices protected

And yet it is stated at 13A.

I would prefer to use this model but am wary.

 

1 hour ago, Carrerahill said:

we are getting fancy now

 

We had one, by Hansgrohe I think, in a very nice hotel and it became 'a necessity' as we were doing a refit anyway. Push the first button outside the shower and just walk in when the light says 'your shower is ready sir'. (light stops flashing.)

But now I see they are in SF and TS, they aren't so posh any more.

Perhaps that is the problem as stated by the fitter.

The repair guy said he is sick of working on them. Not because the units are difficult, in fact he did it all in 10 minutes by swapping modules, as he had lots of space in the attic.

No, it is the crazy locations and awful plumbing that is his usual problem. Units jammed into cupboards and recesses, almost impossible to work on, and can't even find them sometimes.

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

2 hours ago, Carrerahill said:

require that surge protection is installed in consumer units, I think I would install it.

It's mandatory, but wont solve this particular problem. The OP needs a filtered supply to remove spikes / soften disconnects when the grid drops. An SPD isn't for that and won't 'trip' in these instances ( or the world would go potty as that would be £200 or more each power cut, plus the wait for an electrician to attend to replace the SPD ). Remember that an SPD is a single shot device and blows like a HRC fuse would.

[saveasteading]

22 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

filtered supply to remove spikes / soften disconnects

Does that mean that it is protecting from high and low voltage (or power?) because either could damage  the system?

I can see that high is prevented by resistance kicking in, but low?.

 

I have read the Belkin info on the Argos page again and see that it also says 'ideal for laptops, basic household devices, and small kitchen appliances'.

It would be good to have some numbers or examples instead of  'basic/ small'. But this is probably ok. (??)

 

For general interest, the one at SF seems to be ubiquitous, although with a variety of names, and is also at Wickes, Argos (cheapest and in stock), Dyas  and Amazon. 

 

[Nickfromwales]

Just now, saveasteading said:

Does that mean that it is protecting from high and low voltage (or power?) because either could damage  the system?

I can see that high is prevented by resistance kicking in, but low?.

 

I have read the Belkin info on the Argos page again and see that it also says 'ideal for laptops, basic household devices, and small kitchen appliances'.

It would be good to have some numbers or examples instead of  'basic/ small'. But this is probably ok. (??)

 

For general interest, the one at SF seems to be ubiquitous, although with a variety of names, and is also at Wickes, Argos (cheapest and in stock), Dyas  and Amazon. 

 

TBH I'd go for the Belkin, as it's rated at 13a and offers a guarantee against failure of devices plugged in to it. Download the MI's from Belkin and read up a bit to see if it says no pumps / inductive loads over x number of Watt's etc.

[saveasteading]

• High-capacity Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV) - It offers 300-900 J of surge protection for different devices.

QUICK TIP:  More joules mean an MOV absorbs less energy while diverting even more into ground.  Well-designed surge protectors should NOT rely on MOVs to absorb surge energy, instead to survive the process, it harmlessly redirects it to ground.

 

That is all it says that appears to be relevant.....but doesn't mean much to me.

[Nickfromwales]

Just now, saveasteading said:

• High-capacity Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV) - It offers 300-900 J of surge protection for different devices.

QUICK TIP:  More joules mean an MOV absorbs less energy while diverting even more into ground.  Well-designed surge protectors should NOT rely on MOVs to absorb surge energy, instead to survive the process, it harmlessly redirects it to ground.

 

That is all it says that appears to be relevant.....but doesn't mean much to me.

It basically sheds any excess energy, above a set point, to ground ( via the earth pin ) instead of dissipating it via a sacrificial component ( as an SPD does ). All good, give it a whirl.

[saveasteading]

1 minute ago, Nickfromwales said:

sheds any excess energy, above a set point, to ground (

Just read up about varistors. Total expert now! 

'Shed to ground' sounds like a short circuit though. I assume they have thought of that and dealt with it cleverly so that the main fuse doesn't trip.

[Nickfromwales]

Just now, saveasteading said:

Just read up about varistors. Total expert now! 

'Shed to ground' sounds like a short circuit though. I assume they have thought of that and dealt with it cleverly so that the main fuse doesn't trip.

Expert status is now upon you. 👊

[Carrerahill]

15 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

It's mandatory, but wont solve this particular problem. The OP needs a filtered supply to remove spikes / soften disconnects when the grid drops. An SPD isn't for that and won't 'trip' in these instances ( or the world would go potty as that would be £200 or more each power cut, plus the wait for an electrician to attend to replace the SPD ). Remember that an SPD is a single shot device and blows like a HRC fuse would.

It's not actually "mandatory" - the reg is certainly open to a bit of interpretation. I could think of plenty instances you could make it compliant without. 

 

He asked about a surge device in fairness... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[saveasteading]

I was advised to fit a surge socket by shower maintenance man, who is a plumber.

If it could be more technical than this, then let me know.