shower cable burnt

[paul777]

hello
i have a 9kw shower just checked and the cable to the shower is 6mm should it be 10 mm !
why i ask is the shower broke down last week opened the pull cord switch box and the cables had burnt inside
can some please advise
many thanks paul

[Central Scrutinizer]

your 9kw shower will pull 39A, 6mm clipped direct will handle 47A, and 10mm is 64A

There is no reason why the 6mm can handle this curent all day long, but of course it will be only a few minuites at a time

even if the cable was running through insulation, the reduced current carrying capacity may show signs of overheating at the insulation, but not at a remote point.

i think its more likely to be poor connections

[paul777]

thank you
for your adivice
thanks paul

[rocker]

Seconding that. Was the burned bit just inside the switch? Around the terminals? That is caused by arc'ing due to poor connections. Get a new switch, strip the wires so that there is enough to go in the terminals without a load of uninsulated copper, get the right size screwdriver, do the terminals up tight, lean on the wires - if they come out, you haven't tightened enough. Lather, rinse, repeat.