Shower Isolation Switch

[Wendelspanswick]

About 3 years ago we built a downstairs shower room with a Mira 10.8kw shower. The isolation switch for the shower is a 50amp pullcord switch in a cavity box in the plasterboard ceiling adjacent to the shower cubicle.
We started off with an unbranded switch which fell apart after about 2 weeks, swapped for a Crabtree switch which lasted about 3 months before the same happened. Fitted an MK switch which has been fine up to now but is starting to play up, having to pull it a couple of times to get it to switch on.
Looks like I will have to replace it again.
My question is that it's our habit to isolate the shower after each time its used, 2 to 4 times a day, would we be better off leaving the power to the shower on all the time? Its only 3 LEDs when its left with the power fed to it.
That would relieve the usage that the switch gets.

 

[Robotstar5]

Are you using the isolator to switch the shower under load or do you turn the shower off then pull the cord? there's a big difference of current across the contacts.

 

[madkayaker]

It's a pet bug bear of mine people insisting they have to use the isolator every time they use the shower! It's for off load switching only and is there to allow local isolation (e.g. Visible if not visible then needs to be lockable which they are not) to allow for MAINTACE of the shower e.g. Cover off cleaning etc there not there to stop the mystical electrical fairy from using the show to start mischief when your not there!

 

[Sean]

MK and leave it on unless your taking it apart. 4 times a day for 2 1/2 years it did well!

 

[normspanners]

I dont think you are going to get a shock from the shower when you are not in there!!, in that case I think it is more likely that you would want to isolate it whilst naked and wet and stood in there, but obviously then the shower wont work!!----- so leave it on, it has its own switch designed to do the the heavy load switching job, and will help people get used to stopping the likely hood of someone getting out of the shower with it running and thinking I've just switch it off while I'm out here.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

That's that answered then, thank you.

 

[brightspark]

That's that answered then, thank you.

and when u replace it make of some fresh cable twist the cores with pliers and tighten in to switch , try not to twist and prat on with getting the wires back pushed in as this loosens the conection leading to premature burnout and overheating