Hi,

At the moment the wiring of the electric shower is outside of the bathroom wall. I have to push them inside the plasterboard and tile over them. Is there a fail safe/ best way to do the job and what equipment/ model is best used for the job? i.e. how to create a long thin gap on the plasterboard and push the wiring in then subsequent tile over it?

What is best to do with the gap created afterwards before tiling?

Hopefully I could hear from someone soon. Thanks.

if you're unsure about touching electrical wires then you should seek professional advice from a qualified electrician.

if it's just a case of chasing out a channel in existing plasterboard, then you can usually cut into plasterboard with a knife. unfortunately, i wouldn't know what to suggest you use to fill the gap afterwards, so i'll let my TF colleagues answer that one

how wide will the gap be? if you are on creating a small channel say 10mm wide then position your tiles so that at least 1/4 of the tile covers the channel all the way up and use the addy to fill the gap.

as to cutting the p/board either a stanley knife or a plasterboard saw should do it if it is a stud wall, if it is a solid wall then a sharp chisel and hammer.

chris

Are you planning on having a shower installed again ? if so, are you wanting the same wire feed to come through the tile,2 different scenarios to 2 different questions. If the cable isn't to be used again, you may need an electrician to make the circuit safe, if your going to use the cable then drill a hole through the tile in question and bring the cable through, isolate or better still, get an electrician in.

why can't you remove the plasterboard and run the cable inside the partition stud?

Originally Posted by doug boardley

why can't you remove the plasterboard and run the cable inside the partition stud?

Ah, now I read it as trying to get rid of a cable, having re-read it, I think your right Doug, routing of cables for new installs does fall under part P iirc so a qualified electrician will be needed, especially as the earthing will have to be sound.

I wouldn't reccomend cutting a channel as the plasterboard will be unsupported on either side.I would find out where the studs were(normally at 400mm centres) .Cut down the sides of the studs and remove the entire section between them , then reroute the wire and screw a piece of 50x50 timber to the sides of the studs and replace the plasterboard, screw in place and tile over

I thought he just wanted to tile over them....

Cosmo you will need to call in a sparky as the cable is not protected and requires to be protected by an 30 ma RCD or RCBO also it is a shower

Can you get access from above and thread it into the studwall? You could push some conduit through and push the cable down thorugh it and out of a pre cut hole in the board

If you don't want to cut out all of your plasterboard (though this is probably easiest and quickest) you can make a small hole at the top to fee the wire through and sown the partition to another hole at the position you want the wire to come through. Means a lot of fiddling around and swearing while you try and locate the wire but if it's not already been tiled then quickest is to remove board and replace.

Agree with everyone else about the electrician if it is a new shower.

CJ Ceramics - love your piccy, are you afflicted with the scooter bug or is it just a piccy? I have a kitted and retro'd PX.

Hello all,

Thanks a bunch for all the replies! It is all done now and the shower (already installed) does have an RDC and yes, it was rather fiddly when threading the while through the new plasterboard...

Cheers.

Cosmo

I think also, doing any wiring job, or any shower installs/reinstalls (electric shower) if you are not qualified its actually against the law. Sorry to sound like a square.

Hi Kevg,

Thanks for your concern but nothing done here was against the law.

One thing though, I did speak to a tiler some time ago and he offered to reinstall the shower for me. In fact he told me as long as it is not a newly installed he can do it for me together with tiling.

Cosmo

with electrics, if you're replacing like for like, you're entitled within the new laws to do this without having to get a qualified spark in. so if you are taking one shower unit out and putting a brand new one in exactly the same place without changing any of the wiring etc, you don't need a spark.

however, if you're ever unsure how to do anything with electrics, it always pays to get a professional in first to do the job. saves time, aggro and money later

Originally Posted by GirlRacerRed

with electrics, if you're replacing like for like, you're entitled within the new laws to do this without having to get a qualified spark in. so if you are taking one shower unit out and putting a brand new one in exactly the same place without changing any of the wiring etc, you don't need a spark.

however, if you're ever unsure how to do anything with electrics, it always pays to get a professional in first to do the job. saves time, aggro and money later

Thanks for clarifying that point GRR

Unless the new unit is higher powered than the exisiting then either the fuse or cable may not be correct for the job. Get a sparks and get it checked either way.

I only ever fit 10mm T&E cable back to the board then let the sparky wire it in with the fuse he says is rated correctly.

Changing a light fitting or plug socket is one thing but a 10.5kw shower on a 4 or 6mm cable will have a melt down

Originally Posted by Scottley

Unless the new unit is higher powered than the exisiting then either the fuse or cable may not be correct for the job. Get a sparks and get it checked either way.

I only ever fit 10mm T&E cable back to the board then let the sparky wire it in with the fuse he says is rated correctly.

Changing a light fitting or plug socket is one thing but a 10.5kw shower on a 4 or 6mm cable will have a melt down

same for me

Cosmo hi with regards to moving cables my interpretation would be if you have in no way changed the run and installation of the cable then it is ok, An example would be if your cable was a socket supply and was clipped to the surface and you buried it in a wall then you have changed the installation and would need it signed off by a qualified Electrician he would then have to fit RCB if not already there or mechanically protect it and test .Again if you moved a cable and it went through insulation you would need to calculate it's current carrying capacity and act accordingly.
There are jobs you can do that need notifying to Building regs and and some that do not. The british standard regs BS 7671 are non statutory but can be used in a court of law evidence to claim compliance with statutory requirements Best advice is to advise customer that you cannot touch electrical work of any kind and call in a qualified Electrician
regards Smokey