smoke came from shower unit

[Asiantravel]

I had a pretty scary experience afternoon involving the infamous hot water shower units you get in bathrooms here. We can all remember the Swedish couple that were killed in the shower of their hotel on Krabi a couple of years ago

.

I have often thought being electrocuted in the shower would be one of the worst ways to die. I am curious as to how close I came to catastrophe based on the information below.

This afternoon as I was taking a hot shower I could start to smell something strange. It was almost like the smell of burning oil ( as opposed to any kind of burning rubber smell ) . I just happened to look up at the shower unit and there was smoke coming from the side of the unit.

I immediately rushed out of the shower and turned off all the electricity in the room and then found the switch in the power box specifically for the shower and have kept that switched off.

I immediately went downstairs to the the managers of the apartment. They firstly assured me that all the shower units are ground and everything is to a high standard.

Until after it has been repaired I will just use the shower without the electricity switched on and I trust that it is safe to do?

Has anyone here ever had prior experience of this happening and what is likely to have caused like a burning oil smell?

I don't know if it's related but I noticed recently when I turned the knob to switch off the shower unit if I wanted a cold shower the red light remained on and the water was still hot, even after I had turned the knob all the way around and it had clicked indicating off.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Asiantravel

[Tywais]

Sounds like the relay contacts in the heater have burned and welded shut causing it to stay on. Easy enough to fix by a technician or plan on buying a new one.

[lannarebirth]

If I were a renter in your position, I would either further damage the unit, so it is beyond repair, or I'd just go out and buy another unit with my own money.

[Asiantravel]

Thank you Tywais and lannarebirth for your replies.

In one sense you make it sound like it wasn't such a big deal after all.

But is it likely I came anywhere near the stage of possible electrocution and if there was such a potential danger would the safety trip switch have cut off before there was any danger, while the shower was being used?

[Tywais]

Thank you Tywais and lannarebirth for your replies.

In one sense you make it sound like it wasn't such a big deal after all.

But is it likely I came anywhere near the stage of possible electrocution and if there was such a potential danger would the safety trip switch have cut off before there was any danger, while the shower was being used?

If the heater has a built in GFI/GFCI (ground fault interrupter) or connected to a GFI master breaker than you are protected. Hopefully a ground connection is on the heater also.

[Asiantravel]

If I were a renter in your position, I would either further damage the unit, so it is beyond repair, or I'd just go out and buy another unit with my own money.

Why do you say that? I don't think it's that old. Here is a picture of it.

[Tywais]

If I were a renter in your position, I would either further damage the unit, so it is beyond repair, or I'd just go out and buy another unit with my own money.

Why do you say that? I don't think it's that old. Here is a picture of it.

It has built in protection but never heard of ELSD. The other method is ELCB (earth leakage circuit breaker) so perhaps the same. If it is the same than the unit does need a ground wire. Those have generally been replaced with RCDs (residual current detectors), also referred to GFIs as mentioned in my previous post, as they need no ground reference to trip but work on a mis-balance of currents in neutral/hot line.

[lopburi3]

From the company web site home page:

2011 CopyRigth Fujika a Company Limited.

Suspect it is just a mistype and should be ELCB.

FYI: I bought a Panasonic DH-3JL2TH Sunday for 2,590 baht from HomePro and have been very impressed that a sealed non metal unit with drip protection for input wire and best water flow I have seen (have to severally turn down input valve) - seems to be good value for the low price.

[h90]

I wouldn't trust that the shower is ground.

Our house: everything was ground, just the ground wire wasn't connected to a ground rod. So in case of failure the electric would have only be distributed to all devices connected.....

If you have the devices I would check:

Voltage between line and ground line (is it connected at all).

Put a 25 Watt light bulb between line and ground to see if can really take some power.

But if it is a condo don't do that, because if the ground is not connected you may kill your neighbor with that test as his electric devices would be under electric.

[Asiantravel]

The heater has been replaced and the smell was burning plastic. This is the damage you can see close to the on and off switch

Edited September 12, 2013 by Asiantravel