Electric Showers and Fishy Burning Smell: A Guide for Homeowners

The first thing you probably want to do if you're experiencing this odd plastic burning fishy smell when you're using the shower, before even reading this article - go and turn the power to the shower off at the breaker in your fusebox. Then relax and read the rest of this helpful article.

Are you experiencing a fishy burning smell when you use your electric shower? Don't panic, as this is a common problem that can be easily resolved. But you will want to act sooner rather than later. In this article, we'll explain how electric showers work, why they are high-powered, and what to do if you're experiencing that burning / fishy smell when you use the electric shower.

How does an electric shower work?

First, let's take a closer look at how an electric shower works. Electric showers use electricity to heat water as it passes through the shower unit, delivering a powerful and consistent flow of hot water on demand. The heating element inside the shower unit is responsible for heating the water, Think of a kettle on steroids, likely 3-4x as powerful as a kettle.

And if you've seen our #GESS Get Energy Savvy Series, we would have spoken a lot about the fact that if something is used for heating purposes - kettles, toasters, immersion heaters, showers - they use an awful lot of energy.

So what makes this fishy burning smell?

Now, let's talk about the fishy burning smell. This smell can occur when the plastic insulation around the electrical wires inside the shower unit begins to melt and burn, usually due to a bad electrical connection. This can be caused by a number of factors, including wear and tear, water damage, or incorrect installation. Electric showers generally have, by far, the highest power rating of any electrical equipment in the house. Couple that with a dodgy connection, and we have what the experts call 'thermal damage' - that is, overheating of the copper cables and subsequent burning and melting of surrounding materials, which can be accompanied by this burning fishy smell, especially when it involves an electric shower.

As we've mentioned before, if you notice a fishy burning smell while using your electric shower, it's important to take action right away. The first step is to turn off the shower and the electricity supply to the unit. This will help to prevent any further damage or potential safety hazards.

What should you do shower or isolator is starting to burn?

When you get to the high power ratings of showers, and considering it's in the bathroom - the work is likely notifiable to building control, and the cables start to get unwieldy to work with for the uninitiated. We liken it to having to 'wrestle with snakes' when cables are 6mm or larger - the sort of sizes an electric shower requires due to the nature of it being a high current device. If you're experiencing the sort of burning fishy smell coming from the shower which has prompted you to find this page, we fully recommend seeking assistance from an experienced electrician.