shaver socket regs

[Taylortwocities]

Could i just chop into this or is 16 amp to big for a shaver socket to be on

SHaver sockets are about 20VA so yes 16A is too much. You could put a 3A FCU on the load side and run it from there.

 

[mattysupra]

and what about running a seperate wire to the the mcb/rcbo? so it ends up with two wires in it (one the upstairs lighting the other the shaver socket)


Thinking about chopping into the wire already there, i think it is 6mm or 10mm as it was originaly put in for a electric shower, guess it would be a bit tight getting the wires in a fused spur (that is a fcu is it not? )

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But you are obliged to make your additions comply with the regs, so while you do not need to RCD the existing stuff you need to RCD the addition (even if you wire it in a way that the cable does not need RCD protection)

But you're not adding a circuit to the bathroom, so there are no regulations which apply to your addition that require it to be on an RCD apart from 522.6.7 & 522.6.8(v).

What if it wasn't in a bathroom - what if someone wanted a shaver socket in his bedroom, because that's where he liked to use/charge his electric razor - would you want to put the circuit on an RCD?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

SHaver sockets are about 20VA so yes 16A is too much.

On that basis so is 6A. Or 3A.

You could put a 3A FCU on the load side and run it from there.

Ah - so only 35x what the accessory needs, that makes sense....

Seriously - fuses/MCBs are to protect the cable - as long as the cable into the terminals of the shaver socket is OK for 16A, why is an FCU needed?

 

[RF Lighting]

I'm not certain, but I seem to think some MI's specify a max of a 6A circuit.

It would be worthwhile the OP having a read of the destructions if he has already purchased the outlet just to be on the safe side.

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

BAS is technically correct when he says that the circuit cable protection is the main consideration - but this is largely academic since most shaver sockets are fed from the 5 or 6 Amp lighting circuit - so the issue rarely arises.

Shaver outlets are limited by design to around 20VA, and since the output has no Neutral - Earth reference, an RCD would have no affect. The consideration here has to be the protection of the primary winding and its supply cable if it's buried less than the required depth.

A 3 Amp fuse will do nothing to protect the primary winding from overload because an overload isn't possible - the current is limited by the internal resistance of the windings - so a 32A device might just as well be used provided that the feed cable is up to it.

Don't believe it? Then consider the case of an electric oven, particularly a fault to the internal wiring to the 15 Watt oven light only: Where is the protection here? Does it have an internal fuse? No, it doesn't, it has to rely on a much larger external 32/40A MCB - or fuse. And so it is with a shaver outlet - or a 4" fan - or a smoke detector; an internal fault will be dealt with by design. Any burn-out will be contained within the particular enclosure.

So we only need to consider the protection of the circuit cable, without worrying about the actual load - if it can be called that, in this case.....


Lucia.

 

[mattysupra]

and what about running a seperate wire to the the mcb/rcbo? so it ends up with two wires in it (one the upstairs lighting the other the shaver socket)

in answer to RF - i have not purchased one yet so any makes you recomend?

Anyway, can someone answer the above quote for me please!

Cheers.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yup - coming off the RCBO will be fine.

 

[mattysupra]

cheers ban,

so this is my plan......

I will fit a rcbo (as recommended) to the upstairs lighting circuit (6amp), i will then take a feed from the new rcbo using 1.5mm twin and earth to my shaver socket in the bathroom, the rcbo will be shared between the upstairs lighting and the shaver socket (so two wires will be going into the rcbo) The shaver socket will be installed in a cubard but away from any possible water leeks. The cubard which the shaver socket is in is only 1 meter away from the bath and sink!

Is everything upto regs there?

Thanks people, matt

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah, regs....

1) Re the legal ones - you need to notify your LABC before you start, and submit details for Building Regulations approval.

2) Re the not-legally-mandatory-but-strongly-recommended ones - to comply with BS 7671 you need to test the new circuit (or new part, depending on your POV) and record the values for R1+R2, insulation resistance, confirmation that you checked polarity (dead & live), fault loop resistance and RCBO functioning.