LED Heated Mirror Wiring

stevethefox · 13 Sep 2010

I'm hoping someone could inform me of current regs regarding a heated bathroom mirror?
I'm intending on running it from the existing lighting circuit (120w max) and using an 'invisible' switch behind a wall tile to activate the heater element when needed. But do i also need means of isolations within the bathroom (zone 3) to conform to current regs or will the 'invisible' switch itself be enough?

Link to hidden switch www.sensor.co.uk

Thanks
Steve

ban-all-sheds · 13 Sep 2010

stevethefox said:
I'm hoping someone could inform me of current regs regarding a heated bathroom mirror?

The most significant ones are the Building Regulations. Unlike the Wiring Regulations they are actually law, and the work you propose to do is notifiable.

using an 'invisible' switch behind a wall tile to activate the heater element when needed.

Do you really have a £65 dislike of ordinary switches?

But do i also need means of isolations within the bathroom (zone 3) to conform to current regs or will the 'invisible' switch itself be enough?

I'd have one, aginst the day that a fault in it otherwise takes out the lighting circuit. You may find that the installation instructions require it to be on an FCU anyway.

Taylortwocities · 13 Sep 2010

Personally I would not use a separate switch. You will not know if the mirror is on or not.
You could go away on holiday and leave it on.

Most mirror heaters are connected to the switched live of the lighting circuit so that the mirror heats up when the lights go on.
Mine gets up to temp in 3-4 minutes so I can see my loverlee phizzog when I get out of the shower.

stevethefox · 13 Sep 2010

Taylortwocities said:
Most mirror heaters are connected to the switched live of the lighting circuit so that the mirror heats up when the lights go on.
Mine gets up to temp in 3-4 minutes so I can see my loverlee phizzog when I get out of the shower.

But that would mean me having to turn the light on every time i use the shower and it's going to have plenty of natural light in there. Unless i wire it into a 15 minute timer and turn the light on > then off whenever i wash?
Perhaps a half decent looking fused switch on the wall will suffice, but that would ruin the whole look of the bathroom.

stevethefox · 13 Sep 2010

ban-all-sheds said:
Do you really have a £65 dislike of ordinary switches?

Not particularly. It's going to be a fairly high spec'd bathroom and if i'm going to pay good money for a fancy mirror with pretty LED's and a 'super-heater' stuck to that back of it, I don't want to see a white pull cord dangling in the middle of the room.

electronicsuk · 13 Sep 2010

stevethefox said:
ban-all-sheds said:

Do you really have a £65 dislike of ordinary switches?

Click to expand...

Not particularly. It's going to be a fairly high spec'd bathroom and if i'm going to pay good money for a fancy mirror with pretty LED's and a 'super-heater' stuck to that back of it, I don't want to see a white pull cord dangling in the middle of the room.

That's fair enough, but you'll have to remember to turn it on a couple of minutes before you need a shave in order for the mirror to properly demist. As you probably wont remember to do that, it makes more sense for the heater pad to come on with the lights.

ban-all-sheds · 13 Sep 2010

stevethefox said:
Not particularly. It's going to be a fairly high spec'd bathroom and if i'm going to pay good money for a fancy mirror with pretty LED's and a 'super-heater' stuck to that back of it, I don't want to see a white pull cord dangling in the middle of the room.

What are you going to do for the light switch, fan switch, shower switch/isolator, heated towel rail isolator, UFH thermostat, shaver socket....

Plus if this is a switch for the mirror, and you want a concealed proximity one, why not have it on the back of the mirror?

1john · 13 Sep 2010

How will the led's on the mirror be switched on and off, if there is a switch on the mirror for this and it is on the 230V side, which it should be, then can you take the heater feed from there? that way your mirror light will also be on as a tell tale for when the mirror heater is on?

flameport · 13 Sep 2010

Switch in the mirror is the best option, motion sensor types are available, decent makes of this type of mirror have the switch already built in.
That way, the heater is only on when the mirror lights are on, so it is obvious when it is on/off.

Of course, heating a mirror is a complete waste of energy and is another example of fixing the wrong problem.
A polycarbonate mirror would solve the condensation problem with no need for any switches or heaters.

1john · 13 Sep 2010

or rub a flannel with a little soap on it over the mirror, this not only gets rid of the condensation but also cleans the mirror. you could install some spotlights pointing at the mirror to heat it though.

aptsys · 14 Sep 2010

Or just get some decent extraction going...

I've never had any mist in my bathroom.

Alarm · 17 Aug 2011

Have to agree, the correct venting and no fogging.

Lectrician · 17 Aug 2011

A mirror above a sink is always going to mist up. These heater pads are a good idea IMO, and demist it in seconds.

Extraction will not sure a misted mirror above a sink.

ban-all-sheds · 17 Aug 2011

It's been almost a year - maybe the OP can tell us what he did, and how well it works?

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LED Heated Mirror Wiring

Alarm

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