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Such as a 3 pin plug point for a hairdryer?
Is it illegal to have electric outlets in the bathroom?
- Thread starter ClintonWestwood
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The law has nothing to do with it, except -
that it might be argued that a person fitting one in a position contrary to The Wiring Regulations was also contrary to Part P of The Building Regulations (the law) by not ensuring safety.
The Wiring Regulations (which are not law) state that sockets may only be fitted more than 3 metres from a bath or shower etc.
that it might be argued that a person fitting one in a position contrary to The Wiring Regulations was also contrary to Part P of The Building Regulations (the law) by not ensuring safety.
The Wiring Regulations (which are not law) state that sockets may only be fitted more than 3 metres from a bath or shower etc.
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I don't want to muddy the waters (and I personally wouldn't fit any 1363 sockets in a bathroom) but some electricians consider a cupboard with a door to be outside the zones.
What are you planning?
What are you planning?
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Common sense would say it shouldn’t be fitted near the bath.
Therefore an appliance of typical lead length will not reach the bath.
But obviously the hairdryer cable needs to reach the mirror.
Yes I know extension leads exist but you can’t cater for everything.
Therefore an appliance of typical lead length will not reach the bath.
But obviously the hairdryer cable needs to reach the mirror.
Yes I know extension leads exist but you can’t cater for everything.
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Just curious more than anything but planning some changes to the bathroom.
That's true, but 'zones' are not really relevant in relation to sockets (which are not even allowed 'outside of zones', unless they are ≥3m from bath/shower).
The question is therefore probably whether those electricians who consider a cupboards with a door to be 'outside of zones' also consider such a location to be 'outside of the bathroom'. I certainly don't think that 'in a cupboard <3m from bath/shower' is within the spirit/intent of the regulation - which, as Andy has said, presumably exists to minimise the risk that people will use mains-powered electrical appliances (with leads no more than 3m long) whilst in the bath/risk.
Having said that, in terms of that spirit/intent, there seems to be a potential loophole. My daughter has a very small bathroom with no sockets. However, there is a socket on the landing, just outside of the bathroom door, probably not much more than 1 metre (certainly far less than 3m) from the nearest part of the bath - so it would theoretically be quite possible for her to use something plugged into that socket whist in the bath.
Kind Regards, John
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Virtually every bathroom in the rest of the world has a standard mains socket in the bathroom. (These days they are usually protected with an RCD, as is the fashion). There is no evidence that people in the rest of the world are falling like flies.
Despite the fact that, as Detlef has said, one finds standard sockets in bathrooms in the great majority of countries in the world, I think a lot of us (quite probably without any evidence-base) probably share your caution.
However, given your feelings about that, how do you feels about my daughter's socket which, although outside of the bathroom (on landing), is not much more than 1 metres ('as the cable flies') from the end of he bath?
Kind Regards, John
I don't really know John, I've seen my children do some "stupid" things, but its only stupid after the fact.
People have different though processes, I'm risk averse as every motorcycle I work on has to be faultless, so I always work on worste case scenario.
My children don't have the same background or life experience so one bad choice without mulling over all the consequences could be very bad for them. We can't be around all the time to shepherd them around unfortunately.
My daughter is no child. She's a nearly-40-year-old mother, but, given the situation I described, if she decided that she wanted to use her hair dryer (with a 'standard length' lead), whilst it was plugged into that socket 'outside of the bathroom' whilst lying in a bath full of water, she could.
The stupidity would be in using a mains-powered electrical device whilst in the bath. If someone was stupid enough to contemplate doing that, they would look around to see if there was an available socket into which to plug it (before looking for an extension lead
). If one wanted to frustrate their attempts to be stupid (albeit nothing could 'win' over an extension lead!), I don't see why it would be any better if a socket 'within usable range' (whilst in the bath) was, literally/technically, 'inside the bathroom or just outside of the bathroom door, would it?Nothing wrong with that - we all differ, and there is a wide variation in the extent to which individuals are risk-averse. That's why I was wondering whether you might think that the rule should be that sockets should not be allowed "within 3 metres ('as the cable flies') of a bath/shower", regardless of whether or not they were actually in the same room as the bath/shower
Kind Regards, John
MOD: Quote fixed.
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Yep I think you do have a point there John, seems an odd situation where you can have a socket just outside the bathroom 1 meter away from the bath!.
I suppose if the 3 meter rule was applied they would have to make a concerted effort to get power near enough to the bathroom to use the hairdryer etc in the bath.
Saying all that I stand in a metal bath under a shower every morning thats fed with 240v!.
I suppose if the 3 meter rule was applied they would have to make a concerted effort to get power near enough to the bathroom to use the hairdryer etc in the bath.
Saying all that I stand in a metal bath under a shower every morning thats fed with 240v!.
Perhaps the odd situation is the three metre rule - when foreigners seem to manage.
If they want.
I know it's just an example but would people want to dry their hair in the bath?
Exactly.
Exactly.
If someone is not only stupid enough to want to do it by also determined enough to seek out an extension lead, then there is clearly nothing that any regulation could do to protect them from themselves.
Kind Regards, John
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