Bathroom lighting

[davedasave]

Hi, i've just fitted a shower into my bathroom and upon taking my first shower i looked up to see the water spray covering the light fitting, i don't know what sort of light it is but it looks very cheap and nasty (was here before i moved in) and its 240v, with 3 halogen bulbs which you can direct

I've just read about electrics in the bathroom and have measured it and it falls within zone 1, i now know i need to get an ipx4 light fitting but it says it has to be on a 30mA rcd, but the upstairs light circuit is not on the rcd side of the board, its only protected by a 6a mcb.

what are my options? i can't seem to find a low voltage light rated at ipx4 which is not a spot light as i don't like them, are there any low voltage normal looking light fittings (that look like mine, see picture) that will conform to ipx4 or will i just have to have spot lights or put the lighting cicuit on the rcd side of the cu

have a look at this link to see the light and any advice would be very helpful thank you

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/lloydsno1/PIC_0009.jpg

 

[Adam_151]

That ceiling less than 2.25m then?

A good way to provide RCD protection for bathroom lights is to take the lighting circuit into a 3A RCD FCU just outside of the bathroom, and run the bathroom lights from the load side of that

Wouldn't want the lighting moved to the RCD side of the CU... when you overfil the iron lights go out and someone falls down the stairs!

But you certainly want to be swapping that light for a IP44 rated one, I'd go out on a limb here and saying that just replacing that fitting with an IP44 rated one, would be better than worrying about RCDs and never doing the job at all...

I'll leave someone else to give you the LABC angle...

 

[davedasave]

cheers for your advice, the ceiling is higher than 2.25m but from the base of the bath to the lowest point on the light is less than that which is where i thought i was supposed to measure from, will definately buy an ipx4 light tomorrow before anyone else uses the shower

another quick question, if i take the light down, will it say in it that its rated at ipx4 or not? it just feels really cheap, made of plastic, probably a market job

thanks for your help again

 

[Adam_151]

The zones afaik are measured from the floor, not the inside of the bath, and your new light would probably have a lower profile one

so could possibly end up in zone 2, which still requires IP44 but doesn't have to be RCD protected (yet!)

Light certainly doesn't look anywhere near IP44, and the way it is with the fronts of the lamps exposed, I'd be worried about a spot of water causing local cooling of a spot on the glass, causing the glass of the lamp to fracture!

 

[davedasave]

cheers, the bottom of the light is 2.32m from the floor so just out and the light it slightly to the right of the edge of the bath so it just falls into zone 2 so at least i don't need to worry about an rcd, but will defo pop into b&q tomorrow to get an ip44 light, cheers for all your help

 

[Lounge About]

A good way to provide RCD protection for bathroom lights is to take the lighting circuit into a 3A RCD FCU just outside of the bathroom, and run the bathroom lights from the load side of that.

Could you incorporate a timer extractor fan using this method. Putting the 3-pole isolator next to it outside the bathroom? Do they have to be in the 450-1200 zone from the floor or can they be sited above the door, i'm really pushed for space

Hope you can shed some light

 

[Steve]

A good way to provide RCD protection for bathroom lights is to take the lighting circuit into a 3A RCD FCU just outside of the bathroom, and run the bathroom lights from the load side of that.

Could you incorporate a timer extractor fan using this method. Putting the 3-pole isolator next to it outside the bathroom? Do they have to be in the 450-1200 zone from the floor or can they be sited above the door, i'm really pushed for space

Hope you can shed some light

That was a discreet hijack, wasn't it?