BATHROOM LIGHTING

[jamesc1979]

Hi All

Need a bit of advice. I am refitting my bathroom, gutting out, leveling, plumbing in new suite, tiling etc. I am not a tradesman but a fairly competent D.I.Yer.

I am looking into lighting, but not sure what I can do myself in a bathroom. I would like to remove my current light fitting, add in a ceiling rose - 40cm diameter plaster imitation (duro polymore) and fit a IP20 rated pendant light fitting with enamel metal shade- the electrics would be behind the rose and not on top.

The ceiling height of my bathroom is about 250cm and the current light is outside the 60cm from the shower. So I am presuming it will be an outside zone.

1-Being that this is a bathroom can I change the light fitting myself?

2-The ceiling rose will be above 225cm being that this is a pendant light does the lamp holder have to hang above 225cm if it is IP20 rated? Or can this part hang below?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Hello jamesc1979,
You can change your existing fitting for new (pendant) without the need to notify your work.
If the fitting is metallic, it will likely need a CPC/earth connection, so ideally you will need to have CPC/earth cable and prove continuity back to the board.
It would also be wise to have any circuits within the bathroom RCD protected.
If the pendant is outside the zones, it is okay for the lamp holder to encroach within 2250mm providing your shower has a basin and the distance from it's edge, on the horizontal plane is equal to or exceeds 600mm, this also includes any bath that maybe in the room. If the shower does not have a basin/tray then Zone one is increased to 1200mm but zone 2 is omitted.
Below is a guide to the bathroom zones.

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 29 Sep 2011
• 4

you can also look here
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:speclcn:bathroom_zones

 

[EFLImpudence]

1-Being that this is a bathroom can I change the light fitting myself? The ceiling rose will be above 225cm

Yes, because it is a replacement and outside the zones - more than 2.25m above the floor.
Although it should be tested properly. Likely, you will not have the equipment.

2- being that this is a pendant light does the lamp holder have to hang above 225cm if it is IP20 rated?

No, because it is outside the zones - more than 600mm. from the edge of the shower.
Although it should be 'suitable for the environment', i.e. moisture.

Or can this part hang below?

Yes, as above.

 

[securespark]

You want a plaster rose...in the bathroom???


Providing the whole fitting is outside the zones, you should be OK.

 

[jamesc1979]

Thanks for the advice.

The shade is metallic

Metalic enamel shade

• jamesc1979
• 7 Aug 2012
• 1

IP20 rated

There is a basin in the room.

The fitting instructions say its double insulated and instruct not to connect to earth is this OK for a bathroom?

How do I tell if the circuits are RCD protected, would this be in place already?

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

The fitting instructions say its double insulated and instruct not to connect to earth is this OK for a bathroom?

Yes, it's fine.

How do I tell if the circuits are RCD protected, would this be in place already?

If you have a modern consumer unit with Miniature Circuit Breakers you may have one or two of these -

or even more modern units may have an RCBO like this for every circuit -

Look for the test button and 30mA or 0.03A marking.
If you do you should press the button every three months to test it.

If, when you turn off one of these the bathroom lights go off then all is well.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

delete duplicate post

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

An RCD would look something like this and have a test button on it

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 29 Jul 2009
• 13

This would be found at your consumer unit and would protect a number of circuits.
You may have an RCBO, which would protect individual circuits

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 25 Apr 2012
• 5

also a test button would be found on these.
If the MI states no CPC/earth is required an a CPC/earth cable is presnet on circuit, put the end of this cable in a connection block, do not cut this cable back as it maybe needed for any replacement fitting in the future and also helps for circuit testing purposes.
My question would be:
Does the MI say the light fitting is suitable for a bath/shower room location?

 

[jamesc1979]

My board is old its marked 1992 so its not a modern circuit, a picture of it is attached.

Does it look suitable?
Couldn't see a test button?

The light fitting does not say its suitable for bathrooms-in this case do I need to look for one that is?

 

[jamesc1979]

Board

• jamesc1979
• 7 Aug 2012
• 2

This is my circuit board

This is my board

 

[EFLImpudence]

My board is old its marked 1992 so its not a modern circuit, a picture of it is attached.

No, you don't have RCDs (unless you have one on the main supply cable)

Whilst fitting one would be a good idea (like buying a new car) the regulations are not retrospective.

The light fitting does not say its suitable for bathrooms-in this case do I need to look for one that is?

It would be preferable but such fittings used to be all there was and we seemed to manage.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

As it seems your board is of the older type without RCD protection, this does not prevent you from replacing exiting fittings to the circuit. But in this location, the ideal situation would be to have this type (30mA RCD) protection.

In your original post you stated you were refitting/upgrading the bathroom, did this include metallic pipe work to plumbing and supplementary bonding of those pipes?

As far as the metallic light fitting, if the product is not listed as suitable for bath/shower rooms, my concern would be moisture and corrosion of the fitting with regards to the location.

 

[jamesc1979]

Hi

There is copper piping already in place, I intend to remove old suite and refit the new suit to the current copper pipes with flexible tap connectors.[/list][/quote]

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

And is supplementary bonding currently in place?
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:speclcn:supbond17th