Bathroom zone 2

[Mecca]

Just a quick question..

At which point on a light fitting do you measure its height to the floor?

I have a light fitting outside the shower enclosure but within 600mm of it. It is fixed to the ceiling at 2.4m

The 3 adjustable spotlights on the light fitting are 2.2m from the floor when pointing downwards. Is the light fitting now in zone 2 and needs to be ip44? Or do you measure to the point where it is fixed to the ceiling?

It makes sense to fit an ip44 light, but do I HAVE to?

 

[JohnW2]

I have a light fitting outside the shower enclosure but within 600mm of it. It is fixed to the ceiling at 2.4m .... The 3 adjustable spotlights on the light fitting are 2.2m from the floor when pointing downwards. Is the light fitting now in zone 2 and needs to be ip44? Or do you measure to the point where it is fixed to the ceiling?

Interesting question.

Although it's not the answer you want to hear, I can but presume that to be 'outside of zones' every part of 'the light' (or whatever) has to be outside of zones - otherwise one could have pendant lampholder dangling down to waist height within the shower cubicle so long as the rose it was dangling from was >2.25m above FFL!

Sorry (I suppose others might disagree with me!)

Kind Regards, John

 

[Mecca]

No, I agree with you, I just can't see it conclusively written anywhere.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It would be the same with a pendant.

If the bulb is within 2.25m then that part is in zone 2.

 

[JohnW2]

No, I agree with you, I just can't see it conclusively written anywhere.

It's not explicitly written, conclusively or otherwise, in BS7671. However, I suppose it's down to common sense. When BS7671 does say ....

Installed electrical equipment shall have at least the following degrees of protection: .... (ii) In zones 1 and 2: IPX4.

... it seems reasonable to assume that they meant if any of the installed equipment is "in" those zones. It would not be sensible (or, I would say, defensible) to take it to mean that it could be 'outside of zones' even though it had bits 'sticking into' a zone provided that it was only attached to the fabric of the building outside of zones - as per the one fairly extreme example I cited.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

It would be the same with a pendant. If the bulb is within 2.25m then that part is in zone 2.

That's what I said ...

... otherwise one could have pendant lampholder dangling down to waist height within the shower cubicle so long as the rose it was dangling from was >2.25m above FFL!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes, I know, now Mecca knows you were correct.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, I know, now Mecca knows you were correct.

Thank you for reassuring him/her of my correctness

Kind Regards, John