Cable outlet in bathroom

[DIY_Paul]

Hi, new here so sorry if this question has been asked before - I searched but can't find quite the answer I need.

I am wiring in a dual-fuel chrome towel radiator in the bathroom, and I know it needs to be wired directly to a cable outlet, from a fused & switched spur located outside the bathroom. No problem, but does the cable outlet by the towel radioator have to be chased into the wall, or can it be surface mounted? Obviously I would rather it was the latter as it saves me work!

Thanks in advance.

 

[andy]

use a metal backbox into the wall. make sure its in zone 3

 

[DIY_Paul]

Thanks for the quick reply - that's a shame though as I am really reluctant to go into the wall - I have already tiled with stone tiles which weren't cheap, and look really good! I was oping a surface mount box for the outlet would be okay. I might remove the electrical element now, and stick with water heating only, I think. Thanks anyway!

 

[ryanj]

I don't see any problem having it surface-mounted.

 

[Damocles]

Drill right through the wall and put the connection/fcu on the opposite side?

 

[Paul_C]

Drill right through the wall and put the connection/fcu on the opposite side?

That would mean running the flex through the wall, which is a definite no-no.

There's nothing against a surface-mount box for the flex outlet plate. In fact there's nothing against using an actual FCU with flex outlet in the bathroom if you can achieve the required distance from the tub/shower.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Thanks for the quick reply - that's a shame though as I am really reluctant to go into the wall - I have already tiled with stone tiles which weren't cheap, and look really good!

Ever encountered the word "planning"?

 

[DIY_Paul]

ban-all-sheds - very helpful.

Damocles - nice idea but it's an external wall...

Paul_C - The planned location for the cable outlet is about 1.2m from the edge of the bath, I'm not sure what the minimum distance would be to locate an fcu there. I would rather put the switch outside the bathroom though, so as long as I can use a surface mount box for the cable outlet I should be fine routing the cable from the fused switch outside the bathroom under floor to the cable outlet, coming out from behind the skirting board. Thanks very much for your help guys.

 

[kai]

Why not use an MK masterseal weatherproof fuse-connection unit - they are of weatherproof sealed construction, hence are safe to use in a bathroom.

 

[Lectrician]

Some loacations can't even have an IP68 Item

And would you want one of those in your bathroom?

 

[mapj1]

[non serious comment]
Note that under part P you could simply wire it to the regulations of ANY EU country, providing you can get a caertificate to say it meets them..
perhaps you could use the Swedish, or German regs, either of which would allow you to have 16A schucko socket in the bathroom, then you could just plug it in.
Of course you could have a bit of a battle with building control to convince them this was OK, if they were to notice.
[/End non serious comment]
A normal UK surface mount box, cables made off with due care, and arranged so any condensed water running down the wall doesn't go in, is perfectly fine in zone 3 (see 'for reference'), probably safer than chased in where the risk of this problem is greater. Lay the flex with this in mind too, so no drops are guided into the box.
Mike

 

[DIY_Paul]

I like it - one of the newly joined eastern-european states migth be ideal - I'd imagine you could do pretty much what you want! Probably not a good idea after all...

I checked, (thanks for the link to the reference material (I'll look there first in future ) and the location will definitely be Zone 3. So the general consensus seems to be it's okay to surface mount & use a switched outlet if I want to - that might now be on the cards for easier wiring. I'll get on it tomorrow evening.

Next up: under-floor heating... you may see me here again soon

Seriously - I'm glad I found this site, it looks like it covers all aspects of DIY-type jobs, and I'll certainly be back at some point looking for clues on a job I haven't tackled before.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Flush mount is OK, provided all you have to deal with is run-of-the-mill (or should that be run-off-the-wall ) condensation, if you seal round the edge of the accessory with silicone.

 

[Damocles]

If it is an outside wall and you don't fancy cutting into the wall inside, how are you going to get cables to the fitting?

Paul, why is going through the wall a definite no-no?

 

[kendor]

If it is an outside wall and you don't fancy cutting into the wall inside, how are you going to get cables to the fitting?

Paul, why is going through the wall a definite no-no?

Probably never heard of conduit