Electric radiator switch in bathroom

[Talby]

Have moved into a property that has an electric ladder type radiator in the bathroom. The unit has a switched fuse spur. The switch is located in the bathroom underneath the radiator and near the floor. Is this a correct installation? I am concerned about there being a switch in the bathroom at all - should I be. It is about 2 metres from the bath/basin.

Cheers

 

[chivers67]

Has your consumer unit got RCD's and can you work out whether this circuit is on one?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

This here http://www.thelightingsuperstore.co.uk/bathroom-lighting-zones is very useful- shows you what you're allowed where in your bathroom/shower room. Like you I'm not a big fan of switchgear anywhere near watery devices but as long as your FCU (and radiator unless it has the appropriate IP rating) are in the white area then regs-wise you are fine.

The Q above about RCD protection is very valid- if the circuit is protected by an RCD then in the event of some random splashage on the thing the RCD will massively reduce the risk of you or someone else getting a fatal electric shock. Well worth investigating

 

[Talby]

Has your consumer unit got RCD's and can you work out whether this circuit is on one?

Yes the unit has RCD's.

 

[Iggifer]

Turn the breakers off one at a time until the radiator goes off. If it's on the RCD side, then it has RCD protection

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Has your consumer unit got RCD's and can you work out whether this circuit is on one?

Yes the unit has RCD's. Is there an obvious way to work out if the circuit is on one. I can see that the shower, cooker, sockets, lighting are etc.

Switch FCU off, let rad cool down.
Prod all the TEST buttons on the RCDs so they all trip
Go back into the bathroom, switch the FCU ON, see if the rad warms up.

EDIT- 1 typo and a thought- are we talking 2 RCDs or many RCBOs? Whichever, prod all the test buttons as above and see what happens

 

[EFLImpudence]

Have moved into a property that has an electric ladder type radiator in the bathroom.

I don't suppose there is an electric shower?

 

[JohnD]

This here is very useful- shows you what you're allowed where in your bathroom/shower room.

The lighting superstore diagram is defective. It thinks there is a zone round the basin.

See if you can find that in any regulation.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

This here is very useful- shows you what you're allowed where in your bathroom/shower room.

The lighting superstore diagram is defective. It thinks there is a zone round the basin.

See if you can find that in any regulation.

My bad- it does say in the words below the pretty pic that 'it is good practise to treat the area around and below the basin as Zone 2' but yes you're quite right, that area doesn't feature in my copy of the On-Site guide either so for compliance purposes the basin can be ignored as long as it isn't within the bath or shower created zones.

 

[Talby]

Have moved into a property that has an electric ladder type radiator in the bathroom.

I don't suppose there is an eyylectric shower?

yes there is

 

[Talby]

Turn the breakers off one at a time until the radiator goes off. If it's on the RCD side, then it has RCD protection

The radiator isn't actually working but their is a power light. I tried turning off all the breakers one by one except for the ones labelled cooker and kitchen sockets but the power light on the radiator stayed on.

 

[Iggifer]

Try kitchen sockets and cooker then!

 

[EFLImpudence]

Have moved into a property that has an electric ladder type radiator in the bathroom.

I don't suppose there is an eyylectric shower?

yes there is

Where is it and do you touch it?

 

[Talby]

Try kitchen sockets and cooker then!

My dinner was in the oven last night ! It was the kitchen sockets in the end.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

My bad- it does say in the words below the pretty pic that 'it is good practise to treat the area around and below the basin as Zone 2' but yes you're quite right, that area doesn't feature in my copy of the On-Site guide either so for compliance purposes the basin can be ignored as long as it isn't within the bath or shower created zones.

Would never have happened if you'd referenced the Wiki.

That's what it is for.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:bathroom_zones