FCU in Bathroom

[Dan2511]

Hi all,

This is my first post on here, after reading everyone else's for years, so please go gentle! I admire how much people come together to help each other and answer each other's questions. I understand how dangerous electrical work can be if done incorrectly, so, to introduce myself, i have 10 years of experience in electrical DIY, all of which i have had inspected and tested by a registered spark. This is the case this time, i just wish to do the work myself, and before use have it tested and registered.

I'd like to install a single switched FCU spurred off a 32A RCD protected ring final circuit, within the bathroom. It will be fused down to 3a for a bathroom Sonos music speaker. Having done the measurements, it falls in Zone 3/no zone. The bathroom has no extraneous conductive parts entering or exiting that i am aware of, and no bonding on any pipes as they are plastic throughout the house, except where they enter. The FCU will be situated top corner, furthest from all water sources and out of reach, and will not be cleaned with jets etc.

My questions is: is this the safest, simplest and most cost effective way of having an FCU in this room, or am i missing something? I am aware it is notifiable work, therefore will have my spark in to test, certify and notify once complete.

Thank you all in advance
Daniel

 

[JohnW2]

I'd like to install a single switched FCU spurred off a 32A RCD protected ring final circuit, within the bathroom. It will be fused down to 3a for a bathroom Sonos music speaker. Having done the measurements, it falls in Zone 3/no zone.

There is no longer a zone 3, so I presume it is 'out of zones'. What you propose would therefore be OK, theoretically subject to the manufactuer saying that the FCU is suitable for such an environment (but they usually don't comment on this!).

The FCU will be situated top corner .... I am aware it is notifiable work, therefore will have my spark in to test, certify and notify once complete.

If it is 'out of zones' (which would, in any event, be the case if it were more than 2.25 metres above finished floor level, regardless of all else), it would not be notifiable. If it were, it would not actually acceptable for an electrician to test and certify work that he/she had not done.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

An electrician may test work which he has not done, and certify that he has done so, and report on his findings.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'd like to install a single switched FCU spurred off a 32A RCD protected ring final circuit

Unlikely. Do you mean a 32amp MCB? An RCD would more likely be 30mA? If you bring electricity into a bathroom, the circuit MUST be RCD protected.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Unlikely. Do you mean a 32amp MCB? An RCD would more likely be 30mA? If you bring electricity into a bathroom, the circuit MUST be RCD protected.

spurred off a 32A, RCD protected, ring final circuit

 

[JohnW2]

Unlikely. Do you mean a 32amp MCB? An RCD would more likely be 30mA? If you bring electricity into a bathroom, the circuit MUST be RCD protected.

Indeed. I have to say that, rightly or wrong, I interpreted the OP's statement as meaning (with my commas added):

I'd like to install a single switched FCU spurred off a 32A, RCD protected, ring final circuit, within the bathroom.

As has been said, if it were notifiable (which it doesn't sound as if it is), then whilst an electrician could inspect and test the OP's completed work, he/she should not really be able to notify it ('after the event').

Kind Regards, John
Edit: I must learn to type more quickly

 

[Taylortwocities]

I was just checking. You must have noticed many DIYers on here who do not actually know what they mean when they post. ( not all of us are guilt-free either)..

 

[JohnW2]

I was just checking. You must have noticed many DIYers on here who do not actually know what they mean when they post. ( not all of us are guilt-free either)..

Agreed - but I think your "unlikely" comment was probably going a bit far. Although you may be right, I think it's probably more 'likely' that it was the OP's wording (or lack of punctuation or parenthesis) which caused the potential uncertainty.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Dan2511]

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your fast replies! To confirm your corrections:

1. Sorry for the lack of commas; I did indeed mean a 32a MCB, protected by a 30ma RCD.
2. Yes I plan on the FCU being more than 600mm (approx 900 in fact, at the least) from any bath or shower, therefore putting it outsize of zones, is that correct? It will be approx 2m high, next to an FCU already present for a shower extractor.

Re the consensus that the work I describe is non-notifiable, I thought it was the room within which it was installed that made it notifiable, not the location within that room? I'm possibly just misinterpreting the regs, i'd be very grateful to be shown the error in my ways.

Thanks again for your support
Daniel

 

[JohnW2]

1. Sorry for the lack of commas; I did indeed mean a 32a MCB, protected by a 30ma RCD.

Thanks for confirming - as you will realise, that's what I thought you meant.

2. Yes I plan on the FCU being more than 600mm (approx 900 in fact, at the least) from any bath or shower, therefore putting it outsize of zones, is that correct? It will be approx 2m high, next to an FCU already present for a shower extractor.

If it's more than 600mm from bath/shower, then, yes, it is 'ouside of zones' (no matter how high).

Re the consensus that the work I describe is non-notifiable, I thought it was the room within which it was installed that made it notifiable, not the location within that room? I'm possibly just misinterpreting the regs, i'd be very grateful to be shown the error in my ways.

The only work which is now notifiable (in England - Wales is different) is work within the zones of bathroom.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

To be specific:

It's "any addition or alteration to existing circuits within {the zones}" plus, of course "a new circuit" anywhere.

 

[securespark]

Or replacement of a consumer unit.

 

[Dan2511]

Thanks all. Well and truly answered my question.

 

[JohnW2]

Or replacement of a consumer unit.

Well, yes, that completes the totality of what is now notifiable (in England). However, the question related to installation of an FCU, so I didn't think there was really a need to point ut that replacement of a CU is notifiable

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

To be specific:

It's "any addition or alteration to existing circuits within {the zones}" plus, of course "a new circuit" anywhere.

I was just adding to what EFLI wrote. I am aware the thread was not relating to consumer units, however, I wanted to add to the list of things which is notifiable. I am always aware that people may well refer to older threads, in which case clarifying what is notifiable is worthwhile.

I didn't think there was really a need to point out that I pointed out that replacement of a CU is notifiable.


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