heated floor isolation position

[ogc]

1) i have a heated floor mat going under tiles in the bathroom.it needs to be isolated, the fused spur will power the small digital thermostat.
where is the spur allowed to go and where am i permitted to secure the thermostat?


whilst were on the subject
2)i have a a vanity(basin, taps etc) unit and at 750mm above that i would like to use some downlighters.can i do this with mains lighting circuit or is it not permitted.
can i get lights that are permitted?

3)can i use mains voltage downlighters in the bathroom as main lights, if not are there similar styles to these http://www.intalite.co.uk/down/html/fitting/dl49n.htm
in fact can i use these?

4)can a fused switch be part of the ring main?

cheers

 

[securespark]

The only one I can answer for sure is that a Fused Connection Unit (FCU, Switched Spur) can be part of a ring.

The others depend upon the layout of your bathroom. In other words, where your electrical equipment will be in relation to the sink and bath, and the size of you room.

Bathrooms are now "zoned" and certain things can only go in certain zones.

Have a search for a zoning diagram. iee.org.uk, or elsewhere.

Then you will know which zone areas your lighting etc will fall in.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1) i have a heated floor mat going under tiles in the bathroom.it needs to be isolated, the fused spur will power the small digital thermostat.
where is the spur allowed to go and where am i permitted to secure the thermostat?

The spur and the thermostat can go in Zone 3 or outside the Zones, but if they're likely to get splashed, then they should be IPx4 rated. You really will have to get the thermostat inside the bathroom - it'll be bvgger all use if it's somewhere that's not warmed by the heating it's controlling...

Also, if the ring isn't RCD protected, I'd advise an RCD spur.

whilst were on the subject
2)i have a a vanity(basin, taps etc) unit and at 750mm above that i would like to use some downlighters.can i do this with mains lighting circuit or is it not permitted.
can i get lights that are permitted?

The zones relate to the bath/shower, not basins, so it would depend on where the basin is in relation to the bath/shower as to whether those lights would be in Zone 2 or Zone 3. If they'd be in Zone 2 then they must be IPx4 rated.

3)can i use mains voltage downlighters in the bath as main lights, if not are there similar styles to these http://www.intalite.co.uk/down/html/fitting/dl49n.htm
in fact can i use these?

I assume you don't actually mean that you want lights in the bath, i.e. in Zone 0! If you did, then you could do it, but you'd have to have IPx7 rated SELV (i.e. 12V) luminaires.

You could use those downlighters in Zone 3, or outside the zones, but if you want them in Zone 2, then those would be no good as they are IP20, and, you guessed it, you need IPx4...

4)can a fused switch be part of the ring main?

As securespark said, yes it can. IMHO that's the best way to do it anyway.


See here for diagrams of bathroom zones:

http://amdea.org.uk/bath1.1.pdf

http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/EarthingPlasticPipes.pdf (this also has info on supplementary bonding - if you're going to be doing work in your bathroom you might as well bring that up to scratch, if it isn't already)


And see this http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.2.2.htm for more on the topic, including supplementary bonding, which is also gone into here: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.4.3.htm

 

[ogc]

i should have made myself a bit clearer with regard to the thermostat question.

the actual thermostat is placed in the floor but the timer that controls the temperature and timing on off of the heating mat is a seperate piece of kit.

so, i think what i was really asking is where can i put the timer. although it sounds like you both answered the question by refering me to the zones.

and who in the world still has a bar fire in their bathroom


also are there any rcd spurs that dont look like they belong in a hospital!!!
thanks for the help guys.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

also are there any rcd spurs that dont look like they belong in a hospital!!!

Oh yeah - there are some which look like they belong in a factory..

Seriously, they are none of them going to be very elegant - they all have to have a label with the spec on, and instructions to test, they all have to have a test button (which probably has to be red), they all have to have a reset button....

 

[ogc]

i have had a read and from what i understand i can put the digital timer for the heated flooring in zone 3 and the fused swith that will supply the power to it in the zone 3 also.

correct???

 

[ogc]

stupid stupid me

the fused spur for the shower is in the hallway and now we dont have an electric shower so i think i would be right in saying i could use this as isolation for everything i have been thinking about doing.


thanks for all the help though