Plug socket in bathroom..

[simondyntDBeK]

I've read in my Readers Digest big book of DIY that you can't put a plug socket in the bathroom.

Is this right?

I want to wall mount a dustbuster (well away from the sink/bath/toilet) - should i just cut the plug off, connect to an FCU and take a cable to a plug socket behind the fridge in the kitchen to a 3 pin plug into another socket (I don't really want to a take a spur off )

Or shall I just cut the cable - run it through the wall and reconnect the other side and plug directly into the socket in the kitchen?

Your opinions greatly appreciated!

Cheers

Simon

 

[nstreet]

Standard socket outlets are NOT allowed anywhere in the bathroom. You may be able to put a FCU in zone 3, however any portable equipment in this zone must be of the Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) type. I'm not sure a dust buster qualifies as this. You do have the unzoned area, but your bathroom needs to be pretty big or you wont reach the dustbuster as it will be on the ceiling.

Personally I would just mount it on the wall outside the bathroom door.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Personally I would just mount it on the wall outside the bathroom door.

That would be in the kitchen (yes, it's a very strange layout house!)

So the fact I already have a tumble dryer in there is a problem!?

It *is* a large bathroom (bigger than the kitchen in fact). hummm, what to do!

 

[Steve]

I thought dustbusters use 12V batteries, and take mains supply through a wall wart - therefore cutting its plug off and connecting to mains is not advisable . Tumble dryer shouldn't really be in the bathroom, not the ideal environment for it - can you build a partition across the room, as it is so big?

 

[Big_Spark]

Sockets in a room containing a fixed bath or shower is a no no.

The Dustbusters, as has been pointed out, use a wall wart Tx for charging the unit, so using this in the bathroom, whilst acceptable, would prevent the unit from being permanently fixed into the bathroom.

I would suggest that the unit be fixed in the hallway outside the bathroom, and then use the Dustbuster as desired.

 

[HandyJon]

To the OP...

If the wall opposite your bath is over 3.0m away from it, then you could put it on that wall but only via an FCU. You say your bathroom is larger than your kitchen so it might be that large!!!!! However, even in that case the flex should not allow the portable equipment to be placed in zone 3 or lower.

You can have a tumble dryer in your bathroom, but it can't be plugged in via a plug and socket and it still needs to be outside of zone 3. It needs to be wired up via a FCU. Alternatively if the dryer had a simple partition wall around it (at a minimum made of hardwood and 2x2) with a door, then it could be plugged in via a socket. So if you did that, you could put your dustbuster's charger plate in there for it.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Apologies for the newbie question - but can someone explain 'zones'?

Simon

 

[HandyJon]

Go to google and type in "bathroom zones" for a full description, or see "The Reference" sticky post at the top of this forum. Basically it sets out volumes around the bath and other water sources where there are limitations on the type of electrical equipement (if any) that can be placed in that volume.

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Cheers HandyJon - I'd already had to google 'wall wart'!

That looks fine - the dustbuster would be well in zone 3 as it's on a different wall and 2m from the toilet, 2.5m from the basin and about 2m from the bath.

 

[andy]

Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) type.

SEPERATE extra low voltage.

 

[nstreet]

Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) type.

SEPERATE extra low voltage.

Just googled it out of interest and can only find safety. So which is correct... Somebody?

 

[bothyhead]

Just googled it out of interest and can only find safety. So which is correct... Somebody

hi nstreet. according to the OSG it's:

"Separated extra-low voltage"

OSG quote : They "have no live part connected to earth or the protective conductor of another system"

PELV (protective) systems on the other hand are not electrically separated from earth.

 

[andy]

Safety Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) type.

SEPERATE extra low voltage.

Just googled it out of interest and can only find safety. So which is correct... Somebody?

many people make that mistake, but its definatly seperate

 

[Qedelec]

Safety extra low voltage is SELV in Portable Appliance Testing.

I have no idea why they used the same letters but the course lectures couldn't answer either.

 

[pdcelec]

The "SAFETY" bit was dropped because the IEE deemed that no voltage can be considered safe.