Safe sound input in bathroom

[Ninemill]

I’m currently in the process of renovating a house and in doing so we’re completely re-wiring in and installing a new bathroom.

As part of the bathroom re-fit I’m installing a simple sound system. It consists of an amp in the loft powered from the lighting circuit with a switich to turn it on and off situated outside the bathroom by the door. This will then feed two ceiling mounted speakers.

I’m now trying to work out the best way to get a sound feed up to the amp. My idea is to fit a 3.5mm headphone socket into the side recess of one of the windows and plug a small, non-powered iPod dock into it. The dock would be just over 60cm from the bath, so out of the protected zones and wouldn’t be powered but I’m still curious as to whether this poses a safety risk and whether there are any better solutions.

Many thanks,

Tom.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I’m currently in the process of renovating a house and in doing so we’re completely re-wiring in and installing a new bathroom.

Do you live in England or Wales?

 

[Ninemill]

In England. I'm using the Royal "we" - the electrical work is being done by an electrician.

 

[securespark]

What does he reckon about the risks?

 

[Ninemill]

I haven't asked him yet. He's not due back for a few days now so I thought I'd gather some opinion and maybe some other options in the meantime.

 

[westie101]

I'm struggling to comprehend some of the replies here!

The op is fitting an amplifier in the loft, controlled by a switch on the landing - neither of these is in the bathroom so it is not notifiable!

He is then wishing to fit a 3.5mm speaker input socket in the window area (no voltage to this, unless you want to get picky and talk about the small voltage introduced by the audio signal) and connect an UNPOWERED iPod dock to this, the only power being used when an iPod is connected is the iPod battery which by no stretch of anyone's imagination could introduce any hazard!
Not forgetting of course the slightly larger voltage present in the speakers that would only be an issue if the fell off!

And yet he is being asked questions about possible legislation and information from his electrician!

So Ninemill, I would say go for it, I can not see any hazard that you are introducing to the bathroom.

 

[Ninemill]

Thanks Westie, wasn't sure what the other two replies were about either. Your take on this is what I had assumed, but with it being a bathroom I thought it prudent to ask around in case my thinking was misguided.

Thanks again for taking the time to answer.

 

[westie101]

You could even do away with the dock and use a 3.5mm stereo plug to plug lead!

 

[Ninemill]

Yeah, the advantage of the dock though is that it has a v.small, watch-battery-powered remote control to skip tracks and change volume which might be useful for control in the bath.

 

[JohnW2]

I'mAnd yet he is being asked questions about possible legislation and information from his electrician!

Quite so; I haven't laughed so much at posts in this forum for quite some time! I think it's the nature of ruts that when some people get stuck in them, they have trouble getting out

Kind Regards, John.

 

[westie101]

a v.small, watch-battery-powered remote control to skip tracks and change volume which might be useful for control in the bath.

OOOOh I'm sure someone will be along to tell you that the use of such a device would be notifiable!


John this is not the only forum where folk fail to read previous posts and head off at a oblique tangent or go into a sort of autopilot (as the other is aviation related autopilot could be acceptable there)

 

[JohnW2]

OOOOh I'm sure someone will be along to tell you that the use of such a device would be notifiable!

I guess that another laugh would do no harm!

John this is not the only forum where folk fail to read previous posts and head off at a oblique tangent or go into a sort of autopilot (as the other is aviation related autopilot could be acceptable there)

Indeed it's not - it's that 'autopilot' I was referring to as a 'rut' - but maybe 'knee-jerk' (in response to seeing the word 'bathroom') would be more apt!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[securespark]

I only asked what the spark thought of the risks as he would be wiring up the supply to the amp in the loft.

 

[JohnW2]

I only asked what the spark thought of the risks as he would be wiring up the supply to the amp in the loft.

Indeed you were, but the only 'safety risk' the OP was asking about was that of the unpowered iPod dock.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[bernardgreen]

While the risk is very small there is a risk that the audio leads to the amplifier could be a hazard if the amplifier does not have a properly grounded 0 volt. The screens of the audio leads are connected to this 0 volts

It depends on how well the amplifier is built and the standard of its power supply as to whether or not it has an effective screen between its mains input and the internal 0 volts of its power rails.

It is similar to the aerial sockets of some TV sets which can give a mild shock and create a spark between the socket and the aerial lead.