Space behind illuminated bathroom mirror

[JohnW2]

Hi folks. A minor question .....

I'm making provision for future installation of an illuminated bathroom mirror above a basin (outside of 'zones'). run a supply to the appropriate place, where I will be installing some sort of backbox, with a blank plate for the time being

I don't recall having dealt with one of these mirrors before, so I'm not cerian 'what they look like' (at the back. Do I take it that there is likely to be space behind the mirror assembly to accommodate a blank plate which, if installed in the usual way, protrudes a few mm beyond the surface of the wall - or do I need to 'sink the box such that the front of the blank plate is flush with the wall?

Kind Regards, John

 

[DAZB]

The one i have just installed in the ensuite has a 20mm void behind it so will comfortable accept a blanking plate on a recessed backbox. Check the spec of the models you fancy or just an internet search in general as all the dimensions should be listed.

 

[JohnW2]

The one i have just installed in the ensuite has a 20mm void behind it so will comfortable accept a blanking plate on a recessed backbox. Check the spec of the models you fancy or just an internet search in general as all the dimensions should be listed.

Thanks. The problem is that the decision as to 'which'will be made in the future, not necessarily by me!

I've searched around and, although I've found dimensions and diagrams for many, it never seems totally clear as to how much of a void there is behind it. However, I would imagine that there always will be some sort of void, and virtually anything would be adequate to accommodate a blank plate.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DAZB]

It's more than a fair assumption to expect a small recess but i suppose just to be sure you could always set in a round conduit box with a flush lid then you have it covered either way.

 

[JohnW2]

It's more than a fair assumption to expect a small recess but i suppose just to be sure you could always set in a round conduit box with a flush lid then you have it covered either way.

Yes, I suppose that's the "boy scouts" approach. As I implied in my OP, I'd be quite happy to put in a standard back box deep enough for the surface of the blank plate to be flush with the wall (after all, it's not going to be visible once a mirror in installed), but that's a little additional/unnecessary effort if (as I strongly suspect) it's not actually needed.

I find it hard to see how there can not be a bit of space behind since, unless, perhaps, it can be wired from the front (which I don't think is usually the case), there will inevitably be a bit of cable that has to live somewhere behind the mirror.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Murdochcat]

The main problem with illuminated mirrors is that the cable entry point varies A LOT

Some are flush with the wall, some are not


Also dependant on the size of the room, this new accessory point could fall fowl part P among other requirements ..

 

[JohnW2]

The main problem with illuminated mirrors is that the cable entry point varies A LOT

I don't doubt that, which is the reason I asked the question.

Some are flush with the wall, some are not

As I wrote, I can';t see how they could be 'flush to the wall' unless they could be wired from thew 'front' (room side) -and I'm not sure whether that is true of (m)any?

Also dependant on the size of the room, this new accessory point could fall fowl part P among other requirements ..

I'm not sure what the size of the room has got to do with anything but, as i wrote, the 'accessory point' is outside of the 'zones'.

 

[Murdochcat]

^^ I don’t know what you are hoping for but there are far too many makes and models for anybody to give you any more guidance

And of course there are models with a cable attached

I always ask customers to get the mirror of choice on site before I start

 

[pete01]

I just fitted one I'm my bathroom, no void you need the box bang on, bit of a pain.

Got it from B&Q

 

[JohnW2]

^^ I don’t know what you are hoping for but there are far too many makes and models for anybody to give you any more guidance

I was hoping that people could confirm my suspicion that many (maybe most) of them do have at least a few mm of space behind them - in which case, whoever eventually makes the choice of mirror would presumably have a good few to choose from!

And of course there are models with a cable attached

I wasn't aware of them. However, unless the idea is that one one leaves the cable draped across the room (*in full sight') on it's way to a 'connection point', then they presumably must have some sort of space behind them, to accommodate a bit of slack in the cable - otherwise it would presumably be impossible, or next-to-impossible, to connect them to the power source.

I always ask customers to get the mirror of choice on site before I start

Nice if one can do that. However, in my case I suspect the choice will not be made until after the room is tiled - at which point it will be a bit late to start routing some electricity to exactly where it's needed

 

[Murdochcat]

I was hoping that people could confirm my suspicion that many (maybe most) of them do have at least a few mm of space behind them

No

Nice if one can do that. However, in my case I suspect the choice will not be made until after the room is tiled - at which point it will be a bit late to start routing some electricity to exactly where it's needed

Don’t do anything until the customer provides the mirror. It’s that simple

 

[JohnW2]

No

That seems to be at variance with what I suspected and others have said.

In any event, exactly what does your "No" mean? - are you suggesting that, in your opinion, most of these mirrors do not have any space behind them?

Don’t do anything until the customer provides the mirror. It’s that simple

As you often observe, I am not an electrician, so there is no 'customer'. However, if I were a customer and an electrician was refusing to install a supply for a future mirror when I wanted it installed, I would probably simply find a different electrician who was prepared to do what I, the customer, wanted done!,

 

[JohnW2]

On reflection .... the blank plate is probably only needed until the mirror is fitted - i.e. once there is a mirror in front of it, I think that the back box (which will contain Wagos or a connector block) can just be left 'open', can't it?

Provided only that the mirror cannot be removed "without use of a tool", I don't really see that it's ('electrical') function is any different from that of a 'blank plate', is it?

If that's all true, then whether or not there is a void behind the mirror becomes irrelevant.

 

[Murdochcat]

That seems to be at variance with what I suspected and others have said.

In any event, exactly what does your "No" mean? - are you suggesting that, in your opinion, most of these mirrors do not have any space behind them?

No means its extremely unlikely that anybody could give you definitive information along the lines you are hoping for

As you often observe, I am not an electrician, so there is no 'customer'.

The person you are doing this for may not be paying you but there is a 3rd party involved who could make a decision about what they want before the electrics are done

However, if I were a customer and an electrician was refusing to install a supply for a future mirror when I wanted it installed, I would probably simply find a different electrician who was prepared to do what I, the customer, wanted done!,

And if you were my customer reluctant to accept advice, then I would be telling you to find another spark

Life is too short to worry about clueless numpties

 

[JohnW2]

No means its extremely unlikely that anybody could give you definitive information along the lines you are hoping for

I didn't ask for "definitive information" - as you presumably read and understood, I merely asked whether it was "likely" that an illuminated mirror would have a void behind it. which I would have thought was a question that can be quite easily answered

The person you are doing this for may not be paying you but there is a 3rd party involved ...

What part of "DIY" don't you understand? "The person I'm doing it for" is myself.

... who could make a decision about what they want before the electrics are done

Literally "could", perhaps - but I don't particularly want to generate marital disharmony

And if you were my customer reluctant to accept advice, then I would be telling you to find another spark ..... Life is too short to worry about clueless numpties

I listen to advice from tradespeople and professionals, and then "take it into account" but ultimately make the decisions myself, and then instruct the person as to what I want them to do (if they are prepared to do it).

... but what are you up to? Are you perhaps trying to 'ruin' this thread, so that you can then moan about it having been ruined? The topic is the likelihood of there being a void behind and illuminated mirror, not your approach to customers.

Anyway, returning 'to topic', I'd be interested to hear your professional opinion in relation to my previous post - i.e. do you see a reason why the back box would have to have any sort of 'cover' (i.e. a blank plate) once a mirror was screwed/whatever to the wall in front of it?