Spur off an electric shower - I think not

[dirty harry]

Could someone just confirm this for me? My customer wants me to install an illuminated mirror in her bathroom but the nearest, and only, electricity supply is the shower. I have told her I cannot take a spur off this feed as it is a dedicated supply to the shower.

Am I right in saying this? Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

It is dedicated for the shower. Period.

Why can you not take a feed from the lighting circuit?

 

[dirty harry]

Thanks for confirming that.

Had thought of using the lighting but the circuit is 12v low voltage.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Thanks for confirming that.

Had thought of using the lighting but the circuit is 12v low voltage.

It wil be 230v before the SELV transformer.


These are all basic questions. Are you really competent to do electrical work in a bathroom for somebody else? (No offence intended).

 

[dirty harry]

Hi - no offence taken Yep I am competent enough to do the electrics, just wanted a second opinion, 'cos the customer is quite insistent and I keep telling her I can't do it.

I am fully aware it is 230V before the transformer, but if the idiot electrician who fitted the 12V ceiling lights in the first place had actually placed the transformers adjacent to the lights themselves (i.e. in the ceiling void instead of 7m away behind a plastered wall ) then I would be able to take a feed from them as one of the lights is only a meter away from where she wants the mirror. As it is, I cannot feed a new 230V supply through the ceiling void to the mirror as all the walls and ceiling have just been freshly plastered!

Think I might have to tell the customer not to buy the mirror!

 

[ricicle]

Is there not a lighting main anywhere near by that is on the same circuit as the bathroom ?

Are the existing lights 30mA protected ?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if the idiot electrician who fitted the 12V ceiling lights in the first place had actually placed the transformers adjacent to the lights themselves (i.e. in the ceiling void instead of 7m away behind a plastered wall ) then I would be able to take a feed from them as one of the lights is only a meter away from where she wants the mirror.

Leaving to one side for now the question of whether it'd be OK to add another load to an existing lighting transformer, if you could have taken a feed from a transformer adjacent to a light why can't you take the feed from the light itself?

 

[MalcofArabia]

Play the devils advocate here apart from reg 134.1.1 which as we know stipulates that installation must be to the manufacturers instructions, and most insist on a dedicated supply, but if that wasn't the case here I think the OP could do it ....................wait for the flak now

 

[WabbitPoo]

OP, are you a qualified electrician, OOI?

 

[riveralt]

.... but if the idiot electrician who fitted the 12V ceiling lights in the first place had actually placed the transformers adjacent to the lights themselves (i.e. in the ceiling void instead of 7m away behind a plastered wall )

I'm surprised the transformers still work - most manufacturers put a limit on the length of transformer to the light fitting of between 500 and 2000mm - I assume because of the potential voltage drop.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So was there something wrong, factually with this question:

Leaving to one side for now the question of whether it'd be OK to add another load to an existing lighting transformer, if you could have taken a feed from a transformer adjacent to a light why can't you take the feed from the light itself?

Was there perhaps something wrong with the "way" I asked it?

Would the **** who gave it a thumbs down like to justify himself, and explain why his intervention was of value and benefit to the forum?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm surprised the transformers still work - most manufacturers put a limit on the length of transformer to the light fitting of between 500 and 2000mm - I assume because of the potential voltage drop.

He might have used larger cable - 4mm² will be OK for a 50W lamp over 7m....

 

[tonyelectric]

Is the bathroom upstairs?, if so you could run a cable from a lighting JB from another room or even spur off a ring. If not how about the light in the area adjacent to the bathroom. Don't forget to RCD protect it (if its not already), this could be done locally by using an RCD fused spur or swap out the lighting MCB for an RCBo