Electrically heated towel rail in bathroom - RULES please

clemenzina · 29 May 2006

My bathroom is tiny, and one space which is wasted is the wall (fully tiled) at the non-tap end of the bath (there is an electric shower at the tap end). There is at least 1ft between the end of the bath and said wall, the space is filled by a tiled shelf. The wall backs onto the adjoining airing cupboard, non-functioning because tank removed when combi boiler installed. The fuse box and meter are in there.

I wish to have a heated towel rail on this wall, but have been told I cannot have one above the bath because of 'safety regs'.

I cannot understand why I could have one elsewhere in the bathroom, close to the bath, but not on a wall above but significantly removed from the bath.

I hope you can understand me

I'm desperate to find some space in this dang bathroom to be able to hang and air towels etc. It's the only place there is apart from the untiled wall beside the loo and less that a foot away from it.

Expert advice please, with a sympathetic tinge?

clemenzina

the_jinj · 29 May 2006

I believe you could if it can't go anywhere else, is IPX4(I think) rated and fixed - you can't have the FCU for it there but a flex outlet may be ok

clemenzina · 29 May 2006

Thanks, Neil. I've found an explanation for IPX4, but what's FCU please?

clemenzina

the_jinj · 29 May 2006

Fused connection unit - this would probably need to outside the bathroom

clemenzina · 1 Jun 2006

Based on the above advice, I found (via Google) and sent the contractor a doc published by the AMDEA - a 'code of good practice':

GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF APPLIANCES IN BATH AND SHOWER ROOMS dated Feb 2003

This supports the advice given here, with diagrams.

Contractor says "maybe it's out of date".

Can anyone point me to categorical, bona fide, indisputable info PLEASE? I'm really up against it here, with no support, poor little me

(If I haven't said it already, the works so far carried out by said contractor are far from satisfactory, but I'm trapped with him. I think my works are small beer in his scheme of things.)

clemenzina

the_jinj · 1 Jun 2006

If the fixed equipment is in zone 1 (although it could be zone 2) and can't be anywhere else then it's ok if on a 30ma RCD and IPX4 - flex outlet could go in zone 2 if IPX4 or in zone 3 - FCU outside bathroom

It's in the wiring regs - get him to read them

Adam_151 · 1 Jun 2006

Seems (from a quick glance) to be correct

Ask the contractor if he has a copy of the OSG (on site guide), page 30 has a diagram of where the zones are (along with a picture showing sup p.bonding) , and page 59 has a table of what is allowed in each zone... if push comes to shove, get a copy yourself, £17 direct from the IEE

the_jinj · 1 Jun 2006

Here's the zone sizes

Anything in zone2 is IPX4 at least so best to put outlet in zone 3 - and as Adam said get the bonding checked out

clemenzina · 2 Jun 2006

Thank you so much, that's cheered me up

clemenzina

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Electrically heated towel rail in bathroom - RULES please

Similar threads