Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 So after living abroad for a few years we have got used to having a double socket in a bathroom. The wife wants to put one in every bathroom for hairdryers curling tongs and other stuff women need to make them look less ugly. Whats peoples opinions, my discussion with the electrician yesterday turned a bit ugly and I thought I might need to punch him. I managed to exercise complete restraint and he had a lucky escape. Thoughts people. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz07 Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) How do you know he wouldn't have given you one back?! What's up with shaver sockets can't you get adapters or maybe even change it to a socket after sign off. Edited February 14, 2021 by Oz07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Can’t remember what the regs are , 3m from the edge of a bath/shower? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Socket must be minimum 3m from a bath or shower to meet regs (not sure if 18th edition changed this) and shaver sockets can be anywhere sensible but are limited on power output so won’t do a hair dryer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpmiller Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 have a dressing room beside the bathroom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 29 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: Thoughts people. The electrician was doing his job! ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 9 minutes ago, PeterW said: Socket must be minimum 3m from a bath or shower to meet regs (not sure if 18th edition changed this) and shaver sockets can be anywhere sensible but are limited on power output so won’t do a hair dryer. 701.512.3 "... socket-outlets are prohibited within a distance of 3m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1" That's from the 2018 big blue book. I don't have any amendments. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 13 minutes ago, TonyT said: Can’t remember what the regs are , 3m from the edge of a bath/shower? 23 minutes ago, Oz07 said: How do you know he wouldn't have given you one back?! What's up with shaver sockets can't you get adapters or maybe even change it to a socket after sign off. He’s a bit overweight I think he would have gone down like a sack of spuds. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 3 minutes ago, Onoff said: 701.512.3 "... socket-outlets are prohibited within a distance of 3m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1" That's from the 2018 big blue book. I don't have any amendments. Do you have a diagram of zone one please, big fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 When I first met SWMBO she'd extended her ghetto blaster's 2-core mains lead by "splicing" another into it, twisting the wires together and "insulating" them with Sellotape. She'd balance the stereo on the edge of the bath. With hindsight I should have kept quiet... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Just now, Russell griffiths said: Do you have a diagram of zone one please, big fella. No, because that would infringe copyright ? (Check your Inbox in a couple of minutes). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 So if they need to be 3m from a shower or bath, what is the distance from a basin. I was under the impression that 300mm from the bowl of the sink was correct. @Onoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 You can get mirrors that have Bluetooth speakers and a shaver connection on the side so only need power brought to that position. Better option than a wall socket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 7 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: So if they need to be 3m from a shower or bath, what is the distance from a basin. I was under the impression that 300mm from the bowl of the sink was correct. @Onoff Zones here https://www.drench.co.uk/blog/how-to-guides/what-are-bathroom-electrical-zones 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 10 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: So if they need to be 3m from a shower or bath, what is the distance from a basin. I was under the impression that 300mm from the bowl of the sink was correct. @Onoff That from the building reg guides in kitchens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, Onoff said: That from the building reg guides in kitchens. So does that differ from the electrical regs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Yes in Australia it is normal to have sockets in bathrooms and you often find the washing machine there, and a hairdryer plugged in with a long curly flex. When I mentioned to my BIL that we are not allowed that because someone would be stupid enough to take the hairdryer into the shower while the water was running. His reply "if they are that bloody stupid they deserve to die" Since you are allowed to have a shaver socked which is fed from an isolation transformer, I wonder if you bought a 1kVA 240V isolation transformer and used that to feed a socket if you could claim it was an isolated "shaver socket"? This proved an issue for me once when I rewired an old cottage where they had fitted an en-suite shower cubicle right in the corner of a bedroom, not in a separate room. This meant the only place I could fit sockets in that room was the opposite corner which just met the 3M rule. Needless to say there is an extension lead plugged in to feed a television sitting on a cupboard right next to the shower cubicle. So the only legal sollution is make your bathroom big enough to get a socket 3M from the bath and shower and fit a long flex onto the hairdryer. The electrician is right to refuse as his name will be on the EIC and he will be the one in the dock when someone dies if there was a wrongly placed socket, even if the death was the users stupidity. We are not allowed to make our own life choices. Another gem, I refused to fit a socket in a bathroom once. A short while later I went back, and the washing machine was in the bathroom, with a small hole drilled in the wall, flex fed through, and plugged in in an adjacent room. At least I won't be in the dock for that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Not quite what you're asking but John Ward debunks the bathroom pull cord myth, Zone 3 doesn't exist, but I couldn't convince my M&E team that I could have a normal light switch in the bathroom/WC. Apparently there is a 'best practices' book that prevents electricians following the Regs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 14 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: So does that differ from the electrical regs. BS7671 the "electrical regs" are not statutory i.e not law but "may be used as a defence in law". So complying is best as insurers etc will refer to them should it all go tits up. The building regs however are statutory. The mentalness of it being someone has to then write a guide as to the god practice of implementing them...the guide isn't statutory ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 But building regs refer to BS7671 so in a new build, that is what you have to comply with. If you want to deviate AFTER you have your completion certificate that is up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 10 minutes ago, Russdl said: Not quite what you're asking but John Ward debunks the bathroom pull cord myth, Zone 3 doesn't exist, but I couldn't convince my M&E team that I could have a normal light switch in the bathroom/WC. Apparently there is a 'best practices' book that prevents electricians following the Regs. While we are discussing what the regs say and how you interpret them, I am STILL waiting to find the reg that everyone but me can find that says you must fit a fan isolator switch, and all those people who have found it and apply it have been unable to show me what and where it is.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 49 minutes ago, Onoff said: When I first met SWMBO she'd extended her ghetto blaster's 2-core mains lead by "splicing" another into it, twisting the wires together and "insulating" them with Sellotape. She'd balance the stereo on the edge of the bath. With hindsight I should have kept quiet... Valentine’s Day! . You could recreate that moment, then wait for the fireworks ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 49 minutes ago, Onoff said: No, because that would infringe copyright ? (Check your Inbox in a couple of minutes). Zone 2 more fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted February 14, 2021 Author Share Posted February 14, 2021 Ok so it looks like the electrician is right on this and I will need to eat some humble pie ?? however I much prefer the idea that anybody who stretches the hairdryer into the shower should die anyway. 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Fit a fused unstitched spur next to the basin, hard wire the hairdryer in, switch out side. rcbo the circuit( they do fail ) and increase the insurance policy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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