jugglesm Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I'm midway through refurbishing a one storey garage bedroom/annexe. The original plan was for the zone to be heated by radiators, including a wet towel rail in the shower en suite. This has now changed to wet UFH and an electric only towel rail. My problem is that all the wiring for the mains, shower, vent, lighting, toothbrush charger etc has already been chased and run through the cold flat-roof (now covered with PIR, tape, VCL and plasteboard). The mains in this room comprises 6 double sockets on 2.5mm cable running direct from the fuse box. It is a daisy chain not a ring. Can I power the towel rail with a spur off one of the double sockets? This would be convenient as one of the sockets is around 20cm horizontally from a not yet build stud wall partition on which the towel rail could be installed. I also have 10mm cable for the shower in the same stud wall. thanks in advance for any help or advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardL Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Don't see why not - I used a spark to wire in fused spurs since its bathroom and you can't legally DIY it. Also added a pressure valve to the radiator since its now a sealed system - i.e. bomb if you just keep feeding in heat with not expansion possibility for the water/inhibitor inside it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 Yes fit a Fused Connection Unit for the towel rail with a 3A fuse in it. And a switch outside the shower room to turn the towel rail on and off, then just a flex outlet plate inside the room to connect the towel rail heater. Re sealed system, you are supposed to leave an air gap at the top i.e. don't fill it to the brim with water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone West Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 8 hours ago, RichardL said: Also added a pressure valve to the radiator since its now a sealed system - i.e. bomb if you just keep feeding in heat with not expansion possibility for the water/inhibitor inside it. I fitted three electric towel rails at my last place and the instructions said to leave the top vent open and heat the towel rail to it's maximum temperature collecting the liquid overflow. Then let it cool down and close the vent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 All of ours are just off 3A fused spurs. The elements are typically about 100W. You're not meant to use water in these things.. meant to be deionised water and glycol mix. For expansion, I'd just leave a bit of air in. @Gone West suggestion is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I included one of these' from SF. Very pleased with it other than the white plastic yellowing. The single push for 2 hours running is the only button we use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jugglesm Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 Thanks all, very useful. I'm laying all the wires in the annexe and then they are being 'second fixed' by an electrician and signed off for building regs. Would the above suggestions meet building regs? Doesn't putting the wiring for the towel rail in a horizontal chase breach building regs? or is a horizontal chase from a socket okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 1 hour ago, jugglesm said: Doesn't putting the wiring for the towel rail in a horizontal chase breach building regs? or is a horizontal chase from a socket okay? Running horizontally or vertically from an accessory is a "safe zone" and the only places you are supposed to run cables. Some people seem to forget or not even know about the horizontal safe zones, as I found out once when I had a stand up finger wagging argument with a joiner trying to tell me I could not run a cable horizontally from one socket to the next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 I'm thinking towel rails need dedicated RCDs as well as a fused spur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 35 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said: I'm thinking towel rails need dedicated RCDs as well as a fused spur? I am assuming the circuit you are connecting to already has, and if not as part of the additions to that circuit you would update the whole circuit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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