Concerned about bathroom work carried out

[schmores]

I am in the process of refitting my bathroom. Last week I had a sparky round to wire up the three electrical items in the bathroom:

• A digital mixer for a shower
• A waste pump for the shower
• An illuminated mirror

They have fitted an RCD at the old fuse box which seems fine if a bit messy.

My main concern is that they have run one cable into the bathroom and then split it into 3 fused switches inside the bathroom... they look like standard switches in unsealed back boxes.

They are in a void which will be covered with a screwed down panel (please see the photo below) but the shower mixer and a number of pipes leading to it are in the void so there is the possibility of water getting to the switches if there is a failure in the mixer or the pipework.



Additionally as the bathroom is very small the void will be within 60cm of the shower enclosure (which will be to the right of the mixer in the picture below) so I assume it falls into zone 2.



My main questions are:

a) Is this legal?
b) Does it satisfy Part P regulations?
b) Is it safe?

Any helps greatly appreciated as I don't want to carry on with the bathroom till I know this is ok.

Thanks,

Tom.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i need to see the RCD they have fitted to the `old fusebox`....as if its a stand alone unit supplying all finals to the house then its a non-conformance as it contravenes 314.2

 

[D Skelton]

With only the information provided:

a) yes, the electrical regulations we work to are non-statutory
b) no, the cable running down that stud doesn't appear to be in a safe zone
c) it looks to be, but I'd need to see the work to make a full assessment

d) are those electrical connections going to remain accessible by way of just unscrewing this panel?

 

[schmores]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

Please see below for the fuse box/rcd. It is attached to the top floor ring by the looks of it.



b) I was thinking the wiring would be run down the left hand side of the studwork and not directly downwards and the fused switches would be outside of the bathroom... as I wasn't here to supervise the job it has wound up this way.
d) I am probably going to seal the edge of the panel once its installed and occasionally remove it to check the pipes etc. unless this is unacceptable.

Thanks,

Tom.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

With only the information provided:

a) yes, the electrical regulations we work to are non-statutory
b) no, the cable running down that stud doesn't appear to be in a safe zone
c) it looks to be, but I'd need to see the work to make a full assessment

d) are those electrical connections going to remain accessible by way of just unscrewing this panel?

no...i`d say it wasn`t either Damian...

as theres nothing showing to suggest it may be there (creation of new safe zone)....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

Please see below for the fuse box/rcd. It is attached to the top floor ring by the looks of it.

View attachment 24058

b) I was thinking the wiring would be run down the left hand side of the studwork and not directly downwards and the fused switches would be outside of the bathroom... as I wasn't here to supervise the job it has wound up this way.
d) I am probably going to seal the edge of the panel once its installed and occasionally remove it to check the pipes etc. unless this is unacceptable.

Thanks,

Tom.

does that board feed the whole house?

 

[schmores]

To add there is an additional switch for the whole circuit in the airing cupboard just outside the bathroom so it can be isolated further up.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

or is that RCD unit fed from the board?

 

[schmores]

Yes, that supplies the whole house. Though as mentioned there are two separate breakers for two rings. I assume for upstairs and downstairs though I have no way of checking this...

 

[schmores]

They replaced one of the breakers for the rings so I assume that the RCD is fed from the board.

Thanks,

Tom.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

Please see below for the fuse box/rcd. It is attached to the top floor ring by the looks of it.

View attachment 24058

b) I was thinking the wiring would be run down the left hand side of the studwork and not directly downwards and the fused switches would be outside of the bathroom... as I wasn't here to supervise the job it has wound up this way.
d) I am probably going to seal the edge of the panel once its installed and occasionally remove it to check the pipes etc. unless this is unacceptable.

Thanks,

Tom.

should be within 150mm of the edge of the wall....or a stud wall...

you can create a new `safe zone`...by having an accessory..in which case the cable can run vertically or horizontally within 150mm of the accessory...this would apply for both sides of a wall....

but that dont look like it to me...

barry bathroom fitter again i`m afraid....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

see sometimes its hard to tell just whats been going on without actually being on the scene to witness it upclose...

 

[schmores]

Sorry glen can you clarify what you mean? If the cable were run down the left hand side it would be within 150mm of the wall? Is that not acceptable?

Thanks,

Tom.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Sorry glen can you clarify what you mean? If the cable were run down the left hand side it would be within 150mm of the wall? Is that not acceptable?

Thanks,

Tom.

yeah...that`d be allrite..

but thats not what they`v done..is it...

or at least it dont look like it...

Mr. Skelton spotted it...and thats good enough for me....

 

[schmores]

Well as I am pretty unhappy about the job I and I haven't paid I am planning on getting them back in to rectify it.

Some things you cant see is the fact one of the switches is proud of its back box by about 10mm on a corner as the back box is far too small for the cable.

Im guessing as you haven't picked up on it having switches of this type in a bathroom is actually acceptable?

Can you point me in the direction of the regs regarding proximity to walls? I would like to go back to them with some concrete facts and I am far from an expert on this.

To be clear this wasn't a bathroom fitter, it was a Part P certified sparky I hired specifically to do this job. The rest of the job I've done myself so if anything I am barry bathroom

Thanks for all your help.

Cheers,

Tom.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i dont like the idea of them FCUs behind that cover...i mean what are they supposed to do in there?...not accessable for maintainence really...is it...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

it hasn`t been designed hasn`t that...i keep scrolling back up to the pics and its just been erected without any real thought has that..

sorry mate.

 

[schmores]

What? The studwork etc?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

What? The studwork etc?

no...lol....

the electrical installation in question....lol...

circuits are designed as well you know.....

 

[NickD]

Im guessing as you haven't picked up on it having switches of this type in a bathroom is actually acceptable?

I guess your sparky's thinking is that behind a panel which must be removed with tools equates to outside the zones/location. Not saying I agree or disagree....

If a pattress and blanking plate is fitted on the finished wall in the appropriate position, does that create a safe zone for that cable?

 

[schmores]

LOL phew!

I spent weeks designing the stud and pipes etc on a computer, was getting worried!

Yeah I agree it does seem a bit thrown together.

On my plans I had the cables routed out above the mixer and around and down the stud running down the left hand side. Im not an electrician and wasn't even aware of the requirement for proximity but it seemed the most logical (and safest) route for them to travel. I wasn't expecting any switches in the bathroom, let alone that close to anything with water in it...

I guess in reality this was the easiest solution which required the least cable running...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

LOL phew!

I spent weeks designing the stud and pipes etc on a computer, was getting worried!

Yeah I agree it does seem a bit thrown together.

On my plans I had the cables routed out above the mixer and around and down the stud running down the left hand side. Im not an electrician and wasn't even aware of the requirement for proximity but it seemed the most logical (and safest) route for them to travel. I wasn't expecting any switches in the bathroom, let alone that close to anything with water in it...

I guess in reality this was the easiest solution which required the least cable running...

so if you have copies of these plans then you can show them to the constructor...and ask him why he hasnt followed those plans...if like you say the cable runs were all as you say on said plans...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I guess your sparky's thinking is that behind a panel which must be removed with tools equates to outside the zones/location. Not saying I agree or disagree....

If a pattress and blanking plate is fitted on the finished wall in the appropriate position, does that create a safe zone for that cable?

a safe zone can be created either side of a wall Nick...it then applies to both sides of that wall...

basically the point i was trying to get across at #11

 

[NickD]

a safe zone can be created either side of a wall Nick...it then applies to both sides of that wall...

basically the point i was trying to get across at #11

Yeah. Just struck me as easier on the wall that's being worked on. You did say that earlier, sorry, missed it.

 

[schmores]

Unfortunately I was out of the house when they did the work and I never showed them the plans... my mistake to be honest but I was expecting them to make decent decisions based on their qualifications and the fact they were very well rated on a rated trader website.

If you were in my position would you accept the job as it is or ask them to change it?