Light Switches in Bathrooms

[pc1966]

A better thing for bathrooms would be a moisture sealed USB charger socket for folks wanting to use phone/tablet on low battery.

Not me, I would rather not drop £200-500 of electronics in the bath, but the young 'uns seem to like doing that.

 

[pc1966]

It was absolutely fine to fit the switch inside the bathroom in 2020, and is absolutely fine now.

I had a feeling the building regs in Scotland don't allow that - pull switch or outside. Not looked recently though.

 

[westward10]

A better thing for bathrooms would be a moisture sealed USB charger socket for folks wanting to use phone/tablet on low battery.

Not me, I would rather not drop £200-500 of electronics in the bath, but the young 'uns seem to like doing that.

A note below Regulation 553.1.201 does not regard a USB charging point as a socket-outlet.

 

[pc1966]

A note below Regulation 553.1.201 does not regard a USB charging point as a socket-outlet.

It is more that most USB outlets say they are unsuitable for humid environments.

 

[pc1966]

The MK Euro module USB charges here:

MK USB Charging Module White - Euro Data Coms Module - White | MK (K5837WHI)

Looks perfect bar that one point, zero standby power (on when USB inserted) and meets SELV separation, but "Suitable for fixed installation in dry interior locations only".

 

[littlespark]

There’s something wrong if….

A. The battery is low on your device, you need to charge it… and use it… in the bath. That’s unorganised.

B. You can’t do without your phone, even when sitting on the pan



Even last night, youngest was in the bath, and I could hear something from her device in the bathroom…
When she came out I saw her laptop open on the bed….
“You didn’t have that in there, did you?!?!”
“No no… just my phone, just my phone!!”

 

[nicebutdim]

Had the chat about water and electronic devices with our youngest, at a very early age, after she washed the sand off her Nintendo handheld thing gameboy(?) in a bucket of sea water.

She hasn't washed an electronic device since, but the phone never leaves her side in any room.

 

[LastManOnline]

Good news is that we are now able to fit a socket in a lot more bathrooms that we could a month ago. That 0.5m reduction doesn't sound a lot, but...

A 0.5 meter reduction?I would love to have heard the science behind that decision.Whats the betting that future amendments will reduce it even further ?Very likely I would say.
I believe it to be just a question of time before bathroom light switches will make the same journey

 

[nicebutdim]

A 0.5 meter reduction?I would love to have heard the science behind that decision.Whats the betting that future amendments will reduce it even further ?Very likely I would say.
I believe it to be just a question of time before bathroom light switches will make the same journey

The same journey would place plate switches further away as they can currently be fitted at distances greater than 600mm from the edge of a bath or shower.

 

[LastManOnline]

The same journey would place plate switches further away as they can currently be fitted at distances greater than 600mm from the edge of a bath or shower.

Ahh!! That's news to me. Had no idea that change was in latest amendment?

 

[nicebutdim]

It wasn't in the latest amendment.

 

[brianmoooore]

There never has been a reg preventing the use of ordinary light switches in a bathroom. The original reg stated "out of reach of a person using a shower or bath", which was replaced by the "600mm+ reg from the edge of a shower or bath" when bathroom zones were introduced.
No change since then.
It's arguable that the original version was the best.

 

[nicebutdim]

It's not something I'm particularly comfortable with, but have been trying to come to terms with it.

Chances are I'll (eventually) fit one at home to help overcome this particular phobia

 

[LastManOnline]

There never has been a reg preventing the use of ordinary light switches in a bathroom. The original reg stated "out of reach of a person using a shower or bath", which was replaced by the "600mm+ reg from the edge of a shower or bath" when bathroom zones were introduced.

I must admit that this has really surprised me.I don't have a copy of British regs so I rely on forum members comments to learn about them.But up until tonite every comment from a forum member regarding the location of a bathroom wall switch stated "outside the bathroom" only.I naturally assumed that comment reflected the regs.