Socket in a bathroom closet?

[HappyHippyDad]

Morning..

I have been asked to put a socket in a bathroom closet which has a door on it. Is there anything in the regs with regards this? The only similar situations that I can find show the wall seperating the area from the bath, but in my case there is a door as well, so the closet is completely enclosed.

From the diagram it's clear that it will not be 3m from the edge of the bath, but could it be seen as a seperate area/room?

A FCU will not be an option as I believe it is to charge a toothbrush. The shaver socket has no shelf so not an option, plus the customer wants the socket anyway.

Thanks all.

 

[tazz]

You have a duty of care to you customer, and if in your view the socket could be used for a use that could indanger life, then its 100% a no go situation. Shaver sockets are used for a reason, they are isolated from earth via the transformer by removing the neutral. Preventing electric shock

 

[Marvo]

IMO, these opinions are an generation thing us older guys,just think Noooooo, the younger sparky will look at the latest regs an take it in his stride.

I think it's a UK thing having a hangup about sockets in bathrooms. In Europe and many other countries around the world it's common practice for washing machines to be installed in bathrooms (outside the designated zones). I'd say if it complies with the regulated zones, it's supplied via an RCD and there's no other exceptional risks then it would be acceptable.

 

[Richard Burns]

Just to fail to add clarification to the mix.
GN7 has this fun statement in it, now does this mean it is in the location or just serving the location?

I would be asking why they want the socket.
If they are from a country that allows this then we can say it is not allowed in UK!
Try and find another solution this seems to be just trying to get past the requirements.

 

[7029 dave]

I think it's a UK thing having a hangup about sockets in bathrooms. In Europe and many other countries around the world it's common practice for washing machines to be installed in bathrooms (outside the designated zones). I'd say if it complies with the regulated zones, it's supplied via an RCD and there's no other exceptional risks then it would be acceptable.

Yes it is.

 

[Guest77]

I think it's a UK thing having a hangup about sockets in bathrooms. In Europe and many other countries around the world it's common practice for washing machines to be installed in bathrooms (outside the designated zones). I'd say if it complies with the regulated zones, it's supplied via an RCD and there's no other exceptional risks then it would be acceptable.

Yes well we did lead the world in most things once, even though we don't now we still pretend we do lol

 

[Badged01]

Ban extension leads. Someone may plug it into the bedrooom socket, trail it into the bathroom and then plug electrical thingys into it -- student digs with sound systems and hairdriers!!

Or heaven forbid, they plug an extension lead into a downstairs socket and take it outside when there is no RCD protection on the circuit .........

As a matter of interest, any learned members of the forum got any statistics/data for all the electrical deaths/injuries in European countries where sockets are allowed and used in bathrooms?

 

[calpol91]

Just to fail to add clarification to the mix.
GN7 has this fun statement in it, now does this mean it is in the location or just serving the location?
View attachment 29466
I would be asking why they want the socket.
If they are from a country that allows this then we can say it is not allowed in UK!
Try and find another solution this seems to be just trying to get past the requirements.

Going off that, I'd say if it's serving the zone it has to be presumed it's within a zone since like many have said you in theory could quite easily plug an appliance in that would be within the zone. I think the shaver socket in the cupboard is the route to go down... I've backtracked :frown2:

 

[uksparks]

If it was me I would say not on your nelly as its still putting a 13A socket in a bathroom, forget about the fact that it's got a door on it, it's within distance of the bath so irrespective of what they tell you or what the regs say, someone could plug something into it and drop it in the bath.

ok I know you could put one outside the bathroom the same distance away but that's NOT within the bathroom.

 

[newtothis]

To the OP I like your questions, a usually learn from the replies to them.
Gutted I'm not to be able to find definitive answers in the regs book for this.
Just thinking out loud, wouldn't this be similar to an immersion heater + airing cupboard ?

 

[Hellmooth]

Socket outside my bathroom, non RCD protected, never been an issue......

 

[Hellmooth]

First time trying to post a photo, obviously not how it's done lol :tounge_smile:

 

[newtothis]

I think it's a UK thing having a hangup about sockets in bathrooms. In Europe and many other countries around the world it's common practice for washing machines to be installed in bathrooms (outside the designated zones). I'd say if it complies with the regulated zones, it's supplied via an RCD and there's no other exceptional risks then it would be acceptable.

Believe it or not, In less posh dwellings in London, you can still find plumbed in baths in kitchens.
Fitted circa 1950s as far as I know.

 

[polo1]

Steve, for what it's worth, in the situation you describe, I would not instal a 13a socket. I don't believe it complies with either the intent or spirit of the regs. I think too that you would be creating a potential liability for yourself if anything untoward were to happen down the line.
I totally accept that it is widespread practice in mainland Europe and there don't appear to be many issues arising, but the simple point is we are working to 7671.

 

[Trickyd66]

OSG 2008+A32015. Page 87. REG 701etc, 3/4 of the way down. "the inside of an airing cupboard in a bathroom is deemed to be outside the location and must effectively limit the extent of the location, just as a bathroom door separates the bathroom as a special location from the rest of the property. However it is strongly recommended where an airing cupboard opens into zone 1 or zone 2 , circuits supplying equipment in the airing cupboard are be (yes, typo in OSG) provided with additional protection by an RCD rated at 30mA" At the end of the day, the choice is yours whether to fit or not.

 

[newtothis]

I'm just learning, it's looks like the provision of this socket is more trouble than it's worth.
I think it fails on: costs & possible safety issues V minor benefits.
Instead of a shelf you could fit the bracket many electric toothbrushes come with.
I think it would be better to replace the ETBrush with one that likes being charged on a shaver point.

These are just my thoughts, not even sure if it makes sense.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Well I must have changed my mind about 10 times!

Pro's
It's done loads abroad.
Technically, it seems not to break the regs, but not entirely sure.
A few members who I respect are comfortable with it

Cons
It's very close to the bath and could actually be reached by someone in the bath.
Not entirely sure if it's abiding by BS7671.
A few members who I respect say 'No'.

I personally don't think it breaks the regs, but I also think the regs can't account for every situation and it's a bit of a cop out just to say 'it doesn't break the regs'. It's almost as if you find yourself trying to justify it just because it doesn't specifically say 'no' in the regs, even though common sense is telling you 'no'.

I was at the house today and I fitted a shaver unit, mainly because you could reach it from the bath... fairly simple in the end. :smile5:

 

[Richard Burns]

Good solution, prevents you going out on a limb for something that is not really required.
A (hopefully) satisfied customer and an easy in the mind electrician!

 

[shanky887614]

fit an outdoor fused spur and job done ^^

 

[DPG]

Remove the bath.

 

[7029 dave]

Glad you did not do it Steve.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The closet would be deemed outside of the location, as such you can install as many sockets as you like.