Wet Locations

[Cookie]

In wet locations a body resistance of 200 ohms is assumed, and disconnection times go down to 0.2 seconds in a 230 volts supply (0.4 110 volt supply), is that correct? Or is this not required in BS7671?

 

[LukeD]

Also known by the new trendy name "occupancy sensors".

I kinda like them .Never have to worry about leaving lights on etc .Just wonder how they work if you dose off in a bath etc ? !

 

[pc1966]

I kinda like them .Never have to worry about leaving lights on etc .Just wonder how they work if you dose off in a bath etc ? !

Problem is with some toilet cubicles that mean they don't really see you, and you get plunged in to darkness!

 

[static zap]

Hopefully parents spot what their kids are up to !

What stops someone from taking power from the hall receptacle?

( Gap quite tight under my bathroom door .. No carpet ! )

 

[Cookie]

Hopefully parents spot what their kids are up to !

( Gap quite tight under my bathroom door .. No carpet ! )

I'd argue not having a socket in the bathroom increases the odds of an extension lead being used.

I personally see no issue with a socket reasonably placed outside the tub perimeter.

 

[Julie.]

Problem is with some toilet cubicles that mean they don't really see you, and you get plunged in to darkness!

THIS!

Being sexist for a moment, it absolutely frustrates me in almost all public toilets they have one sensor in the ladies, so you just have time to sit down once in the cubicle before the sensor decides you are no longer in the room, and that is it, total darkness until you exit the cubicle!

Talk about not thinking how they work in practice...

 

[streamer]

What stops someone from taking power from the hall receptacle?

Common sense, hopefully. Although that cant be relied upon.

 

[pc1966]

I'd argue not having a socket in the bathroom increases the odds of an extension lead being used.

I would say the opposite. If someone can plug stuff in they will, if they have to rake around the garage to find the extension lead used for the mower, etc, they probably won't use mains powered stuff near the water.

But looking at it from the perspective of the legislation and professional electricians, if you fit a socket near a bath and it leads to a fatality you have to answer the inquiry about "Was that a safe thing to do?" but if someone takes in an extension lead and kills themselves it is out of your responsibility (beyond the usual circuit testing and provision of RCD protection as required by the regs, etc)

 

[nicebutdim]

Several years back, I would regularly come home to find several extension leads snaking down the hall and disappearing under the bathroom door. The young lad couldn't have a bath without music on his phone and, as his phone was in constant use, never had sufficient power in its battery.

Tried explaining why this was a really bad idea, time and again, but nothing ever changed. I then took to unplugging the closest lead and ignored his protests. No hiding place was good enough to prevent him finding said extension leads, so they were permanently decommissioned.

 

[Cookie]

I would say the opposite. If someone can plug stuff in they will, if they have to rake around the garage to find the extension lead used for the mower, etc, they probably won't use mains powered stuff near the water.

But looking at it from the perspective of the legislation and professional electricians, if you fit a socket near a bath and it leads to a fatality you have to answer the inquiry about "Was that a safe thing to do?" but if someone takes in an extension lead and kills themselves it is out of your responsibility (beyond the usual circuit testing and provision of RCD protection as required by the regs, etc)

How would they get killed with listed appliances and an RCD?

 

[DPG]

How would they get killed with listed appliances and an RCD?

Depends how sensitive they are and how strong their heart is etc. Plus the reaction of the shock may make people fall or bang their head. Just a few examples.

The point being I wouldn't want a 13A socket near the bath even if it was fed by an RCD. An RCD is not an excuse to allow potentially dangerous things to be done.

 

[LastManOnline]

I'd argue not having a socket in the bathroom increases the odds of an extension lead being used.

This is precisely what happens. A large percentage of our newer customers are foreigners who are perplexed that they cannot use their hairdryer in the bathroom. They have spent a lifetime doing it safely in their own countries. Their next step is to buy an extension lead and plug it into the hallsocket.

 

[brianmoooore]

All discussions in this thread up to now have been for conventional bathrooms.
What's the take on cases where a shower or bath is open to a bedroom, with no intervening door? This could be the set up where you have a walk in/walk out shower room, immediately behind a wall at the head of the bed, cases where there's a shower cubicle actually in a bedroom, or the fashion for having a bath near a bed (Escape to the Chateau style)

 

[pc1966]

All discussions in this thread up to now have been for conventional bathrooms.
What's the take on cases where a shower or bath is open to a bedroom, with no intervening door?

Same rules apply in that sockets should be adequately separated from any wet areas.

The majority of bathrooms I know are such that any socket position would allow a 1-2m lead to be taken in to the bath. Having seen several reports of folk killed that way from dodgy chargers and using their iphone/tablet in the bath it is not something I would be happy to consider.

So faced with that sort of situation I would have any sockets at least 2m from the bath/shower, even if that seems excessive to some. (Edit: should be 3m - I should have look it up before replying)

 

[brianmoooore]

But the regs. say 3m.

 

[pc1966]

But the regs. say 3m.

OK I should have checked before reply! Yes, 3m seems reasonable.