zone 1 in bathroom

[gpz900jim]

hi, could anyone help me with this one, is the ceiling above a bath or shower classed as zone 1 or an outside zone if it is more than 2.25 metres high. Looking at the on site guide, it seems to be outside zone 1.. But I had a look at an article in a trade mag and it states that the zone 1 above a bath or shower extends to the ceiling if the ceiling is less than 3 metres high. Which one is right ? and if zone 1 does not extend to the ceiling, and stops at 2.25 metres, does that mean that it would be ok to fit downlighters above a bath that are not ipx4 rated? Not that i would, its just a theoretical question.cheers

 

[j.mawer]

According to the regs its 2.25m above the "finished floor level" or the highest fixed water outlet whichever is highest, seems a bit odd given you could have as deeper bath as you want, but that's what it says.

This suggests that you don't need to use ipx4 lighting but presumably it has to be capable of withstanding water droplets forming from condensation. HOWEVER if you are close to 2.25 and have a shower over your bath, so are standing higher than the floor and throwing yours arms around washing your hair or whatever it's probably not unreasonable to expect the odd splash in which case it has to be IPX4 anyway. Better safe than sorry

 

[Amp David]

2.25m i thought or highest outlet as in a shower head. Hope so as this is what i've been working to!

It wasn't an NIC article in the mag was it?

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

have a look at these doesnt mention 2.25 above the shower?

read note 2 about extension of zones

 

[gpz900jim]

maybe the answer lies in the bit about it being 2.25 metres above the highest water outlet, which would i guess, as you stated, be the shower head, or the bath taps. From that I think that the ceiling should be treated as zone 1. But as you say, better safe than sorry, fit ipx4 fittings and no one can argue. Once again, thanks chaps, I am getting wiser by the hour !!

 

[gpz900jim]

by the way, the info i got about zone 1 being extended to 3 metres was in a denmans catalogue. Thats the only place I have ever seen it mentioned

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

thats where my pics came from

 

[gpz900jim]

yes, i thought the picture looked familiar!!

 

[MFHEng]

Zone 1 and 2 end at 2.25m from the floor. The magazine that is shown has misunderstood the regulation and therefore wrong. Guidance note 7 is quite clear on this.

 

[j.mawer]

As a mater of curiosity this didn't change between 16 and 17th edition did it? I'm with MFHeng the regs diagrams do not match the magazine diagrams/

 

[j.mawer]

Actually having just googled and looked in 16th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations: Explained at amazon it would appear that the 16th edition did have a 75 cm block of zone 2 above zone 1. I assume this is where the discrepancy comes from, on the plus point its got easier!

 

[Sintra]

The height of zone 1 only ever increases above 2.25M if the highest water outlet is above 2.25M.

From guidance note 7. "Zone 1 is now limited by the horizontal plane corresponding to the highest fixed shower head or water outlet or the horizontal plane lying 2.25 m above the finished floor level, whichever is higher."

 

[pushrod]

Zone 1 and 2 end at 2.25m from the floor. The magazine that is shown has misunderstood the regulation and therefore wrong. Guidance note 7 is quite clear on this.

Agree and so is the BRB page 169

 

[gpz900jim]

it gets very complicated sometimes. As my gran used to say "opinions are like **** holes, everyone has one !"