Bathroom Electrics

[frank999]

Hi,

Sure ts has been covered before ... apologies for asking again ...

Is it correct that Shaver sockets (and any electrical sockets) need to be 3mt + away frome Zone 1, are there such things as IP protected mirror cabinets with doors that a socket could be protected behind ?

Electric fans above a shower, less than 2250mm and in Zone 1 need to be 12v.

All pipe and metal work earth bonded together with earth straps, and connected to a local earth, there is only a 1.5mm² lighting circuit earth to connect to, or is it preferable to try get to a 2.5mm² socket earth. I understand supplimentary bonding could be omitted, but is it not a good back up measure in case of any issues in disconnection by the RCD.

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is it correct that Shaver sockets (and any electrical sockets) need to be 3mt + away frome Zone 1,

Shaver sockets are allowed outside zone 1. They must be to BS EN 61558-2-5.

Is there such things as IP protected mirror cabinets with doors that a socket could be protected behind ?

No. You wouldn't be able to get at it.

Electric fans above a shower, less than 2250mm and in Zone 1 need to be 12v.

Not so.

All pipe and metal work earth bonded together with earth straps, and connected to a local earth, there is only a 1.5mm² lighting circuit earth to connect to, or is it preferbale to try get to a 2.5mm² socket earth. I understand supplimentary bonding could be omitted, but it is not a good back up measure in case of any issues in disconnection by the RCD.

Not so as you have written it.
It depends. You cannot say there is a pipe; it must be bonded.

 

[Risteard]

Shaver sockets are allowed in zone 1. They must be to BS EN 61558-2-5.


No. You wouldn't be able to get at it.


Not so.


Not so as you have written it.
It depends. You cannot say there is a pipe; it must be bonded.

That is not correct.

They can be installed in Zone 2 - NOT Zone 1.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Sorry - typo, will alter it. Thanks.

 

[frank999]

Thanks.

"Shaver sockets are allowed in zone 1", is it a 'shaver socket-outlet' without a transformer (conforming to BS 4573) which is prohibited within 3mt of zone 1.

Electric fans above a shower, less than 2250mm and in Zone 1 need to be 12v - sorry yes, 12v is not a requirement - although I would have thought never a bad measure, considering where it is.

"You cannot say there is a pipe; it must be bonded" sounds like a line from Shakespeare ... but agree, however not a bad measure - considering the location, ie a wet bathroom.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Sorry, that was a typo. Please read it again.

 

[EFLImpudence]

"You cannot say there is a pipe; it must be bonded" sounds like a line from Shakespeare ... but agree, however not a bad measure - considering the location, ie a wet bathroom.

No. It means it depends on the situation.

Not all pipes should be bonded. You can't tell by looking at them.

 

[flameport]

Randomly bonding pipes and other items that don't need to be bonded will increase the risk of electric shock, not reduce it.

 

[frank999]

"Randomly bonding pipes and other items that don't need to be bonded will increase the risk of electric shock, not reduce it."

A separate toilet water feed pipe of copper (separate from the cold water taps) that is connected only to a plastic tank would unlikely require bonding ?

 

[EFLImpudence]

A separate toilet water feed pipe of copper (separate from the cold water taps) that is connected only to a plastic tank would unlikely require bonding ?

Correct.

Parts might require bonding because they are already earthed by some means.

 

[frank999]

This short run of copper pipe, not connected to any other supply, but connected to a plastic tank one end, and a porcelain toilet cistern the other (ie not connected to any electrical items ie electric showers, shaver outlets etc or near sources of faulty current flow ie zone 1), is a pipe which runs under floor boards of the bathroom, and which does not require bonding, (despite being metalic) and which has a low risk of shock - is unlikely to attract a current if one were to become live in a bathroom.

Unlike pipes to metal taps/shower mixer taps do require bonding however.

Water conducts electricity - if the electric shower were to become faulty, how far away can that current travel, assuming shower cubicle walls and floor are soaked. ?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Parts might require bonding because they are already earthed by some means.

If they have no connection to any means of earthing then they should not be bonded.

Bonded, in our sense, means joined together electrically.

 

[bernardgreen]

Parts might require bonding because they are already earthed by some means

If they are already connected to "earth" ( the CPC ? ) then bonding is going to be nothing more than a parallel path to "earth"

 

[EFLImpudence]

If they are already connected to "earth" ( the CPC ? )

Well, not directly but connected to the Main Earthing Terminal by means of an appliance metalwork.

then bonding is going to be nothing more than a parallel path to "earth"

I am not sure what you mean or why I am having to explain this, but -

we are talking about supplementary bonding which is to reduce the potential difference between simultaneously accessible exposed and extraneous-conductive-parts (in a bathroom).

 

[bernardgreen]

Basic electrical theory seems to be excluded from the matter of bonding,

If Metal bit A is connected to "Earth" and Metal bit B is also connected to "Earth" then Metal bit B will be at the same potential as Metal bit A

The bonding of Metal bit A to Metal bit B would only serve a useful purpose if "Earth" was not at the same potential as "Earth"