Bathroom zones and Portable electrical equipment

[Monsoon]

I'm putting a large freestanding jacuzzi in the bedroom

For purposes of complying with regulations I am treating the bedroom as a bathroom and apply all the zonal requirements.

My only slight glitch is my LCD TV which will fall within zone 3.

Zone 3
The regulations do not specify any IP number for zone 3, however reference should be made to the manufacturers data in case it indicates any exclusion. Portable electrical equipment is not permitted other than that using a SELV or shaver unit.

http://www.diydata.com/electrics/bathroom_electrics/bathroom_electrics.php#uses

So the question is:- If the LCD TV is connected to wall outlet plate and a fused switched is placed outside zone 3.

Will this comply?


Note: I'll ensure the flex on the TV will not be long enough for the TV to come anywhere near the bath in the unlikely event the TV becomes detached from its wall mounting.

 

[Steve]

jacuzzi in the bedroom?

Does said bedroom have adequate ventilation? I think its technically a bath, so you will have to treat it as a bathroom in every respect of the building regs.

 

[JohnD]

There are rules relating to rooms which are not bathrooms but which contain a fixed shower (or bath?).

This normally applies to rooms for the sick or disabled which may have washing facilities in the bedroom, and as access is required for hoists and assistants, they may not be in a separate room.

AFAICR, all circuits have to be on a 30mA RCD; there must be no sockets within 2M of the shower or where they can be splashed, someone with a book to hand will correct my memory, I hope ( i did know, once ) It occasionally crops up in Domestic installations but is very common in hospitals and care homes.

 

[Monsoon]

jacuzzi in the bedroom?

Does said bedroom have adequate ventilation? I think its technically a bath, so you will have to treat it as a bathroom in every respect of the building regs.

Yeah warehouse conversion - jacuzzi, lcd screen, Huge bed .... cue Barry White's greatest hits

I'm installing Air con in the room but an extractor fan is doable if required as the bath is against an outside wall.

 

[Monsoon]

There are rules relating to rooms which are not bathrooms but which contain a fixed shower (or bath?).

This normally applies to rooms for the sick or disabled which may have washing facilities in the bedroom, and as access is required for hoists and assistants, they may not be in a separate room.

AFAICR, all circuits have to be on a 30mA RCD; there must be no sockets within 2M of the shower, someone with a book to hand will correct my memory, I hope ( i did know, once ) It occasionally crops up in Domestic installations but is very common is hospitals and care homes.

It's on an RCD protected circuit.

 

[JohnD]

It's on an RCD protected circuit.

The whole room, not just the jacuzzi.

And you'll be doing supplementary bonding, of course.

 

[Monsoon]

It's on an RCD protected circuit.

The whole room, not just the jacuzzi.

And you'll be doing supplementary bonding, of course.

All the power outlets are on RCD protection (not lighting)
No Supplementary bonding as it's all in Hep20 ?

 

[plugwash]

you still need to supplementry bond together the two different circuits in the room (power and lighting). and possiblly existing heating pipes too (unless they are also plastic)

if the TV is fixed to the wall and fed with a FCU rather than a plug and socket then its hardly portable imo, if it has a removable mains flex i'd want to see that blocked in somehow though so its not removable without tools.

 

[Monsoon]

you still need to supplementry bond together the two different circuits in the room (power and lighting). and possiblly existing heating pipes too (unless they are also plastic)

if the TV is fixed to the wall and fed with a FCU rather than a plug and socket then its hardly portable imo, if it has a removable mains flex i'd want to see that blocked in somehow though so its not removable without tools.

I also think the use of a FSU will change the TV over to a 'fixed' appliance if that's the correct expression. I wonder if there is a concise definition of 'Portable electrical equipment' in electrical regulation speak. I've been to a number of bathrooms where they have a regular hairdryer connected to an FSU.

 

[RF Lighting]

A portable appliance has a plug on it.

A fixed appliance doesn't.


Even so, there are still regulations governing what items of fixed equipment can be sited in certain areas within a bathroom.

 

[Monsoon]

A portable appliance has a plug on it.

A fixed appliance doesn't.


Even so, there are still regulations governing what items of fixed equipment can be sited in certain areas within a bathroom.

Seems reasonable.

Is there a list of acceptable 'fixed' appliances 'allowed' within zone 3? The info I located earlier just says 'No portable appliances'

 

[Spark123]

There is some info on page 6 here: clicky.

 

[Monsoon]

There is some info on page 6 here: clicky.

Cheers.

Basically it doesn't set hard and fast rules over the type of equipment that can be installed in Zone 3, it simply says:-


Regulation 601-08-01 does not
preclude the installation of such equipment in zone 3.
However, the general requirements of BS 7671 are
applicable to locations containing a bath or shower and
Regulation 512-06-01 calls for every item of equipment to
be of a design appropriate to the situation in which it is to
be used, or its mode of installation must take account of
the conditions likely to be encountered.

Interestingly even without installing an FSU, the fact that the LCD TV will be attached to the wall then it can't really be called portable.

It is however permissible to make provision in zone
3 for the connection of non-fixed current-using equipment
other than portable equipment, such as a washing
machine, provided it is protected by a residual current
device having a rated residual operating current, IΔn, not
exceeding 30 mA, in accordance with Regulation Group
412-06 (Regulation 601-09-03).

Anyway, ultimately common sense will prevail and as long as the TV wont get splashed, cant fall off the wall into the bath, get subjected to excessive humidity due to poor ventilation or get handled with wet hands (I'm getting a waterproof remote ) Then I read that as a green light