Electric Height adjustable sink - dangerous?

[EstherL]

Hi all,
I'm hoping you can help me. I'm hoping to use a mechanism designed/advertised as for making a height adjustable desk, to make a height adjustable sink/vanity unit.

I described exactly how, and why, in this post - //www.diynot.com/forums/plumbi...ble-pipe-water-electric-combo.295006/#2156914

On the suggestion of those who replied there, I'd really appreciate your expertise - is this incredibly dangerous? If yes, is there anything I can do to reduce, eliminate or mitigate risk, or should I just not do it?

The unit comes with a regular UK style three pin plug, to plug into the wall, and clearly it's usually/designed to be used in an office or similar. This would be in my bedroom, not a bathroom, but with a sink on the top. The chance of the motor/plug getting wet is relatively small - I plan to wash my face and brush my teeth, not splash water all over the floor! Clearly, I want it to be relatively safe. I'm willing to accept some level of risk - always the way - and I can't currently access the bathroom sink and nor can I afford 2 grand, or more, for a commercial unit. Electrics isn't my area of expertise, so all advice/links/info appreciated.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I can't find on the Conset site any reference to IP ratings for the motor units, power supplies, or the switch control pads. That would be the starting point for determining whether the units would be suitable for use in this setting. The controls can be substituted with waterproof ones and the power supply could probably be relocated remotely within a waterproof box if necessary, but the motor will be the vulnerable bit.

Apart from safety, if there is a leak and water gets into the unit, it would be an expensive failure.

 

[ericmark]

It was a consideration for my mother in a wheel chair and there are some proprietary units designed specially to lift and fall sink units. In fact the shop used one to work out exact height for sink as too low not enough room for wheel chair and too high and she can't use it.

However it was considered as too expensive and a fixed hight sink was selected.

The electric unit had a safety bar which would auto stop it should it foul on anything and with a worm drive motor this is very necessary. The link does show a rail below the sink which I would think is a trip rail.

There are no rules as with a bath or shower in a bedroom stopping one having any sockets but common sense would be to have them protected by an earth leakage device.

But so much has to be common sense where disabled people are involved I had to insist that earth leakage devices were accessible to my mother in her wheel chair when doing her kitchen and a second consumer unit was installed just for kitchen.

If you were to get trapped under a sink and the RCD/Fuse/MCB was to trip/open then it would not be safe, and only by looking at each installation on it's own merits can one decide what is and what is not an acceptable risk.

I can't see any real problem but only some on on site can really answer your questions.

 

[EstherL]

I can't find on the Conset site any reference to IP ratings for the motor units, power supplies, or the switch control pads. That would be the starting point for determining whether the units would be suitable for use in this setting. The controls can be substituted with waterproof ones and the power supply could probably be relocated remotely within a waterproof box if necessary, but the motor will be the vulnerable bit.

Apart from safety, if there is a leak and water gets into the unit, it would be an expensive failure.

http://www.conset.org.uk/Text/default.aspx?m=text&a=all&id=259 Here there is technical data for the 501-19 (it's a pdf file). It says "Gear parts: St 70-2
Gear motor: Bosch no. 0 390 257 685
Power supply: 100 W AC Power Transformer
Consumption: 100 Watts; Standby: Max 0,9 Watts" - does that give you the info? If not, I can email Conset - they're helpful (I've dealt with them before) but obviously won't be able to 'okay' putting a sink on it because that wasn't it's design. What should I ask them, specifically?

 

[OwainDIYer]

I can't find on the Conset site any reference to IP ratings for the motor units, power supplies, or the switch control pads.

http://www.conset.org.uk/Text/default.aspx?m=text&a=all&id=259 Here there is technical data for the 501-19 (it's a pdf file). It says "Gear parts: St 70-2
Gear motor: Bosch no. 0 390 257 685
Power supply: 100 W AC Power Transformer
Consumption: 100 Watts; Standby: Max 0,9 Watts" - does that give you the info? If not, I can email Conset - they're helpful (I've dealt with them before) but obviously won't be able to 'okay' putting a sink on it because that wasn't it's design. What should I ask them, specifically?

Ask for the IP (ingress protection) ratings

 

[ericmark]

Seems whole thing is powered by a windscreen wiper motor at 24 VDC that in not really a problem.

There are no safety cutouts it seems just needs two hands to work two switches so can't be moved in error.

Power supply is a switched mode unit similar to those used on a Laptop and is mounted inside the column. There is a PDF showing how mounted here it seems to be a metal frame and I see no earth bonding to the frame in the diagram but could have missed it.

 

[bernardgreen]

Someone has already mentioned the use of stop bars along the edges to prevent the surface being driven against a fixed object and these may be needed on the under side of the surface.

[1] to prevent legs becoming trapped by the descending surface

[2] to prevent the surface being pulled out of the horizontal if it is obstructed on one side with the motor still pulling down. With a desk tipping over only papers a maybe some coffee will end up on the floor. With a sink tipping over a considerable amount of water will be spilt.