Fusebox in bathroom?

[Greatest Dancer]

Ok quick question for you. Just moved into a 3 bed semi house - has a decent sized understairs cupboard that would make a very nice second bathroom (toilet / sink). Problem is that the fusebox and mains supply and meter are all mounted on a wooden board inside the cupboard.

I looked at moving it all into a cabinet on the outside of the house.
I've spoken with my local electricity supplier and they've come back with a 'quote' (without having been to the house!) of £200 to £500 depending upon what's involved. From having done this before, I think I'll then also need to hire an eletrician to come in and do the internal supply reconnection for me.

All in it sounds like it's going to cost at least £500.

So I'm thinking of an alternative - make an MDF box to put around all the electrics. Then convert the room to a bathroom. The sink will be next to the MDF box, but I will ensure the box is covered in something waterproof.

What do you think? Am I the sort of dangerous person the rules are out to stop? Or is this feasible?

Thanks! Rich

 

[nstreet]

That quote sounds really cheap. Six years ago we got a quote to put the meter on an outside wall in its same location. £450 + vat. We had to do all of the donkey work, provide the box, and get spark to reconnect. Get them to survey first, don't accept a quote without them seeing the setup.

IMO fusebox in the bathroom is a no no. Water and electric don't mix.

 

[Spark123]

Asking a silly question, what are you going to put in this "bathroom"?
If it is not going to contain a bathtub or shower basin then this (for the sake of the wiring regulations) is not a bathroom and hence not a special location. This means you can just box the meter/fuse box in, providing it isn't in a location susceptible to water ingress.

 

[Greatest Dancer]

Asking a silly question, what are you going to put in this "bathroom"?
If it is not going to contain a bathtub or shower basin then this (for the sake of the wiring regulations) is not a bathroom and hence not a special location. This means you can just box the meter/fuse box in, providing it isn't in a location susceptible to water ingress.

Excellent news - the room will contain a sink and a toilet, nothing more. I shall investigate the boxing in option....

Thx Richard

 

[wedge69]

I've seen new build houses that have the consumer unit in the downstairs WC room. They are often mounted close to the ceiling though....

 

[mrcrow]

I've seen new build houses that have the consumer unit in the downstairs WC room. They are often mounted close to the ceiling though....

snap..sort of
my new house had the consumer unit in the garage...and electrically operated garage door...
it rained and the lightning threw the circuit breakers...
we fiddled with a metal coat hanger over the top of the sprung door to try to catch the manual door operating wire which the builder had not connected...

i just used the key after that...

 

[Big_Spark]

Woah horsey....

Whilst this may not be a "Special Location" from the Regs point of view, it IS from the point of view of the Electricity Supply Act Regulations, which govern the installation of the actual service.

Unless they have been rewritten recently, which I doubt, then you cannot have a service head in any location susceptibel to water ingress or contains a water supply likely to interfere with the service head. If you have a leak this could be a very dangerous situation as the head is unfused to all intents and purposes. Should the head energise the water on the floor you have a very dangerous situation.

The Only way around this would be for the enclosure to be 100% water tight, as in IP 56 rated as a minimum.

Oh by the way, Yes I know that they stick service heads in external plastic boxes, but this is not strictly right.

 

[Spark123]

Electricity Supply Act Regulations are now The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002.

 

[Steve]

Oh by the way, Yes I know that they stick service heads in external plastic boxes, but this is not strictly right.

why the hell do they do it then???? i have seen many a external service head box exposed in wet weather because the door has snapped off, the home owners simply dont care, as long as their electric works. Thing is though, no matter how diagonal the rain comes down, it never touches their meter . . . .