IP rating of a bulb when used in a bathroom?

[ericmark]

typical lamp over a shower, advert does not give IP rating, and says fitted with a MR16 12 volt 3 watt DC bulb, finding DC bulbs not easy, Bedazzled specialise in them and yes you can get a MR16 LED bulb i.e. has a multifaceted reflector, although the one shown in the picture of the fan does not look like a MR16 to me, but the options on the site for DC bulbs normally 10 to 30 volt DC only shows 6 and one looks like this and one must ask if this is suitable for a bathroom? The side view does not seem to show any glass over the LED chips, and it seems unlikely that bulb is IPX4 or even IPXXB or IP2X.

I have seen many bathrooms where the roof is sloped, yes the national standard sets a minimum floor to ceiling height of 2.3m for at least 75% of the gross internal area. The London Plan takes this a step further by setting a minimum ceiling height of 2.5m. An explicit standard for ceiling height was removed from the Building Regulations when they were simplified in 1985. However the sloping roof is often lit with down lighters, so although over 2.25m is possible for 75% of the ceiling, we may have bulbs below that height, with a tungsten bulb the glass was clearly water proof, but with LED lights the same can't be said.

So it would seem you can only fit 2" down lights where the ceiling is over 2.25m as the bulbs have no IP rating.

What does the team think?

 

[Murdochcat]

Always fit IP rated fittings in bathrooms irrespective of the height of the ceiling ........

And those inline fans with lights are pants, so never use them

 

[JohnW2]

Always fit IP rated fittings in bathrooms irrespective of the height of the ceiling ........

As non-electricians here are often told, anything and everything has an "IP rating", even if it is IP00.

Whilst most of us 'know what you mean', it is arguably desirable that you should say it more clearly, not the least for the benefit of those 'who do not know'

 

[ericmark]

As said not seem an IP rated bulb, be in the bathroom or outside, we have traditionally considered the bulb to be hermetical sealed, but this is not the case with LED, I know at work on event days, common to have a string of festoon lights, in the main inside a marquee so not in the elements, but they have been used outside, OK 55 or 64 volt to earth, but without a marking on the bulb, I have no idea of their IP rating, IP6X is likely, but as to IPX? it could be IPX3 to IPX8 there is nothing on the bulb to say. Clearly not IP11 they are better than that, but the IP4X the test with a 1 mm wire is easy enough, but IP3 to IPX8 is near impossible to non destructive test.

Weigh the bulb, and put under 150 mm of water for 30 minutes, then weigh again, and if weight has increased not IPX7 but the bulb is now scrap.

 

[opps]

As said not seem an IP rated bulb, View attachment 345537 be in the bathroom or outside, we have traditionally considered the bulb to be hermetical sealed, but this is not the case with LED, I know at work on event days, common to have a string of festoon lights, in the main inside a marquee so not in the elements, but they have been used outside, OK 55 or 64 volt to earth, but without a marking on the bulb, I have no idea of their IP rating, IP6X is likely, but as to IPX? it could be IPX3 to IPX8 there is nothing on the bulb to say. Clearly not IP11 they are better than that, but the IP4X the test with a 1 mm wire is easy enough, but IP3 to IPX8 is near impossible to non destructive test.

Weigh the bulb, and put under 150 mm of water for 30 minutes, then weigh again, and if weight has increased not IPX7 but the bulb is now scrap.

I recently worked at a house where the garden festoon LED bulbs were full of water. Good point about IP ratings, I guess the old argon filled bulbs had to be hermetically sealed, whereas, as you say, LEDs do not need to be.