Non IPX4 cable outlet in wet room?

[jdownie]

Hi All,

I have a question that I'd like to pose to the sparks here.

My parents recently had a wetroom installed as part of an extension - electrics done and certified by a NICEIC installer. I noticed that the electric towel rail has been joined to the switched fused spur from the wall by a standard surface mount cable outlet box. The box is 30cm from the floor, 70cm diagonally from the shower thermostat outlet so is well in zone 1 (the box and the rail do sit inside a 10cm wall recess) and can be easily splashed when showering. I'd have thought the box should have been IPx4 rated? Any thoughts gratefully appreciated.

John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Are the connections actually in the box

or is it just there for neatness while the cable goes somewhere else?

 

[jdownie]

Yes - there are LNE connections in the box from the cable coming out of the wall to the flex of the heater element. The connections are not waterproofed in any way - just a regular connection strip.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Doesn't seem good to me - not even a proper flex outlet - not that that would answer your query.

Also, what is the point of a towel rail where it can be splashed.

Can we have a picture to assess the position of everything?

 

[jdownie]

Here you go:

Untitled

• jdownie
• 27 Dec 2011
• 1

Untitled

• jdownie
• 27 Dec 2011
• 1

 

[EFLImpudence]

Assuming this is a wetroom with just a floor with a drain outlet (i.e. no shower basin), the flex outlet is not allowed within 1.2 metres (zones 0 & 1) of the drain in a vertical plane.
The radiator itself would be allowed in zone 1 if it is IPX4.

Even outside this the accessory (flex outlet plate) should be suitable for the environment.
So, if liable to splashing should therefore be waterproof.

This, to me, just seems like bad planning and design.

Where is the switch for the radiator?

 

[chivers67]

That looks like a standard Hager cooker outlet box

 

[EFLImpudence]

I wrote the above before I saw the pictures.

I've not seen an outlet plate like that - is it something special?
Still not allowed within 1.2m of the drain.

 

[jdownie]

Thanks a lot for the input.

The fused switch is located outside of the wetroom in the bedroom.
The outlet is 110cm from the drain.

I agree that this seems like bad planning/system design. You also raise another point that had been bothering me and that's the IP rating of the rail itself. There are no visible ratings on the cord inlet of the rail - any pointers on how this could be determined?

Cheers.