Shaver Socket In Mirror Cabinet

[ban-all-sheds]

Firstly, I don't think that retrofitting an isolation transformer (how???) would make the thing a shaver supply unit complying with 61558-2-5.

Earthing is a different matter, and they have checked that.

It is going to come down to how it was described. TBF, if they did not say that it complied, you should never have bought it.

 

[securespark]

Cannot remember how it was described. It was years ago and the unit is no longer up on their website.

Here is my letter to the company:

Further to your communication regarding L656010 Mirror Cabinet, I have been visited by the workman you sent, who parked on my drive without asking and whose van dropped oil.



I am disappointed that he did not appear to be a qualified electrician: he did not test the earth connection to the cabinet, merely stated that it had one, so “it is OK.” How would you know that without testing the earth connection?



Further, he told me that as the cabinet was sited outside of the bathroom zones, it did not need an isolating transformer to be fitted.



His and your understanding of the regulations is incorrect.

The current IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) states the following:



“701.512.3 Except for SELV socket-outlets complying with section 414 and shaver supply units complying with BS EN 61558-2-5, socket-outlets are prohibited within a distance of 3 m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1.”



In some very large bathrooms, it may be possible to comply with this distance requirement. My Mirror Cabinet is mounted on a wall 1.79 m from the edge of my bath and sits 0.65 m from the edge of my shower cubicle. This means that unless my Mirror Cabinet has a shaver supply unit complying with BS EN 61558-2-5, it should not be fitted with a socket-outlet.



It would appear that the Mirror Cabinet that you have sold is made for markets where electrical regulations do not require compliance with this standard.

 

[sparkwright]

Shouldn't all these cabinet have isolating transformers on the shavers, regardless of where in a bathroom it is sited?

 

[JohnW2]

Shouldn't all these cabinet have isolating transformers on the shavers, regardless of where in a bathroom it is sited?

I'm not sure what you're saying. Given that they will nearly always be within 3m of a bath/shower, it would obviously make sense for them to all have isolating transformers. However, as has been said, if one has a large bathroom and can get it >3m from bath/shower then, theoretically, the transformer is not required.

... and, of course, such things are not inevitably installed in bathrooms at all.

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

Shouldn't the thing have have an isolating transformer anyway, bearing in mind it could be moved to a different location in the future?

Shaver sockets in bathrooms are supposed to be the isolating type, the 'bedroom' type weren't permitted - though I suppose I am going back to how the rules used to be.

 

[JohnW2]

Shouldn't the thing have have an isolating transformer anyway, bearing in mind it could be moved to a different location in the future?

As I said, such a high proportion of them will be installed (both 'now' and in the future) in places which require the transformer that it would seemingly make sense for them all to have transformers (if they are intended for the UK market).

However, I don't think that your "could be moved to a different location" argument is, in itself, particularly realistic. It would presumably mean, for example, that one would not be able to use a ('transformerless') 'bedroom' shaver socket in a bedroom, on the grounds that it might be moved to a bathroom at some point in the future.

Shaver sockets in bathrooms are supposed to be the isolating type, the 'bedroom' type weren't permitted - though I suppose I am going back to how the rules used to be.

Any sort of socket (including a 13A BS1363 one) is now allowed in bathrooms if they are >3m from bath/shower - not that all that many people have a bathroom large enough for that to be relevant.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is this not another example of Europe wide sales?

If it cannot be fitted in British bathrooms then, if that's what you want to do, don't buy it.

As John says, it would be alright in a WC.

 

[JohnW2]

Is this not another example of Europe wide sales?

I think that it probably is.

If it cannot be fitted in British bathrooms then, if that's what you want to do, don't buy it.

Indeed - but I think it would be reasonable if/when it was sold in the UK, the packaging/documentation made it clear whether or not it was suitable for UK bathrooms.

As John says, it would be alright in a WC.

Indeed. One of my neighbours has an en-suite WC/basin, with a shaver socket (I couldn't tell you 'which type').

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

SS - where did it come from? Abroadland?

I think it would be reasonable if/when it was sold in the UK, the packaging/documentation made it clear whether or not it was suitable for UK bathrooms.

I expect it should.

As they sent an electrician, perhaps there has been some kind of mix up.

 

[securespark]

SS - where did it come from? Abroadland?

Originally, I think it must have been imported. But it was sold by a UK-based retailer with a web presence as a unit suitable for bathrooms in the UK.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Which it probably isn't.

If you've got proof of a false claim you should be in a good position to get the unit replaced.

 

[securespark]

This is why the company has sent these pseudo sparks round to "check the earth" and see if the unit needs an isolating transformer fitting.
Do you think I should send my letter and see what response I get?

 

[JohnW2]

This is why the company has sent these pseudo sparks round to "check the earth" and see if the unit needs an isolating transformer fitting.

... which, of course, is nonsense. The regulatory requirement for an isolating transformer obviously has nothing to do with earthing, 'checked' or otherwise.

Do you think I should send my letter and see what response I get?

I certainly think you should communicate with them. My personal inclination would probably be brief and 'assertive' - i.e. simply saying that they have clearly sold you a product which they claim is suitable for UK bathrooms but which UK regulations do not allow to be installed within 3m of a bath or shower, so you require them to .... [whatever you want - refund the purchase price, replace it with a product allowed in UK bathrooms (<3m from bath/shower), or whatever].

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The practical problem though is that they sold it years ago, it is no longer for sale, and I doubt that what claims they made about it back then can be proved.