Switching convection heater to LED mirror with shaver sockets (bathroom)

[teflontonee]

Hello all,

I am currently in process of remodelling a bathroom. Luckily we have two bathrooms so I can do it at my own pace and leisure without being rushed into making decisions.

There was a redundant convection heater which I have removed, that has its own RCD protected circuit. The fuse for the heater is located inside the bathroom, inside a pattress box on the plasterboard wall just below where the heater was. I would now like to install an LED mirror with shaver sockets and the obvious + common sense solution appears to be to use the existing wiring for this purpose.

My knowledge on regs is a bit rusty, but my previous understanding was that shaver sockets need to have an isolation switch located outside of the curtilege of the bathroom. Would this still apply if the sockets are integrated into a mirror? In my old house (new build 2007) I had a shaver light with sockets and from memory there was no isolation switch.

Thank you for your help.

 

[EFLImpudence]

There is no requirement for an isolation switch.


The only sockets that are allowed within 2.5m of the bath or shower are shaver sockets to BS EN 61558-2-5.

These contain an isolating transformer; are you confusing the two?

 

[EFLImpudence]

What rating is the MCB for the circuit?

People would likely advise you to reduce its rating or introduce a Fused Connector Unit for the mirror and shaver which would if switched act as an isolation switch which would have to be placed outside zone 2; i.e. over 600mm. from bath or shower.
If the FCU were unswitched then it is allowed to be placed in zone 2.

 

[teflontonee]

There is no requirement for an isolation switch.


The only sockets that are allowed within 2.5m of the bath or shower are shaver sockets to BS EN 61558-2-5.

These contain an isolating transformer; are you confusing the two?

What rating is the MCB for the circuit?

People would likely advise you to reduce its rating or introduce a Fused Connector Unit for the mirror and shaver which would if switched act as an isolation switch which would have to be placed outside zone 2; i.e. over 600mm. from bath or shower.
If the FCU were unswitched then it is allowed to be placed in zone 2.

Confused? Probably!

The mirror will be located within 2.5m of the bath. So I guess all I need to do is ensure it meets BS EN 61558-2-5 and I am ok, right?

6A MCB. Current placement of the unswitched fused connector is outside of zone 2, although it would be very little work to put it on the landing outside of the room completely.

Thanks again

 

[EFLImpudence]

The mirror will be located within 2.5m of the bath. So I guess all I need to do is ensure it meets BS EN 61558-2-5 and I am ok, right?

Yes.

6A MCB.

Oh that's alright. I thought it would be higher for a heater.
Additional fuse not necessary.

Current placement of the unswitched fused connector is outside of zone 2, although it would be very little work to put it on the landing outside of the room completely.

It's up to you.

A fuse is not necessary but I would use a switched FCU outside the room.
It being double pole might be handy were a fault to occur which might trip the RCD even though the mirror is the only thing on the circuit, MCBs are only single pole.

 

[teflontonee]

Yes.


Oh that's alright. I thought it would be higher for a heater.
Additional fuse not necessary.


It's up to you.

A fuse is not necessary but I would use a switched FCU outside the room.
It being double pole might be handy were a fault to occur which might trip the RCD even though the mirror is the only thing on the circuit, MCBs are only single pole.

Yes I thought it would be higher too. Well here's where I admit I've lived here nearly 4 years and the heater has never worked. To be honest I wouldn't have used it anyway, but it was only when decommissioning it that I saw there was not actually a fuse in the circuit.

So there are a few possibilities based on assumption previous occupant assumed it was faulty and removed fuse. Worst case scenario being that the wiring has melted, or slightly less worst case the MCB has blown due to overload.

I will put a small fuse back in, switch the circuit back on and test it for mains voltage using my multimeter - at least then I will have an idea whether the wiring itself is still in good order. If not it requires more investigation.

 

[Murdochcat]

If the existing fuse is outside zones then I wouldn’t bother moving it

 

[EFLImpudence]

I will put a small fuse back in, switch the circuit back on and test it for mains voltage using my multimeter - at least then I will have an idea whether the wiring itself is still in good order. If not it requires more investigation.

 

[SUNRAY]

Oh that's alright. I thought it would be higher for a heater.

All of the bathroom heaters I've encountered have been 750 or 1000W regardless of type/style so no it wasn't a surprise. However I've just done a basic google search and see the fashion for increasingly powerful heaters has extended there too.

 

[teflontonee]

I popped a 3A fuse in and getting 230V so it appears ostensibly at least that MCB and wiring is good.