TV in bathroom - regs and safety

[d000hg]

The bath is where I relax, typically with a glass of wine and watching Netflix on my iPad. The benefit of the iPad is it's battery powered, but the screen is a little small so I've frequently thought about a wall-mounted TV, maybe 20" or so. Maybe some speakers too for decent music listening.

My bathroom is large and the TV would be nowhere near any taps but regardless I know the rules on bathroom electrics are stricter than the rest of the house. For instance I assume I simply cannot have a mains socket at all other than for a shaver (not sure why they get the exemption) right?

I do not think this is a project I'd undertake myself if the room doesn't have electricity other than the lighting, but how would this be done correctly and, more importantly to me, safely? What specific points need considering - and is the TV itself one of them, would I have to buy a special one or special enclosure?
I don't think having a TV aerial cable would be worth it but would that raise additional issues or not?

 

[Mottie]

If you Google 'tv for bathroom' there's plenty of info out there.

 

[Lectrician]

For info, shaver points are only permitted if of an isolating type (most are). Standard 230V sockets are permitted 3m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1.

A proper bathroom TV is what you need though.

 

[dpsservices]

Seen 1 in a bathroom once and it was a 12v tv

 

[Doggit]

I saw a very swish TV once, that was a mirror until you turned it on; didn't think to check how it was plugged in though. You might get away with hard wiring it into a fused spur though.

 

[Mottie]

https://www.bathroomtv.co.uk/

 

[mwatsonxx]

Proper bathroom tv's cost an arm and a leg

 

[securespark]

the room doesn't have electricity other than the lighting

There's nothing in the regs to say you can't put a 13A socket on a "lighting" circuit and TV's can be fed via SELV with a wall wart plugged into the socket (in a loft or adjacent cupboard, for example) but you will want to ensure the TV is built to withstand the environment and is safe in the location you intend to fit it. Find a model you like the look of then look up the installation instructions online to see what is required.

If you mount a socket in a place that is awkward to reach, you may want to fit an isolation switch that is not, so you can isolate it if necessary.

 

[winston1]

There's nothing in the regs to say you can't put a 13A socket on a "lighting" circuit and TV's can be fed via SELV with a wall wart plugged into the socket (in a loft or adjacent cupboard, for example)

No but it is a very silly thing to do and completely unnecessary as said 13 amp socket could be put on the socket circuit, most probably a ring final. Most TVs work off mains not SELV.

Before you say a loft most likely only has a lighting circuit I must add that anyone who could afford one of those bathroom TVs could afford to fit a socket in the loft spurred from the ring.

 

[d000hg]

Thanks for the replies.

Other than to meet regs, I cannot see why a normal TV would be a danger in itself... It will not be directly above the bath to be in the steam or splash zone. Or is the damp air enough to be risky in itself?

I'll look around online to see what is out there. Had even wondered about building a frame/case to protect it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No but it is a very silly thing to do

Wrong.

Again.

Unhelpful advice to someone looking for help.

Again.

 

[winston1]

Wrong.

Again.

Unhelpful advice to someone looking for help.

Again.

Once again you have a difference of opinion.

Putting a 13 amp socket on a lighting circuit is a silly thing to do because one day someone will plug a 13 amp load into it and plunge the house into darkness.

So helpful advise to someone who would not want that to happen.

 

[d000hg]

13 would be crazy but is a socket on the circuit inherently bad... With a much smaller fuse?

 

[winston1]

13 would be crazy but is a socket on the circuit inherently bad... With a much smaller fuse?

Yes it is a very silly thing to go. You can't use a "much smaller fuse" on the socket as it is the plugs that are fused not the sockets.

So nothing to stop someone plugging a 13 amp load in and plunging the house into darkness.

 

[d000hg]

Sorry, silly me... It's late

If agree apart from anything else it's not obvious to have things done this way, and in general obvious is good!