Bathroom - Spa Bath and Electric Towel Rail Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[digi-tal]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum and have a few questions for you, I will appreciate any answers you can give.

I have a couple of friends that have purchased a house, they are living in it but are slowly working their way through the house modernising it and will eventually sell it.

They are currently working on the bathroom and have decided to fit an electric towel rail and a spa bath. A RCD protected fused spur has been purchased to supply the bath and they are looking into timer units for the towel rail.

The bathroom is fairly small and has nowhere out of the 'zones' to put the RCD or timer.

One option is to put these on a small area of wall in the upstairs landing although this would possibly look unsightly. Another option would be inside the adjoining toilet, what are the rules here? Finally to be completely out of the way they could live in the loft, is it a problem having them out of easy access?

Any advice would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Paul.

[ericmark]

As far as I am aware there are no rules stopping one from fitting items in either toilet or loft space although it would not be where I would select. If they are doing major work then the local authority building control will be involved if it were me I would ask them first in case there is some non electrical reason.
I am sure it would be outside the zones in a bathroom but not the 3 meter demarcation and if fitted in a locked cabinet you may get away with it.
But I can’t understand why you would be fitting the RCD local to the bath anyway it would normally be in the consumer unit.
With all items now requiring RCD protection including lights you would need a mini consumer unit and it would be a lot of messing around plus it would want to look right if they are to sell the house. It is not already planned or you would not be asking question so will come under BS7671:2008 and unless you use a protected cable you really have no option but to locate the RCD at the consumer unit.
I think they need to invest in the red book as they seem to be still working to BS7671:2001 and when the building inspector comes to sign the completion certificate they need to sell the house he is likely to get them to re-do it anyway.
Eric

[TOPSPARK]

For the spa bath you could get an rcd point and put out on the landing it would look similar to a single socket but as to the timer put it in the adjoining toilet or perhaps in the airing cupboard on the landing if there is one
all the best
Topspark

[digi-tal]

Thanks Eric,

It has now been decide the RCD and timer will go in the under stairs area, this is where the consumer unit is and has easy access to the bath and towel rail.

Building Control have not been notified of any work as they did not think this was necessary for remodelling the bathroom. Does a building Inspector really have to come round and check the work? Has this always been the case for a bathroom? How will they know when the work was done?

The towel rail element is only just more than 60cm away from the bath.

A RCD has been purchased as the website the bath was purchased from says "[i]Electronic circuit breaker is recommended - purchased seperately.[/i]". This is what they have purchased [url]http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=1228&id=61071&p=http://www.screwfix.com/prods/83049/Electrical/RCDs/Volex-13A-RCD-FCU[/url].

They have not replaced the consumer unit which is a good few years old. It does not appear to have an RCD (no 'Test' or 'Reset'), there are about 8 MCB's and than a master switch, I am not near it so have no more info than that but can find out if need be.

I have previously suggested the electrics may need to be signed off but they have said that the house has an electrical safety certificate that is valid.

Myself and my friends have put a fair bit of work into this room and I would hate to see it all have to be torn away!

Thanks again,

Paul.