bathroom ceiling pull switches..

We've a lot of chrome going on in our bathroom and I'd like to swap the white ceiling mounted light pull switch for a chrome one (the only one I've seen so far is described as 'chrome effect' so I guess it's plastic). I know there's all sorts of recommendations for zones and lighting, but what about pull switches?

This will be a 1:1 swap with the switch in exactly the same place as it is currently - by the door as far from the bath as possible!

I'm also looking to replace our air vent with a chrome version - just siliconed onto the tiles.

Thanks,

Paul

Reply to
Paul Andrews
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Hi, Paul, There's no reason why you can't do this. The chrome fitting will be isolated, anyway: chaces are, it will just clad a plastic one. Also, it's the fact that the electrics are above you, and you use a non-conductive pull-cord, that matters. But, hell, nannyism can go too far... We have standard (plastic) switches in our bathroom -- four of them (two for lights, one's a fan over-ride and the fourth's for the mirror heater). Of course you don't play with them with wet hands, but we're all adults. Anyway, evolution has to be given a fair crack at weeding out the gene for stupid ... You want a chrome pull-cord; fit one.

Reply to
Cenfus

It hasn't already? LOL!

Thank you!

Paul

Reply to
Paul Andrews

On 10 Oct 2005 03:05:39 -0700, "Cenfus" wrote: |>We've a lot of chrome going on in our bathroom and I'd like to swap the |>white ceiling mounted light pull switch for a chrome one (the only one I've |>seen so far is described as 'chrome effect' so I guess it's plastic). I know |>there's all |>sorts of recommendations for zones and lighting, but what about pull |>switches? |>

|>This will be a 1:1 swap with the switch in exactly the same place as it is |>currently - by the door as far from the bath as possible! |>

|>I'm also looking to replace our air vent with a chrome version - just |>siliconed onto the tiles.

Text referred to reinstated, to make things understandable. . | We have standard (plastic) switches in our bathroom -- four of them | (two for lights, one's a fan over-ride and the fourth's for the mirror | heater). | Of course you don't play with them with wet hands, but we're all | adults.

That is fine until you have an emergency and people do not have time to think about the dangers you have built into the system. Or you have a child visiting who does not know that you have planted a booby trap in the bathroom.

I have had a tingle off an ordinary light switch not in the bathroom, so I would not trust them farther than I would throw them in a bathroom.

In bathrooms one has lots of condensation which may also occur inside an ordinary switch and give a leakage path from the live components to the bits you touch. So not touching them with wet hands will not provide good protection. | Anyway, evolution has to be given a fair crack at weeding out the gene | for stupid ...

Hopefully it will be you

| You want a chrome pull-cord; fit one.

Agreed if you feel happy about it. Fitting a diferent one should be no problem.

Reply to
Dave Fawthrop

And presumably with no kids or visitors, etc?

Since this is obviously a DIY installation, why not just situate these switches outside the bathroom? Or if you must have them inside, use low voltage and relays.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I don't worry about the occasional shock and I'm happy working on live circuits, but one of the first things I did when I moved into this house was to replace the wall switch in the bathroom with a pull cord - some electrical regulations seem to be nannying nonsense but some are just plain common sense.

Reply to
Rob Morley

Agreed. And what might just be a little shock to some could kill others.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

It doesn't seem to worry people in places like Australia - but the circuit may be RCD protected of course.

Reply to
Tony Bryer

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 16:41:13 +0100,it is alleged that Tony Bryer spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

I don't know this for a fact, but it's possible the switch design is different. British switches tend to be lightweight bakelite or similar, with relatively large gaps. It's perfectly possible for water to seep in and create a conducting path, I know from our old house's landing light switch, right outside the bathroom.

Aussie switches tended at one time I believe to be more similar to the US ones, with an earthed metal strap fixing and relatively tight clearances. Less amenable to the more modern 'plate' switch look though, which is why the US still largely uses a more modern looking type of toggle switch. (Plus the very obvious 'it's always been done that way')

It's also likely that any circuit in a bathroom in .au is connected via an RCD, I believe their regs now absolutely require them for ALL socket outlet circuits and anything in a damp atmosphere.

Reply to
Chip

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Dave Plowman (News)" saying something like:

Indeed. The bathroom mirror first thing in the morning is a heart-stopper.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

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