Socket near sink query

[John Smith]

Planning a kitchen refit and looking at socket positions. I will be keeping some existing sockets and moving/adding a few more. One of the sockets I definitely want to keep is within arms reach of the sink. This is very handy for the kettle.

From previous posts I have found that you cannot, according to the elec regs, have a socket at arms length from a sink. But this socket is already there and has been since I moved in.

Obviously I am not required to constantly update my house to comply with any new regs. But what if I do work in the vicinity, e.g. add new sockets, I am required to move this un-complying socket at the same time?

Also what happens if I wanted to simply change the face plate of this socket e.g. to a nice chrome one? Is this allowed?

Thanks,

John

[Lurch]

On Fri, 21 May 2004 12:22:23 +0100, in uk.d-i-y John Smith strung together this:

No, the regs say you can't have a socket actually in the sink. It doesn't mention distance from the sink. NICEIC guidelines are 500mm from the sink. My personal choice is 300mm from a draining board and

600mm from a sink where preferable.

Nope, just make yourself aware of it! I, as an electrical contractor, can't force customers to upgrade their electrical installation, only advise them of the problems.

Yes.

[Christian McArdle]

No. The regulations just state that accessories must be suitable for the area in which they are installed. This is somewhat open to interpretation with respect to sink proximity. If it is located so that it is unlikely to get wet, there is no problem. If it really is close and could easily be splashed, then you could always go for IP rated accessories, although they would look very odd in a kitchen!

Christian.

[John Smith]

A socket IN the sink? As in a hole cut in the sink and a socket stuck through this hole!

The regs actually think someone would do this !!!

I don't believe it!

John

[Christian McArdle]

Actually, I'd have thought it would be permitted if the socket is IPx8. I may be wrong and don't have them in front of me.

I think they just don't particularly anticipate it and don't specifically ban it. All equipment has to be suitable for the installed location because of a general catch-all, which would require IPx8 (possibly IPx7). Again, I may be wrong. I very much doubt the situation has arisen in practice!

Christian.

[romic]

Others have already answered your query, but if you're too bothered about it you could convert it to a RCD protected socket, although it would cost you an arm and a leg.

Roger (my reader sometimes loses mail/newsgroup messages

- if you think you should have had a reply/comment, please e-mail me again. Ta!)

[Dave Plowman]

How else do you feed a waste disposal unit?

It's more of a problem cutting the hole in the toilet for the saniflow socket, though.

[BigWallop]

ROFL !!! Daft bugger. :-))

[Owain]

Roger wrote | Others have already answered your query, but if you're too bothered | about it you could convert it to a RCD protected socket, although | it would cost you an arm and a leg.

An RCD socket costs £20.99

prosthetic arm on ebay.com costs from $66 to $895 ?ViewItem&item=3724019409The nationwide average for an above knee prosthesis is $16,500 and the below knee prosthesis is $7,000. At the foundation an above knee prosthesis cost $2,000 and a below knee costs $1,500. an RCD socket costs considerably less than an arm and a leg.

Owain

[Pete C]

Hi,

How far from the sink is it? Would a longer kettle from the next nearest kettle lead do the trick? The main concern might be a kettle lead or base falling in the sink.

cheers, Pete.

[N. Thornton]

lol! I remember seeing floor sockets with just a flat metal flap over the front: would they make suitable replacements for something overly close?

Regards, NT

[Dave Plowman]

Yup - you have to use two hands to use those, so if they're wet from the sink you get the full effect across your chest.

[Owain]

"N. Thornton" wrote | I remember seeing floor sockets with just a flat metal flap over | the front: would they make suitable replacements for something overly | close?

I think not; they're not IP rated against water ingress.

Owain

[Martin Angove]

I've never really understood these flappy floor-socket things. In several places I've seen them installed, I've also seen the cleaners wet-mopping the floor and using those big floor polishing machines.

Brings the brass flappy bits up nicely, until they fall off or the wiring catches fire :-)

Hwyl!

M.