switched spur for whirlpool bath.

[kdband]

I had always believed that it was not possible to install any kind of switch in a bathroom unless it was a pull-cord switch, however I have read recently that switches are banned within 0.6m of any part of a bath or shower basin unless it is a pull cord switch.

This implies that I can install a switch providing it is more than 0.6m away. I hope to get to the library to check for myself but in the meantime can anyone confirm that my understanding is correct and this is actually backed up by the wiring regulations.

My requirement is to install a switched spur for a whirlpool bath with an integral pump. I don't want to use a pull cord but would prefer to keep this switch within the bathroom if this were possible. I believe I could mount the switch so that it was over 0.6m from both the bath and the shower.

[BigWallop]

Condensed water droplets always run downward on a surface. I think Isaac Newton was the cause of that, the bugger. And just make sure your hands and feet are perfectly dry when you switch it on or off as well. :-)

[Stefek Zaba]

Yes, the UK regs changed - in 2001? - to introduce the idea of Zones in the bathroom, with increasingly stringent requirements the closer you get to the bath/shower. The piccies are all over the On-Site Guide, and are reproduced at many places on t'superinterwebhypeway, e.g. at

switched-fused-connection-unit or 20A-double-pole-switch will be OK in Zone 3, meaning 0.6m or more away from the nearest edge of bath or shower (but see the piccie and accompanying commentary for more details).

HTH - Stefek

[Martin Angove]

Probably obvious but worth pointing out; that is 0.6m horizontally :-) If you want to go vertical you're looking at 3m or more above floor level. If you can't make 0.6m horizontally but don't need it directly over the bath you'll get away with it if you can make 2.25m or higher.

Hwyl!

M.

[kdband]

Thanks for the advice guys, always informative. Yes I had realised that the horizontal and vertical distances were different, I even had a vague awareness of the zone concept but I haven't done any electrical work in the bathroom recently and for some reason I assumed that this only applied to light fittings. The switch will actually be located near the door just above skirting level and in all honesty I suspect will normally be left in the on position unless I need to do some kind of maintenance on the pump.

Thanks again.

[Tim Mitchell]

In article , [e-mail] writes

Also wouldn't Part P apply to this, being in a bathroom?

(still trying to work out what it does and doesn't apply to)

[dennis]

It doesn't apply to factories, offices, shops, etc.

Or to anything done in the old colours that you say was done last year.

Or to anything plugged into a socket. So you can expect fatalities caused by trailing 4 way extensions in the kitchen all because the IEE wants to make some more cash.