best place for bathroom light switch? - and which type of light?

[George Miles]

Where is the best place for a bathroom light switch? by the door? in the room or outside of the room? or a pull cable?

is it best to have one with a dimmer, or two: a dim one and a bright one?

The ceiling is already plasterboarded with kingspan above it, I dont want to put any holes in it. Is there a safer light fitting than the bayonet socket hanging from a rose?

screwfix have this one for £35:

Sylvania StartEco LED Ceiling Light White 24W 2050lm (950KJ) Product rating

4.5 out of 5 stars (2) IP44: For Indoor Use Warm White / Cool White Traditional Design

[Theo]

I think you can have a light switch in the bathroom not in the zones, although I might be tempted to get an IP44 switch if it's mains. You could also go low voltage if it was in the zones.

What kind of fitting do you want? Does the hanging bulb provide the right lighting, or do you want something else? Is the hanging bulb above the bath or shower?

I have one of these:

a ceiling dome fitting in a toilet. The switch is mounted on the door where it's easy to access as you go in. The old pull cord is left permanently on and tied up out of the way. The switch controls both the light and its brightness, and it's battery powered so no shock risk. They also do versions that adjust colour temperature, and other shapes of light, eg ceiling and wall lights.

I don't see how you're going to mount that without extra holes?

Anyway, 2050lm seems really bright if it's not dimmable. That's 150W of tungsten lamp.

Theo

[Vir Campestris]

Switch in the room on a pull cord. Stops any kids outside plunging you into darkness...

I never felt the need for a dimmer.

Make sure it does have that IP rating. Screwfix's cheapest one is

Other retailers are available :)

Andy

[Steve Walker]

Or wireless - although I am used to the switch being outside the door ... and my wife occasionally switches it off as she's passing, just for fun.

I'd go for something like that. Three small holes (two for mounting and one for the cable is surely acceptable, unlike a 2'x2' cut-out for a recessed light fitting - although I have 8 holes for downlighters (one being a combined vent and light in the shower cubicle).

150W used to be about right for our (smallish) bathroom, giving plenty of light for shaving or make-up.

[Jeff Layman]

If you don't want any holes for the switch in the ceiling your best best is a Quinetic switch from TLC. You can mount it anywhere in the bathroom as it has no wired connections.

[Chris J Dixon]

I have 6 x 12 V MR16 bulbs in my bathroom, fed via a Dimpull. So far they haven't made a version of the Dimpull that can handle LEDs.

In the 16 years since they were installed (tempting providence) I don't think I have changed any bulbs, of which I have a stock, but I am on my 3rd Dimpull. Its soft start is obviously good for bulb life, just a shame its own design isn't better.

Chris

[alan_m]

And how does this work when taking a bath or a shower in a cubicle or with a shower curtain? I've worked in buildings with occupancy sensors for lights (and heating) and working with a few others into the evening just sitting in front of computers all the lights would go off until someone got up and waved their arms around like some demented fool.

Why would anyone need a dimmer in a bathroom?

[Chris B]

You only ever indulge in rapid invigorating showers then, no time for a long relaxing bath in lowered light levels? Why do you think candles are favoured by some in bathrooms?

[Mike Clarke]

Unless it's a very large bathroom better get yourself a pair of very dark sunglasses at the same time. That 24W LED gives out 2050 lumens, equivalent to nearly two 100W tungsten bulbs.

[Adrian Caspersz]

What he said :)

I've got the earlier CPC no-longer-stocked 1500lm 24W "white" version of that,

makes a good bright light for a 4m x 4m work room with white walls. I'd imagine in a small bathroom even that would be blinding.

[Jack Harry Teesdale]

I would not use a light fitting with the bayonet socket hanging from a rose in a bathroom. It is preferable to use an enclosed or recessed fitting but at the very least a ceiling rose with HO skirt as a minimum.

[Jonathan]

On the wall outside the bathroom so it doesn't make that terible noise at night with the pull switches,

Jonathan

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

In room on pull cord (if it's in a zone that requires it)

In our small shower room I put a normal switch on the outside next to the door and after many frustrating years ended up putting a PIR detector in the room as no-one would ever turn the light off when they came out so lights were often left on all day whereas a pull-cord is hard to avoid on the way out.

[Adam Funk]

Dilbert cartoon:

[ARW]

Are you talking about these

when you said bayonet socket hanging from a rose?

[Robin]

?

[ARW]

The lightning should always be inverse to the number of people in the bath.

[Jack Harry Teesdale]

That is the correct item for a bathroom.

That is not suitable for fitting in a bathroom.

[George Miles]

at the moment i have a hanging 6 inch rose which is unsuitable.

Someone said 24 watt 1500 lumen is too bright - well if its dimmable we can have it low for relaxing baths, and bright for cleaning, shaving etc, putting the dimmer outside of the room

not sure why jonathan says: "terible noise at night with the pull switches," (its just a little click ! )

with this dimmer: VARILIGHT V-PRO 1-GANG 2-WAY LED DIMMER SWITCH WHITE

> >> > >>

[#Paul]

Interesting deity you have there.

#Paul