Heated Towel Rail Wiring

[Thomas]

Hello

We have a bathroom towel rail in the central heating circuit which has a supplementary 300w heating element which we use for short periods in the summer months. The electrical element is activated via a floor level fused switch located outside the bathroom and is frequently left on longer than intended.

I was going to replace the existing switch with an electronic timer switch so that the rail could be set to come on an off automatically. The switch I have is rated up to 400w but only switches the live. I notice that the existing switch is double pole, is this strictly necessary in this context and if so, can anyone recommend a suitable timer switch which could be used as a straight replacement?

Thanks for any advice. Thomas

[harry]

There has to be a "local isolator" ie both poles switched. But nothing stopping you putting in your timer "downstream" of and additional to the existing isolator/switch.

[harry]

BTW, your timer will have to be outside the bathroom, ie next to the existing switch.

[Dave Liquorice]

Rather than a simple hour of day based(?) time switch have you looked at the various towel rail switches you can get. These are generally a "push for on" with variable duration on period up to a couple of hours.

Unless you are very much creatures of habit a time of day time switch won't have the rail on at the right time and will have to have a manual overide for the even rare occasions you are off schedule anyway. A manual overide will get left on, just like the current manual switch...

The towel rail "boost" switches might be double pole as well. They ought to be but ...

[Thomas]

There has to be a "local isolator" ie both poles switched. But nothing stopping you putting in your timer "downstream" of and additional to the existing isolator/switch.

Thanks Harry.

[Thomas]

I was looking for something like that in B&Q, but the nearest I could find was a light switch which had a maximum duration of 10 mins. Our 300w water filled towel-rail wouldn't even reach operating temperature in 10 mins - needs a good 30 mins to do anything useful. Could you or anyone else, point me to a suitable device available on-line?

Thanks a lot.

Thomas

[Dave Liquorice]

You won't find 'em in the sheds...

Horstmann Electrisaver

Tesla TCP200 (might be too "complicated" and still be prone to being left on)

A year or so back there were several variations on the Horstmann about but I don't sem able to google 'em now. Most now seem to be power controllers that revert to thermostatic control after the full power boost period rather than off.

[charles]

TLC

have suitable switches, which run 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 2 hours. Rated at 3kW.

[A.Lee]

Care to cite where you got that idea came from?

[ARW]

No it does not.

[Windmill]

I have a timer whose installation & use leaflet claims that the requirement for an isolator which has both poles switched will be met by the switch on the main fusebox.

[A.Lee]

You are right. Unless the instructions specifically say there must be a local isolator, then there is no need for one.

[harry]

All permanently connected equipment needs a local isolator so it can be isolated to work on safely. Isolation means both poles. A time switch is not an isolator, even if double pole.

[A.Lee]

Care to point out where in the Wiring Regs where that requirement is? You'll be looking all day, as it wont be in there, as there is no such requirement for 'local' isolation.

[Thomas]

I must admit that I'm struggling to see the safety benefits of a double pole switch in this context. The only "working on" that would apply to the heating element would be a straightforward replacement which would in anycase involve opening up the double pole switch and disconnecting the wiring. It's hard to see the benefit of any switch in circumstances where you're working directly on the live feed to it.

Thanks Thomas

[harry]

It has been a requirement for the last sixty years to my knowledge.

on%20Procedures.pdf About half way down. Dolt.

[A.Lee]

ation%20Procedures.pdf

I ask again, would you care to point out where such a requirement is in the Wiring regs? Your link is not to any wiring regs , but a private Company saying how they think it should be done.

I repeat again, there is no requirement for local isolation, unless the manufacturer calls for it.

[charles]

indeed so. 132-10 states: Disconnecting devices shall be provided ... as required.... .

[ARW]

That is proof that Alan is correct.

[PAJ]

I was also recently looking for such a thing and found these: