Installation of Tumble Dryer and or Washing machine in bathroom

[petercharlesfagg]

My wife and I are moving into a small bungalow from a 3 bedroomed house and we must accomodate items that had their own places in the utility room to possibly the bathroom. Mainly because the kitchen is too small and the plumbing is in place in the bathroom for all the usual items.

Can someone with the relevant knowledge point me in the direction of the correct IEE Regulation regarding the subject line? I used Google to search for the relevant listings but for the lay person it is very confusing!

I have a strong suspicion that is both not permitted and illegal but would appreciate clarification on the subject.

Regards Peter Charles Fagg

[Nick]

You would have to install power sockets in the bathroom or have extension leads. To be sure you electrocuted yourself, the floor should also be wet and you standing in puddles of water with bare feet, possibly with extension leads sitting in the same puddle

I think the quick answer would have to be a big "NO" - bathrooms are for bathing and no electrics of the type needed are permitted for obvious good reason - lights have pull switches and shaver sockets have isolating transformers within, and I can't imagine anyone would be willing to undertake the work for fear of imprisonment

(outside shed ?)

Nick

[Martin Pentreath]

When I first moved to my present house the washing machine was in the bathroom. It seemed strange at first, but in fact it made perfect sense - it's where you often take your clothes off, and it's closer than the kitchen to the bedrooms where you store your clothes (in a house at least).

Anyway, to get around the regs (whether successfully or not I don't know) the machine (which was right next to the door) was plugged into a socket located just outside the door. There was a healthy gap under the door so that you could close it even if the flex was there.

Whether this was regs compliant I don't know. For the short time the machine was there I didn't really care very much either. When I've visited friends in other western countries and seen washing machines in tiny bathrooms with sockets next to basins and lights wired in what appears to be bellwire I've realised that our own regulations err very much on the side of caution.

[Lobster]

No you can do it, subject to various requirements. Here's the official line on the subject:

[meow2222]

I though including the appliance case in the equi bonding was what was required, plus socket to be only accessible with a tool. Have things changed, or have I got my zones wrong?

NT

[Lobster]

Don't know about the bonding, but surely it's a given that you can't have a socket in the bathroom full stop, ie you'd need (eg) an FCU, wouldn't you - which by definition needs a tool to access it.

David

[Norman Billingham]

There's certainly a cultural element in it all. When we first stayed with friends in Italy we were horrified to find the washing machine in the bathroom, plugged into a normal wall socket. When they visited us they were horrified to find ours in the kitchen - for them, washing clothes in the same room as you cook was most unhygienic.

However, I suspect others are right - would probably be very difficult to get an installation in a bathroom to meet all current safety rules, which are indeed very conservative.

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 08:43:29 GMT someone who may be Lobster wrote this:-

With a few exceptions.

A switched FCU would need to be out of the reach of someone using a bath or shower (in old money, in new money outside Zones 0, 1 or 2 which amounts to much the same thing).

In a large enough bathroom there would be no great problem installing both appliances and complying with the regulations. As someone has said it is largely a cultural thing.

[fred]

The o/p can claim pre-compliance with 17 edition regs :-), Andy Wade's heads up post of the proposed changes suggests RCD protected sockets in the bathroom outside zones 0-2 will be allowed so 600mm from bath or shower will be ok.

[meow2222]

Sockets fed from isolation transformers are common - right over the sink too.

NT

[petercharlesfagg]

Please accept my apologies for not posting a reply sooner on this thread.

Thankyou to all who responded, it IS appreciated despite the time I have taken to return.

Regards Peter.