Regs re electrics in the bathroom? Requirements for a socket?

[Mike Barnard]

Hi.

Decided to finish my tiling and do the last wall in the bathroom. At last! :) However, there's an old power supply thats no longer in use high up on that wall. It used to supply an electric heater back in the 60's when the place was built and consists of a single size socket recess with a metal box, a single twin and earth cable (still live) coming in from the bottom of the wall and a fused, switched, permanently wired faceplate. I'm sure you recognise the setup.

To remove it means removing the cable, which is buried in the wall under a flat plastic cover under the plaster. I really don't want to dig the wall out and ideally, if it's allowed in the regs, I'd like to put a socket up so I could put a cheap mini hifi system of some sort on a high shelf.

It's obvious even without reading the regs that I can't (legally) put a standard three pin single socket up there. What, if anything, CAN I put there to supply a music machine? (I know the damp atmosphere will take it's toll on the system, but the S.O. has to have her music when having her hour long soaks! :) We'll be using an el cheapo system, maybe 2nd hand. Disposable, in that sense.)

So, anyone point me to the technical name for the correct socket I need? Many thanks.

[:::Jerry::::]

AIUI for something that isn't fix up on the wall beyond reach and / or that is operated by pull-cord, a shaver point with a 1:1 isolating transformer.

Might be cheaper and safer to but her a battery operated hifi and some rechargeable batteries.....

[Owain]

"Mike Barnard" wrote | To remove it means removing the cable, which is buried in the wall | under a flat plastic cover under the plaster. I really don't want to | dig the wall out

You could cut and make safe (junction box) the cable above the ceiling, then just tile over the remains in the bathroom wall.

Alternatively, leave it in situ. Someone in the future might want a heater there.

| and ideally, if it's allowed in the regs, I'd like to put a socket | up so I could put a cheap mini hifi system of some sort on a high | shelf. | It's obvious even without reading the regs that I can't (legally) put | a standard three pin single socket up there. What, if anything, CAN I | put there to supply a music machine?

Fused connection unit.

| (I know the damp atmosphere will take it's toll on the system,

its. And soapy fingermarks will do the Deutsche Grammophon vinyl no good.

| but the S.O. has to have her music when having her hour long soaks! :)

A radio feed into the bathroom is very useful for keeping track of time in the morning rush too.

| We'll be using an el cheapo system, maybe 2nd hand. Disposable, in | that sense.)

Rather than have mains appliance in the bathroom, why not put the music system elsewhere in the house (main bedroom perhaps) and have an extension speaker(s) in the bathroom. This is what I have done off my bedroom radio with the speaker mounted out of reach of the bath. You can get damp-resistant speakers but I didn't feel the need.

Owain

[Mike Barnard]

Hi.

The cable comes UP, from the ground floor ceiling. I could do the same and cut it off down below, I suppose, but ideally I'd like to use it. IF I safely can.

Means leaving an unused, yellowed old plate. Nah, but thanks anyway. (yes, I could renew it I know.)

Huh?

First hit...

thats whats up there now, just old. I was hoping to find something 'disconnectable' if thats acceptable English. I suppose I'm just going to have to hardwire in whatever we use.

Don't take the michael, I still listen to my vinyl more than these new coffee coasters. :) Just not in the bathroom.

R4 meself.

We have this at the moment, but it means wires going through the wall and through the new tiles, having the hi-fi in our 2 1/2 yo sons room and most importantly, SO can't use the remote on it through the wall! Oh, the ignomy of it. :)

Thanks for your input.

[Mike Barnard]

(Google throws up nothing I understand!) OK, a shaver point type socket with a pull cord, feeding this transformer, right? OK, I'll make enquiries in my local electrical retailers. Thanks for the idea.

Probably, but it's not What_She_Wants. :)

[deckertim]

socket

Here's a good link

understanding is, that providing the hi fi is zone3 (more than .6m from a bath) it can be used. BUT it musn't be plugged in to a socket, but needs to be hard wired into a fused spur. The other rule is that it must be protected by a 30mA rcd, which may be an issue if this connection is on an unprotected main.

Presumeably you are not allowed a socket in the bathroom, to prevent you plugging in a bar heater and resting it on the side of the bath while you have a shower.

[Jim]

You could get creative and wire in a 12 volt power supply outside the bog and put a Car cd/radio in.

[BigWallop]

You could put just a fused flex outlet connection unit in place of the switched fused spur unit. Then hardwire a mains radio into that with no plug on it. BUT, and it's a big BUT, you will have to cover the radio with a box of some kind to keep it from being touched with wet hands.

[Lurch]

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 22:47:31 +0000, Mike Barnard strung together this:

You could bring the wires through the ceiling, or buy some ceiling mounted recessed speakers.

If you extend the speaker cables you could put it anywhere.

You could get a remote control extender, a receiver sits on the wall in the bathroom and sends the IR signal from the remote through a cable to a transmitter located in front of the stereo\radio affair.

The advantage to doing it all this way is that you can have a decent system as it won't be in the bathroom, and if you use the recessed in the ceiling speakers and get a speaker selector switch you could have the supplied speakers in the room that it is located in.

[Andy Dingley]

iPod for Christmas. 8-)

[Lurch]

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 03:17:16 +0000, Andy Dingley strung together this:

Bloody hell, another one sucked in by the hype. They're crap, you can get a decent MP3 player with more storage, better battery life and more broad range of compatible formats for less money.

[:::Jerry::::]

transformer.

No, the shaver point has a built in transformer and an automatic switch, when you plug a shaver into the socket it operates the internal switch in the socket.

OK, I'll

The problem is, the hifi would need a shaver lead / plug.

It's not a case of what she want, unless you really want her to meet with a case of Darwinism...