Would a water closet, (ie,. basin and pan/cistern), area be classed as a 'wet area?'

This is getting silly!


You go into the loo/lavatory/toilet/dunny/khazi with dry hands, so why would handling an ordinary switch be a problem? You do your business and wash and dry your hands (hopefully!), so why is there a problem? ?

The room does not contain a bath or a shower, so it does not need a RCD on circuits supplying it because it is not a special location.


However if the cable to the switch is concealed within the wall it will need an RCD and as an addition to a lighting circuit it needs a RCD.


Running the switch drop cable on the surface of the wall, within mini trunking on the surface of the wall or installing  a ceiling pull cord switch would resolve the first issue of a cable concealed within the wall, as all domestic lighting circuits now require RCD protection regardless of whether it has cables concealed in walls or not.


Resolving the issue of the addition to a lighting circuit is more problematic, you could just ignore the requirement.


Given that it is a bungalow the suggestion from Broadgage to install a ceiling pull cord switch tickets the most boxes and is the easiest installation method assuming you are replacing a wall switch that is outside of the room in the hallway.


Andy Betteridge

All domestic Luminaires need RCD protection now, so if you are modifying the circuit by adding a switch to it, I think you should be adding RCD protection too. And, as Andy says above, cables in walls need RCD protection too.


An easy way out is a wireless switch. I've got one in my toilet, it had a pull switch, I hated it, so I put a surface mount wireless switch on the wall, and a receiver in the ceiling, cost about £35.  Quintec (sp?) have a decent range.

Oh wow! I thought I'd be shot down, for such a simple question, as this!


Anyways, thanks for the replies!!


Yes, I was thinking about being outside Zone 2... I think I'll change where I was going to fix her new towel ring so it's between the new switch and the basin... good idea!! 


The switch was on the other side of the WC but as I'm rehanging the door, to the opposite way, I'm having to change the light switch too.


I thought about getting my son to fix a new RCD, (I really do not like them as they can cause a lot of tripping), on the tails'... and he can give her an NIC EIC cert for this... I know he's busy and even though I have the qualifications to do this I am not a member of a part P scheme. 


Yes, haha... always love watching JW's youtube video's!


I guess I could fit a wireless switch, good idea actually... but I'll check with my son and see if he can fit an RCD.


Well, thanks for the great replies so... carry on sparking chaps, (and chap-pesses). 


regards...


Tom

There are no zones in a W.C.

Yes Tomm there are no zones in a WC area as there are in bathrooms etc. Just zones of protection same as elsewhere. Of course you`d give due regard to splashing etc just like you would near a kitchen sink and you`d consider all other situations that you should apply anywhere else anyway.


Nothing specific about a WC or lavatory hand basin - despite the fact that many years ago someone decided to create a zone around a hand basin on his or her drawing and amazingly lots of others followed suit - It became folklore a.k.a "A well known fact" (Does that infer that if a lot a people belive something then it therefore magically bacomes true?) ?

I have a wall plate switch situated just above my kitchen sink. The light switch never gets splashed with water, how could it? Any water stays in the sink. I did not install it, it was here when I moved in. It is about 16 inches above the sink. Not desirable, but not deadly either in my opinion. Sometimes, just for devilment, I use it with damp fingers. The electrons stay trapped inside the switch fortunately.


Z.

Aren't we forgetting the reason for the "special location" regulations?


They are not for occasions when someone might operate a switch - or, heaven forbid, pull out a plug - with wet hands.

They are for when people might be stood on the ground (where else?) and receive a shock while having wet naked bodies and feet.



Edit - or while in the bath, of course.

Many special locations, like a bathroom or shower room are becoming safer as modern materials are used. Years ago with lots of accessible metal water pipes and plumbing items, back boilers, Ascot water heaters and metal baths, things were more risky. These days in many modern bathrooms the floor is of an electrically insulating type, either wooden upstairs or even if downstairs is covered with modern vinyl covering. Baths and shower trays are likely to be made of glass fibre. Water pipes supplying taps are likely to be made of plastic. Electric showers are enclosed in insulating plastics. So shock risks are greatly reduced. Even if sitting in a bath we probably are insulated from true earth to a great degree. But in any event, gawd bless the R.C.D.


Z.