Hello,
I’m looking for verification of my interpretation of the regs regarding bathroom zones, hopefully a simple yes or no.
Background:
I am continuing with a personal project / self-learning on the regs for a domestic refit in a non-UK country. It is my preference to apply the BS 7671 regs (as there are no clear locally available regulations) to the redesign of the apartment - More info in this link). I am currently reviewing the designers drawings.
Interpretation 1
The zones DO NOT extend beyond the bathroom door.
I.e. the 3 metre limit which prohibits socket-outlet installation from the boundary of Zone 1 (701.512.3), does not apply outside of the bathroom. This is covered in 701.32.1: "…doors, floors and fixed partitions may be taken into account where these effectively limit the extent of locations containing a bath or shower as well as their zones." E.g. If there was a socket outlet immediately outside of the bathroom door, someone could plug in a hairdryer and use it inside the bathroom (less than 3 m from the bath) but the placement of the socket outlet outside of the bathroom door does not violate the regs. Currently the designer has put a 230 V socket at the sink (within the 3 m zone) which I will delete:
If the 3 metre boundary extended beyond the bathroom, then the placement of socket-outlets becomes tricky. Also the extension of Zone 2 outside of the bathroom would mean moving the light switch further away. Therefore this would be an incorrect interpretation:
The correct interpretation is:
Interpretation 2
701.32.1: "…Where the dimensions of fixed partitions are smaller than the dimensions of the relevant zones, e.g. partitions having a height lower than 2.25 m, the minimum distance in the horizontal and vertical directions shall be taken into account”. Therefore, in the 3D rendered example below, the 0.6 m radius of Zone 2 applies at the top of the glass partition. This would mean that the left light above the sink needs to be a minimum of IPX4 with no switch on it.
If the second half of the glass partition is hinged, the zones apply as per use of the bath / shower i.e. with the partition aligned with the edge of the bath:
