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Default Wetroom Electrics Sanity Check Please!

Hello All

I plan to do the following in my new wetroom regarding the electrics
and need a sanity check!

I have spurred off the ring main with a 30 AMP junction box which is
under wooden floor boards which will remain accessible. This junction
box is outside the wetroom.

I have one spur running to a 13AMP switched FCU which is located on the
wall outside the wetroom using ring main cable (2.5mm) This will then
be wired into a thermostat which will control warmup UFH. The TSTAT is
also situated outside of the wetroom above the FCU by approx 1.5
metres. The UFH will pull 1KW.

The other spur will be running to a switched FCU timer which will
control my dual energy towel radiator also using ring main cable.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W1EA22D85

The towel rad will pull 300W. This again is sited outside the wetroom
next to the FCU for the UFH. From the timer I plan to run another
length of ring main cable to a 20amp flex outlet wall plate. The
heating element for the towel rad will be wired to this.

Is it safe to have a flex outlet plate in the wetroom, just a standard
one? or can you purchase IP65 rated flex outlet plates. If the standard
is OK, how comes, is it becuase you wont actually be attempting to
touch it with your mits??

I see the heating element has IP64 stamped on it where it screws into
the radiator.

Any help and comments appreciated TIA

Cheers

Richard

PS No mention of Part P please.

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wrote:
Hello All

I plan to do the following in my new wetroom regarding the electrics
and need a sanity check!

I have spurred off the ring main with a 30 AMP junction box which is
under wooden floor boards which will remain accessible. This junction
box is outside the wetroom.

I have one spur running to a 13AMP switched FCU which is located on the
wall outside the wetroom using ring main cable (2.5mm) This will then
be wired into a thermostat which will control warmup UFH. The TSTAT is
also situated outside of the wetroom above the FCU by approx 1.5
metres. The UFH will pull 1KW.

The other spur will be running to a switched FCU timer which will
control my dual energy towel radiator also using ring main cable.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W1EA22D85

The towel rad will pull 300W. This again is sited outside the wetroom
next to the FCU for the UFH. From the timer I plan to run another
length of ring main cable to a 20amp flex outlet wall plate. The
heating element for the towel rad will be wired to this.

Is it safe to have a flex outlet plate in the wetroom, just a standard
one? or can you purchase IP65 rated flex outlet plates. If the standard
is OK, how comes, is it becuase you wont actually be attempting to
touch it with your mits??

I see the heating element has IP64 stamped on it where it screws into
the radiator.

Any help and comments appreciated TIA

Cheers

Richard

PS No mention of Part P please.


Forgot to mention the fact that the ring main the spurs are coming from
is an upstairs ring main very lightly loaded!!!!

Cheers

Richard

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BigWallop
 
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wrote in message
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wrote:
Hello All

I plan to do the following in my new wetroom regarding the electrics
and need a sanity check!

I have spurred off the ring main with a 30 AMP junction box which is
under wooden floor boards which will remain accessible. This junction
box is outside the wetroom.

I have one spur running to a 13AMP switched FCU which is located on the
wall outside the wetroom using ring main cable (2.5mm) This will then
be wired into a thermostat which will control warmup UFH. The TSTAT is
also situated outside of the wetroom above the FCU by approx 1.5
metres. The UFH will pull 1KW.

The other spur will be running to a switched FCU timer which will
control my dual energy towel radiator also using ring main cable.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W1EA22D85

The towel rad will pull 300W. This again is sited outside the wetroom
next to the FCU for the UFH. From the timer I plan to run another
length of ring main cable to a 20amp flex outlet wall plate. The
heating element for the towel rad will be wired to this.

Is it safe to have a flex outlet plate in the wetroom, just a standard
one? or can you purchase IP65 rated flex outlet plates. If the standard
is OK, how comes, is it becuase you wont actually be attempting to
touch it with your mits??

I see the heating element has IP64 stamped on it where it screws into
the radiator.

Any help and comments appreciated TIA

Cheers

Richard

PS No mention of Part P please.


Forgot to mention the fact that the ring main the spurs are coming from
is an upstairs ring main very lightly loaded!!!!

Cheers

Richard


My personal choice on this would be a separate RCD protected supply to the
radial wiring that enters the wet room. It's because of the wet room
situation, and the fact you have electric UFH and drying elements in close
proximity to your, most likely, bare extremities.

I would supply a stand alone RCD unit with T&E cable of 4 mm csa' from a 15
or 20 Amps MCB in the main consumer unit. I'd then take radial wiring in
T&E 2.5 mm csa' from the RCD unit to the appliances as you say above.

I personally feel safer knowing that if a fault does occur, say in some
inaccessible point, then the RCD would make sure that the supply is tripped
off without putting anyone in danger while being wet in the wet room.

This also separates the new heating circuit you install in the wet room from
the rest of the house, and it saves time in having to check which part of
the ring circuit is actually causing the fault.

I would also make sure that all metal parts in the wet room are double earth
bonded with at least a 4 mm csa' conductor right back to the earth bar on
the main consumer unit.

As for the flex outlet plates. Yes it can be used in this type of
situation, but make sure you smear some sealant around the joint between it
and the wall to stop water droplets from getting in behind it. In an
installation such as this, I personally use plain blanking plates with a
knock out on one edge. This is so a I can place the knock out pointing
downward which then allows the flex to hang so moisture can't run back up it
and into the gubbins inside. Finished with some sealant around the gap
between wall and plate and it usually lasts for many years without causing
problems.

This is all my own personal choice for this type of installation and in no
way does it have to be done like this. But for total safety sake I prefer
using this method on this type of job.

Now all you have do is wait for the boffins to come along and spout all the
regulations and technical details at you. Then you can make a more informed
choice of the method you use on this.

Good luck with it.

BTW, csa' = cross sectional area


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Owain
 
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BigWallop wrote:
As for the flex outlet plates. Yes it can be used in this type of
situation, but make sure you smear some sealant around the joint between it
and the wall to stop water droplets from getting in behind it. In an
installation such as this, I personally use plain blanking plates with a
knock out on one edge. This is so a I can place the knock out pointing
downward which then allows the flex to hang so moisture can't run back up it
and into the gubbins inside. Finished with some sealant around the gap
between wall and plate and it usually lasts for many years without causing
problems.


Many flex outlet plates have downward facing flex outlets.

Using your blanking plate, how do you provide a cord grip?

Owain

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BigWallop wrote:

My personal choice on this would be a separate RCD protected supply to the
radial wiring that enters the wet room. It's because of the wet room
situation, and the fact you have electric UFH and drying elements in close
proximity to your, most likely, bare extremities.

I would supply a stand alone RCD unit with T&E cable of 4 mm csa' from a 15
or 20 Amps MCB in the main consumer unit. I'd then take radial wiring in
T&E 2.5 mm csa' from the RCD unit to the appliances as you say above.

I personally feel safer knowing that if a fault does occur, say in some
inaccessible point, then the RCD would make sure that the supply is tripped
off without putting anyone in danger while being wet in the wet room.


Theyre not perfect, but they generally will. I'd sooner put towel rail
and ufh on the CH myself. You wont need them in summer after all. And
run cost will be much lower.


This also separates the new heating circuit you install in the wet room from
the rest of the house, and it saves time in having to check which part of
the ring circuit is actually causing the fault.

I would also make sure that all metal parts in the wet room are double earth
bonded with at least a 4 mm csa' conductor right back to the earth bar on
the main consumer unit.


they should normally be equipotential bonded rather than earth bonded.
Double bonding would only be needed if your house suffered antisafety
vandals. Bear in mind everything is bonded once or twice already
anyway, always by CPC and often by copper piping as well. Plus you have
mcb and RCD protection.


As for the flex outlet plates. Yes it can be used in this type of
situation, but make sure you smear some sealant around the joint between it
and the wall to stop water droplets from getting in behind it. In an
installation such as this, I personally use plain blanking plates with a
knock out on one edge. This is so a I can place the knock out pointing
downward which then allows the flex to hang so moisture can't run back up it
and into the gubbins inside. Finished with some sealant around the gap
between wall and plate and it usually lasts for many years without causing
problems.


I'm a bit more hesitant about that. I would use properly rated kit. Any
gap at all and youve got hot 100% RH air wandering into a colder
pattress, its a recipe for condensation on the electrical connections.
You can silicone the wall junction, but theres the cable outlet as
well.


NT



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BigWallop
 
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"Owain" wrote in message
...
BigWallop wrote:
As for the flex outlet plates. Yes it can be used in this type of
situation, but make sure you smear some sealant around the joint between

it
and the wall to stop water droplets from getting in behind it. In an
installation such as this, I personally use plain blanking plates with a
knock out on one edge. This is so a I can place the knock out pointing
downward which then allows the flex to hang so moisture can't run back

up it
and into the gubbins inside. Finished with some sealant around the gap
between wall and plate and it usually lasts for many years without

causing
problems.


Many flex outlet plates have downward facing flex outlets.

Using your blanking plate, how do you provide a cord grip?

Owain

I provide a cord grip with the many flex outlet plates with edge knock outs
that already have them. If I have to use a completely blank plate that I
have cut a flex outlet point on myself, then I use a cable tie to fix to the
back box and secure the flex in place.

But I do prefer to use flex outlet plates that have edge knock outs, rather
the ones with the flex outlet in the middle of plate. This is especially so
in an area that contains high moisture content in the air.


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Thanks all. So my plan is OK but not ideal, I didn't see any major
objections. The problem I have is that I cannot get to the CU without
ripping up loads of floor boards and drilling holes in joists, the
radial option too would of been my ideal setup.
Now onto the bonding bit, what is it exactly I will need to do? What's
equipotential bonding as opposed to double bonding? looking in my other
bathroom I dont see any earthing at all on the copper. Do I need to
earth my towel rail, or the pipes going to it? I guess if there is an
earth somewhere on the copper this will be OK??

Thanks for your help as usual

Cheers

Richard

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