Installing a shaver socket via bathroom lights?

paddy147

Ive no shaver socket in my bathroom
And Im getting fed up having to wait for hours for my shaver to charge itself up,so I can have a shave.:(

Can I hook up a shaver socket via the bathroom lights cable.

The light switch operates the lights and also the extractor fan in the bathroom ceiling too,so would adding a shaver socket be ok aswell??

Many thanks from "hairy" paddy.:)

sparcocars

paddy147 wrote: »

Ive no shaver socket in my bathroom
And Im getting fed up having to wait for hours for my shaver to charge itself up,so I can have a shave.:(

Can I hook up a shaver socket via the bathroom lights cable.

The light switch operates the lights and also the extractor fan in the bathroom ceiling too,so would adding a shaver socket be ok aswell??

Many thanks from "hairy" paddy.:)

No i'm afraid you can't do that. The extractor is the only thing that can be taken off the lighting circuit. Depending on how old your house is the lights in the bathroom might not be protected by an RCD but even if they were you couldn't go off that circuit for a shaver socket. The shaver socket will have an isolating transformer in it anyway but the chance couldn't be taken. If the existing sockets in you house are wired if radial then you could go off a socket closest to the bathroom by just extending the radial circuit assuming there is not 10 sockets on that particular circuit already. If the sockets are wired in ring then the ring could be extended or a fused spur unit put beside the socket being branched off and then ran to the shaver socket. If the mcb for the socket circuit is a 20 amp its more than likely a radial and if its a 32 amp it should be a ring circuit. A way you can check the way its wired for certain is to first determine how many sockets are on the circuit by tripping the mcb or removing the fuse and testing them, then take off each socket and look how many wires are there, if its a radial then all the sockets will have 2 of each wire except for one, this will just have 1 of each wire, this is the end of the circuit. If they all have 2 then its a ring circuit.

M cebee

yes you can wire a shaver socket from a lighting circuit

all circuits in bathroom zones except SELV require rcd

paddy147

Forgot to say.......the house was completely stripped out and rewired by the electrician 6 months ago.Brand new fuseboard too.

Forgot about a shaver socket in the bathroom (my fault).:(

The bathroom and ensuite are on a trip switch at the fuseboard,as I had both bathroom and ensuite knocked off when changing the downlight bulbs to LEDs recently.

When I turn the lights (3 downlighters) on in the bathroom,the extractor come on too,so that is wired in with the lights.

Can a shaver socket be wired off the bathroom lights too?

Can I tee off the light cable in the attic space above with a connector/junction box and then drop a cable down for the shaver socket?


Thanks.

Bruthal

sparcocars wrote: »

No i'm afraid you can't do that. The extractor is the only thing that can be taken off the lighting circuit. Depending on how old your house is the lights in the bathroom might not be protected by an RCD but even if they were you couldn't go off that circuit for a shaver socket. The shaver socket will have an isolating transformer in it anyway but the chance couldn't be taken. If the existing sockets in you house are wired if radial then you could go off a socket closest to the bathroom by just extending the radial circuit assuming there is not 10 sockets on that particular circuit already. If the sockets are wired in ring then the ring could be extended or a fused spur unit put beside the socket being branched off and then ran to the shaver socket. If the mcb for the socket circuit is a 20 amp its more than likely a radial and if its a 32 amp it should be a ring circuit. A way you can check the way its wired for certain is to first determine how many sockets are on the circuit by tripping the mcb or removing the fuse and testing them, then take off each socket and look how many wires are there, if its a radial then all the sockets will have 2 of each wire except for one, this will just have 1 of each wire, this is the end of the circuit. If they all have 2 then its a ring circuit.

It would be easier to wire the shaver socket back to the board than do all that.

cast_iron

There may not be a permanent live in the attic, depending on how it was wired. But if there is, you can use it.

Are the bathroom lights are on the RCD? As M cebee says...it should be.

Bruthal

Has anyone in ireland ever been electrocuted by a bathroom shaving socket or light i wonder.

Buford T Justice

You can wire it to the switched live, but that could be a pain in the arse, as you would only be able to charge your toothbrush / shaver when the bathroom light is on.

You should also have a permanent live supplying the lighting circuit in the bathroom, and you can tap into that with a junction box and use it for the shaver socket.

M cebee

doesn't look like your lights have rcd-they may be selv or outside zones

-can't say from here

so sparcocars is correct imo -you may not comply with the rules requiring rcd in the zones if you branch off here

ntpm

If you get a combined shaver light with transformer/power outlet this can be wired via the lighting circuit.....
Just means it is operated via the bathroom light switch.#

I actually prefere wiring cabinet/mirror lights/ shaver lights (even if they have their on pull cord as well) this way as the customer can switch off everything from outside the bathroom door....

indie armada

on a similar topic, i wired up a shaverlight with built in traffo a while ago for my neighbour. i traced the cable(t&e) back to the consumer unit where it was wired into the same 10 amp mcb as the upstairs lights, it has a pull cord so switching is ok but should it be on a 10 amp rcbo or is it ok on the lighting circut.

M cebee

indie armada wrote: »

on a similar topic, i wired up a shaverlight with built in traffo a while ago for my neighbour. i traced the cable(t&e) back to the consumer unit where it was wired into the same 10 amp mcb as the upstairs lights, it has a pull cord so switching is ok but should it be on a 10 amp rcbo or is it ok on the lighting circut.

lighting in bathroom zones-independent rcd/rcbo

all circuits(except selv) in bathroom zones-30ma protection

(standby lighting or luminaire outside zones-not required for domestic bathrooms)

those are the rules

Dg_

The best thing to do is get your mate back that re-wired the house for you, he'll know the easiest way to do and it will be safer for all, there can be some crazy replys on here when it comes to electrics.