Shaver socket in bathroom

Tom Joad

I have a shaving socket with light in both bathrooms in my house which I turned on the light about twice on each in the 7 years have lived in the house but never used socket. Treated myself to a new electric toothbrush yesterday and plugged it into the shaving socket to charge - not a flicker from either shaving socket. Eventually after much cursing at the bloody thing I realised that it only worked with the light on - is this normal?? I would have thought that the socket should work independtly of the light but have never used one before. I can just get an adaptor and use a normal plug I suppose.

gerryo

Tom Joad wrote: »

..Eventually after much cursing at the bloody thing I realised that it only worked with the light on - is this normal??

I don't think this is normal, certainly with the ones I've used, you can utilise the sockets independently of the light. What if you wanted to charge the toothbrush (takes 12 hours sometimes), are you supposed to leave the light on overnight :rolleyes:

I have disassembled a few of these & the sockets were always powered separately from the light. Usually, there is a switch built into the shaver socket that activates power to the shaver transformer when you put the 2 pin plug into the socket.

Is there a chance the person who installed the lights did this deliberately for safety reasons? Sounds like the transformer is wired up to the light switch rather than directly to the input. Do both of your lights work the same way?

Note, I am assuming there is a transformer, most separate shaver sockets & shaver socket/light combinations have one for safety reasons.

Is it a really old shaver light?

Alun

That's funny, all the ones I've ever come across, including the two in my house at the moment (approx. 8-9 years old, bought in B&Q IIRC) work the way the OP describes, i.e. the shaver socket is only live when the light is on.

dazed+confused

Shaving lights are some of the worst pieces of electrical gear you can buy. They all meet regulations yet 90% of them fall apart or stop working after 3 years.

jjf1974

I had the the same problem with one a neighbour bought in homebase,i moved the cable going to the socket from the switch and connected it to the supply and it worked fine.It was the only shaver light i seen that worked like that

gerryo

dazed+confused wrote: »

Shaving lights are some of the worst pieces of electrical gear you can buy. They all meet regulations yet 90% of them fall apart or stop working after 3 years.

Very true, the safety switches on the bulbs are really flimsy & often fail open circuit. Usually caused by poor quality plastics that break or warp with time/heat.

Tom Joad

gerryo wrote: »

I don't think this is normal, certainly with the ones I've used, you can utilise the sockets independently of the light. What if you wanted to charge the toothbrush (takes 12 hours sometimes), are you supposed to leave the light on overnight :rolleyes:

Exactly my issue - sounds daft and dangerous - I tried it the light really heats up plus is a waste of electricity!

I have disassembled a few of these & the sockets were always powered separately from the light. Usually, there is a switch built into the shaver socket that activates power to the shaver transformer when you put the 2 pin plug into the socket.

Is there a chance the person who installed the lights did this deliberately for safety reasons? Sounds like the transformer is wired up to the light switch rather than directly to the input. Do both of your lights work the same way?

Yes both work in exactly the same way

Note, I am assuming there is a transformer, most separate shaver sockets & shaver socket/light combinations have one for safety reasons.

No idea here - electrics are not my thing

Is it a really old shaver light?

Shouldn't be - house is built 7 years

Thanks for response

johnwest288

Ill check that on mine when i get home let you know.

Also I noticed on my Shaver Socket Light even when its off. It appears to stay warm on one side of the unit at the top. Not hot but just warm like the warmth you would get off a 110 Volt transformer left on overnight it also warms the wall above it. I assume thats normal or is this wired wrong?
Has a 110/220 Volt switch so i assume its the transformer?
Yes they are made quite flimsy ill admit! Got mine in argos

gerryo

johnwest288 wrote: »

..It appears to stay warm on one side of the unit at the top. Not hot but just warm like the warmth you would get off a 110 Volt transformer left on overnight it also warms the wall above it. I assume thats normal or is this wired wrong?..

Sounds like the transformer is connected directly to the mains.
I would have thought all units should have some sort of switch to isolate the transformer when not in use.
It's wasting power 24/7, OK, not much, but if it warms the wall that's hard to ignore.
Maybe there is a fault in the unit?

johnwest288

gerryo wrote: »

Sounds like the transformer is connected directly to the mains.
I would have thought all units should have some sort of switch to isolate the transformer when not in use.
It's wasting power 24/7, OK, not much, but if it warms the wall that's hard to ignore.
Maybe there is a fault in the unit?

Ill double check as i have another of these in the other bathroom.
Also Checked that Light query my shaver works off the socket while the light is off and while its on. Also i tried my shaver on the 110 V and 220 V settings and it works exactly the same lol Weird. Ill Check the heat off the other unit i have gerry

johnwest288

johnwest288 wrote: »

Ill double check as i have another of these in the other bathroom.
Also Checked that Light query my shaver works off the socket while the light is off and while its on. Also i tried my shaver on the 110 V and 220 V settings and it works exactly the same lol Weird. Ill Check the heat off the other unit i have gerry

Checked this out yeah both them have a constant warmth coming from them even when off 24-7.
Must be just the way they are

gerryo

Modern shavers work off 110/220V & you won't noticed the difference.
I've seen older electric toothbrush chargers that only worked of 220V, they are getting rare now also.

Transformers are pretty efficient,maybe 97% or so for small ones, gets better the bigger they are, expect a small amount of heat if they are permanently powered.

I guess a small amount of heat is OK, probablybe no more than a few cents/year when not in use.
I find the buzzing/humming the most annoying bit, if you don't have that problem then I suppose you can leave it.