CU and other things in a shower room

[ProDave]

Went to look at a job, fitting some outside lights.

Went inside to look at the CU. It's in what they call the "utility room" a longish thin room. the CU is at the far end of the room in a cupboard with wooden doors. There's some sockets and a washing machine as well, and a light switch on the wall inside the door, and a flourescent strip light.

BUT. half way along the room, is a shower. It's a thermostatic mixer shower, not electric, and the floor has been done as a wet room, so flush throughout with a drain in the floor.

So you walk through the shower and out the other end to get to the washing machine and CU.

There's no shower enclosure. Apparently they fitted this shower to wash their dog, and it's never used by humans for showering (though I'll bet you get pretty wet showering the dog)

So what would you do:

Just do the outside lights and pretend you didn't notice the shower?

Or tell them all the things wrong with the lights, and sockets etc in the shower room?

What if they refuse to alter anything? would you still connect the outside lights? or walk away advising them things are wrong?

 

[Andy™]

a shower is a shower as far as 7671 is concerned

how far away is the shower anyway from the CU?

dont forget 2.25m above floor is out the zones, so lights may be OK

i would probably point out the problems and get on with the other job.

do you believe that they dont use the shower themselves? (should be obvious by whats in the room)

 

[NozSpark]

+1

although I dont see the relevance as to if "humans" use the shower,,,, it's a room with a shower...end of!

 

[ProDave]

The room is the divided off end of an ex integral garage, so no more than 4 metres long.

With a shower in the middle, it's no more than 2 metres to the CU, and washing machine.

The CU is inside a nicely made wooden cupboard recessed into the wall. I think what happened here is the CU was on the single skin garage wall before it was converted into habitable space, so they dry lined the wall framing it in studding and plasterboarding it, leaving the CU still on the outside skin of blockwork, now contained in a flush cupboard with a wooden door.

No official IP rating of course, but I doubt in practice if the CU ever gets wet from the shower.

He's not asking me to do any work in the shower room, I'm just seeking opinion whether to do the outside lights then advise what's wrong with the shower room, probably safe in the knowledge he will just ignore the advice.

 

[Bacon]

As Andy has said do the job and just make a note on any certs you give them with regards to the shower location and distance from CU and any other electrical items that may get a soacking from the dog when it drys it's self .

 

[Evans Electric]

Do the outside lights and advise them about the regs for rooms containing a shower , thats your duty of care , the rest is up to them , they are responsible for having things done correctly in their house , not you .

If you walk away you've lost a job .

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What if an MCB trips and the dog decides to reset it while soaking wet ? Doesn't cover that senario in the regs .

 

[ProDave]

I did the light job today.

I had a closer look at the shower room (my, how first impressions were wrong)

The room is longer than I though, about 5 metres.

The shower is almost right at the entrance to the room. The light switch is already a pull cord switch. It's 3.5 metres from the shower to the CU cupboard and the washing machine sockets (which are RCD protected)

So not that much wrong really.

I advised the customer to replace the current light fitting (4 open GU10's) with a bathroom rated light fitting, and to fit a shower curtain between the shower area and the washing machine.

I'm pretty sure it is used just for washing the dog. The thermostatic mixer valve is only 2 feet off the floor.

 

[SteveT]

I'm pretty sure it is used just for washing the dog. The thermostatic mixer valve is only 2 feet off the floor.

How thoughtful, placing the mixer low enough for the dog to operate!

 

[Andy™]

since its obviously a dog only shower, i guess the CU is protected by 'placed out of reach', and 'obstacles'?

 

[Robin Spark]

Doggy style shower, Love it lol!

 

[Nicky Tesla]

but am i allowed to fit a shower in a kennel?

 

[Ian Speirs]

but am i allowed to fit a shower in a kennel?

Only if you T.T. the supply to the kennel.

 

[binky]

CU is effectively out of room due to being built into cupboard. Sounds like typical builder job - give customer what they want and to hell with regs!!

 

[steptoe]

Only if you T.T. the supply to the kennel.

but only if the kennel is outside the main dwelling.

 

[ProDave]

CU is effectively out of room due to being built into cupboard. Sounds like typical builder job - give customer what they want and to hell with regs!!

I doubt a builder was to blame.

More likely a plumber. Since the shower fitted was a mixer shower from the hot and cold water, it was purely a plumbing job to install the shower with no need for an electrician to be involved.

And of course the plumber wasn't bothered about, and probably didn't know, what electrical concerns he may be causing.

 

[binky]

Never quite understood how electrics in a cupboard is considered 'out of room', but I suppose you have to be extra keen to start messing with stuff whilst dripping wet and wearing a towel. Best one I ever saw was entire combi boiler (boxed in) with large corner bath directly underneath.