Consumer unit in bathroom

[Cliffy88]

What’s your thoughts of a new renovated house that has the consumer unit in the bathroom. It’s situated above the bath in a cupboard. It was brought 2 weeks ago and have no certs. They want a Eicr done. Obviously the sockets has to go too.

Thanks

 

[Dustydazzler]

Which begs the question...
What came first the consumer unit or the bathroom ?

Either way it is pretty poor design to put a consumer unit in the bathroom

 

[LukeD]

SHower head can reach the socket and board . Not a chance in hell thats safe even if legal .

 

[James]

consumer unit in zone 1
I am sure it is not going to be supported by the manufacturers instructions!!

 

[mattg4321]

It's a terrible design, but is it actually in zone 1 if it's in a cupboard?

 

[mainline]

It's a terrible design, but is it actually in zone 1 if it's in a cupboard?

Regulation prohibits socket outlets within 3 metres horizontally of the boundary of zone 1. ' The fact that it's in a cupboard doesn't stop it being used within the zone.

 

[James]

It's a terrible design, but is it actually in zone 1 if it's in a cupboard?

been pondering on that.
it is in zone 1 when the room is being used as expected, I.e. cupboard opened to get shampoo out whilst stood in bath.
with the door closed, you could argue that it is outside the zone.

Where do we go from here, is it acceptable to have a shaver socket in a shower cubical? NO

what if the shower head was removed could I say its not a shower, its a draught limiting enclosure for me to shave in?

 

[loz2754]

One way to make it compliant would be construct an IPX5 enclosure around the consumer unit, accessible only by means of a tool or key.

 

[James]

That would help, however where in the regs dose it define a tool or a key as being a way of avoiding zones?

Generally speaking the zones stop at fixed partitions, walls etc. that do not move, and at the entrance door to the bathroom

 

[timhoward]

It might just about meet regs on technicalities/or differing interpretations, but just because the regs don't specifically ban something doesn't mean we can't decide something is potentially dangerous.

I'd have no qualms deciding that I didn't like the environmental influences - steam and moisture. Also, as already said, the cupboard is easily left open, or easily opened while using shower, and shower spray becomes a huge concern.

The OSG mutters about an airing cupboard in a bathroom not being in zones. But that is a complete wall and door.
A cupboard isn't listed as something that can be taken into account to limit a zone, and it says a door has to "effectively" limit the extents of the zones and I'd argue this one doesn't.
The zone clearly extends to under the cupboard and there is nothing that effectively limits the zone, so for me it's in zone 1.