ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area vanity draw plugs

Triple:
I like your idea....
THe only concern I would have is to assure the cord be protected from physical damage. (Chafing, pinching)

BTW, I know Joe Tedesco would not be happy with the "power strip".

Hey Bjarney:
Now he didn't say is was a heavy duty industrial vanity, did he???

John

[This message has been edited by HotLine1 (edited 10-08-2003).]

The impression I got was that he is working on a beauty shop or barber shop. Now the next time I go to Supercuts guess what I'll be looking at?
Brian

HotLine1, on the “heavy-duty industrial vanity” you just can’t be sure what it will used for be a month from now, right? Just imagine, with the Insul-8 crane-power busbars, you could have both a hot and a switched leg in the drawer… {And deluxe 480V 60-amp spare capacity for the 1600#-capacity dough mixer, or Elizabeth Taylor's custom Ultra-Poof hair dryer… ;-) }




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 10-08-2003).]

This might be a little outside the usual lines that are customary but you never know what your customers might have seen recently (at home shows, on their social rounds, on tv, in their visits with the realtor, etc.) that compels them to ask for a new-fangled accommodation. Perhaps ask your customer where or when they saw the set-up they're asking for. If they have the money and want some special accommodation, you ought to at least be willing to investigate it and find out what's involved. Perhaps place a call to a realtor that serves an upscale area and ask to see some of the newer bathroom, vanity, dressing room or walk-in closet amenities.
From personal experience, having a vanity such as one you describe with the blow dryer and curling iron hidden but readily accessible and already plugged in would be an improvement over my recent arrangements - beauty tools & their cords all over the place or all of them wound up and hidden away in the cupboard beneath the sink and hence, less likely to be used in making me presentable.

Thought I would come back in to add that this has intrigued me and I've spent some time thinking about and researching it. I found a discussion regarding optimally locating bathroom outlets and one was in the vanity drawer though it doesn't sound like a 100% certifiable solution:

"A designer told me the latest trend is to install a plug in the back of the drawer wires would lead to another box in the wall under the counter). The original box in the wall falls within code. At final installation, the box and faceplate are installed in the back of the drawer. You plug in your hairdryer and when needed, just pull it out - no need to ever plug/unplug."

And another though it doesn't describe the technical end of their solution:
When we remodeled our master bath several years ago, I had a deep drawer installed with a strip plug inside the drawer. This is where all those bulky things like my hair dryer & curling iron go. Out of sight but can be pulled out & turned on to use. Also, I wish I had had a second drawer installed for my husband & his electric razor & hair clippers. He is always putting them in MY drawer & getting the cords all tangled. We are now in the process of building another home & you can be sure there will be HIS & HER drawers."

Maybe it's just because I know how my wife is, but the thought of having a receptacle in the drawer that she could leave her curling iron plugged into scares me to death!

I really can't help wondering how long it takes to plug in the device when needed. Two seconds maybe?

What next? Remote controls to pre-heat the dryer or curling iron from the bedroom?

Paul yes exactly!

Do you get to see "This Old (real expensive) House" over there.

They installed a Jacuzzi style tub that you could call from your cell phone to fill up to whatever temp you wanted. (Yes, really)

Once in your tub you could see who is at your front door on a video screen and hit a button to let them in.

And to think I actually turn the knobs on my shower.

I have one of those recent (ca. 1999) curling irons with the auto shut-off after some elapsed period of time so even if it is plugged in and turned on, it's not going to stay on all day or night. If you use one of the heat-deferring/absorbing protective barrels in the drawer, you wouldn't have the hot curling iron barrel touching anything which could burn.

When I have done this -in a rolling toolbox/ work center- I used SO cord that hung in the space behind the drawers. Great attention was given to preventing abrasion, pinch points. FWIW, wire made for this sort of thing is called "festoon" cable.
I have also seen hair-dryer appliances that incorporated the receptacle in the "basket" that held the dryer.