ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area light switches outside rooms?

Sometimes you don't have much of a choice because of cabnets, double doors, other doors, and fraiming. My first choice is inside the room. But I give people what they want with in reason.

Tom

I prefer the switches on the inside (especially the rest room) for one usually-overlooked reason: sometimes you don't want people turning the lamp(s) ON while you're in there, e.g., using the room as a temporary photographic darkroom .

Bill, you're comment illustrates how different people view "safety." While I was overseas, the locals in a few places assured me that switches HAD to be outside the bathroom, that this was "safer", as there was less electricity exposed to moisture. (That these same places often had the water heater IN the spray of the shower was not considered a hazard). (I'll try to post a photo, if I can find ine).

In the room, outside the room, doesn't matter. My own place was built ('40's) with two in the rooms (LR & Bath), one outside the room (Kit), and one room without (BR). Go figure.

Of course, this means that a light outside the bedroom may be controlled by a switch in the bedroom, without that switch being AFCI protected.

John,

I haven't heard instances of the light switch inside the Bathroom being a safety issue. If it was I think it would have been addressed in the code before now.

I do think if the Bathroom light gets turned off (can easily happen because it's outside) it can lead to injuries though - especially if the person is in the Shower or Bathtub and has to get out in the dark.

I do know it's not a violation to have the switch on the outside, but my own preference, by far, would be to have control of it while I'm inside.


Bill

So do I, but used to be code in many European country. Pre-1970ies bathrooms usually don't have any wiring inside, except for the ceiling light, maybe a wall sconce high up out of reach and _maaaybe_ a shaver outlet with isolation transformer. The walls sconces are usually controlled by pull-chain switches with plastic chains. I've seen a case where they mounted a pull-chain switch on the wall, just below the ceiling, with a long chain hanging down next to the door, controlling the ceiling light. Seems like that was the only way to get around the "no switch in the bathroom" requirement. Electric water heaters simply weren't used back then, gas or wood fired only.

The switch for the main light in my bathroom is actually located just outside the door, in the hallway.

It's never really bothered me one way or the other, although I have to admit that I seldom use the main light and usually just switch on the striplight over the mirror which has its own pullcord.

Not quite true Hutch (for the U.K. anyway).

The IEE Regs. here don't prevent the use of a normal wall switch in a bathroom, although this seems to be a commonnly held misconception.

The rules state that any such switch must be out-of-reach of somebody in the shower or tub. Some of the postage-stamp sized British bathrooms might mean that a pullcord is needed, but if you can achieve the required clearance there's nothing to stop you installing a regular switch.