For some more info on the U.K. IEE Wiring Regs., you might like to look at the following:
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/1.1.htm

Paul,

Interesting stuff!
I came across the following and like the common sense that it portrays:

Paul,
facinating....AND illistrations to all the threads you've provided.

I don't see the sense here because of the direction that the shower opens. If the shower opened toward the door, that would be different.

The light switch could be 0 m from the shower and a person in the shower would not be able to reach it (unless he is hanging from the water pipes).

I think the 0.6m is just a general requirement that no fittings be within that distance of any part of the shower cubicle.

If the shower opened toward the left here, that switch would have to be much farther away under the general rule that it must not be able to be touched by anyone in a bath or shower. The distance specified for that is 2m (about 6' 6").

The twin socket would be allowed only if this were a shower cubicle in, say, a bedroom. In a bathroom, the only socket outlet allowed is a xfmr-isolated low-power one for an electric shaver.

>the general rule that it must not be able to be touched by anyone in a bath or shower. The distance specified for that is 2m (about 6' 6").

Anyone who could reach that far would not technically be in the shower.

Precisely their objective!

Strangely though, we can have "instant" electric showers fitted right in the cubicle under the shower head with just a thin layer of plastic cover and some sealant (we hope!) between a cascade of water and 240V to ground. Then they make such a fuss about not having a socket anywhere in a bathroom. Go figure.

The point I was trying to make was that we have no such distance requirements (in the NEC) for switches or receptacles from a shower or bathtub. It is something that I cannot understand.

The "old thread reviver" is at it again...
Check this out Paul, an interesting thread...



Go here for more!

>Precisely their objective!
But the objective can be met with just 1 m of separation (30" NEC) unless you have some really tall people in which case, they are probably at greater risk for taking out luminaires with their heads.

Yes, the 2m is probably a very generous allowance. Prior to the metric edition in 1970 it was listed as 6 ft. minimum. I'm not sure when that spacing was introduced; it's certainly there in the 1955 edtion.

Virgil:
Thanks for that link. Sometimes a bathroom light switch is located outside the door, but another very common arrangement is for a ceiling mounted switch operated by a pull cord. As the live switch is up on the ceiling, these can be mounted so the cord is right next to the tub or shower.

They're so common in bathrooms, that they're often used even when a regular wall switch would be outside the 6'/2m boundary.

DS,


Can I ask where the justification for your statement comes from?

If I am in the shower, I can reach an arm's length easily. However, to reach more than 1 m, I must step out of the shower.