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[Technology] Question for NSC's electricians - washing machine in bathroom.



happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
7,971
Eastbourne
We're doing up our house and are thinking of relocating the washing machine and tumble dryer into a cupboard in the bathroom.
Is it allowed ?
 








Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
11,837
Cumbria
We had our washing machine in the bathroom for many years (not in a cupboard). The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom.
 


Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,157
Neither here nor there
We're having some building work done and I'm pretty sure the electrician said that rules have changed about electricity in bathrooms, partly because of modern circuit breakers being so effective. I seem to recall him saying that various regulations have been relaxed or amended.

Two caveats here:

(a) I don't really understand how electricity works
(b) I could have completely misremembered the conversation.
 




Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
Why not use a bath or shower like everyone else?
 


jackanada

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2011
3,161
Brighton
If the manufacturer allows it you can have an appliance in a bathroom without it being in a cupboard. RCD protected circuit and connected with FCU rather than plug socket.
 


Madafwo

I'm probably being facetious.
Nov 11, 2013
1,591
When we had our loft converted we had a small utility room put in, accessed through the bathroom. Not once was it mentioned about the potential safety risks as it's completely cut off from the bathroom by a door. You should be fine.
 




Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
18,660
Born In Shoreham
You can have a socket 3m from the shower or bath and is has to be installed out of the out of the zone, less distance to play with and it must be a fused spur connection, obviously backed up with an RCD/RCBO. I’ve seen plenty in bathrooms housed in purposely built cupboards.
 




Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,557
Brighton
My first thoughts, as an old time electrician, was 100% NO.
But times have changed now. Apparently ring mains are no more, but that's another subject.
Bodians comments of "The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom" obviously forgets that a washing machine is full of electric circuitry all with 240v running through.
So my thoughts are simple. Do you have hot baths or showers resulting in a steam filled bathroom. Yes, then forget it.
 




Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
11,837
Cumbria
My first thoughts, as an old time electrician, was 100% NO.
But times have changed now. Apparently ring mains are no more, but that's another subject.
Bodians comments of "The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom" obviously forgets that a washing machine is full of electric circuitry all with 240v running through.
So my thoughts are simple. Do you have hot baths or showers resulting in a steam filled bathroom. Yes, then forget it.

Ha - yes, indeed. Never really thought about that at the time! Mind, I'm still alive. During the time we were at that house I fixed the cables in the hall lightswitch after turning off the downstairs light circuit - only to find that of course as the switch also did the landing light...... And that was also when I cut the old cable off the hoover for future use, forgetting to unplug it first (well, it wasn't working so there was no electricity through it...) - I still have the kitchen knife with a big hole in the blade to remind me.

So, perhaps I'm not the best person to comment on electrics.....
 




Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
I know nothing about electrics but I do know that if you are at some time in the future looking to sell your house , it is very off putting for buyers to see a washing machine in a bathroom or a boiler in a bedroom .

Put your boiler downstairs enclosed in a unit that you can access easily and your washing machine in a utility room . If you don’t have a utility room , see if you have space to get it fitted in your kitchen behind a kitchen unit so it doesn’t stick out and is seamlessly intergrated .

You’re welcome…
 
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Lyndhurst 14

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2008
5,129
When I first arrived in the States I was surprised at having electrical outlets in the bathroom. Apparently it's perfectly safe as long as they are protected by a circuit breaker and also their voltage is less at 120V.

I've never been convinced somehow as I don't think electricity and water / steam mix and never use them.
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
52,479
Burgess Hill
I know nothing about electrics but I do know that if you are at some time in the future looking to sell your house , it is very off putting for buyers to see a washing machine in a bathroom or a boiler in a bedroom .

Put your boiler downstairs enclosed in a unit that you can access easily and your washing machine in a utility room . If you don’t have a utility room , see if you have space to get it fitted in your kitchen behind a kitchen unit so it doesn’t stick out and is seamlessly intergrated .

You’re welcome…

Might be a few issues with not having boilers in bedrooms.........what if she doesn’t want to be ‘enclosed downstairs’ ?
 


BN9 BHA

DOCKERS
NSC Patron
Jul 14, 2013
21,560
Newhaven
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7BA1D348-282C-41AF-ADB9-7B7880F0F23B.jpeg

:facepalm: :)
 




DarrenFreemansPerm

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sep 28, 2010
17,335
Shoreham
Very common in Germany I believe, as I understand it they find it quite amusing that we get undressed upstairs but carry our clothes downstairs to a different room then take them back up once clean and dry.
 




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