Confused and worried about electrics in an old house

chrisw6954 · Aug 28, 2014

I have an old house and have refitted the bathroom and I'm just curious am I living in a house from hell or do I just not understand/know enough about electrics in bathroom. No doubt this will open a can of worms and I'll look forward to some of the humorous responses - I think some of you electricians have wicked sense of humours especially when replying to the lad who didn't know where to put his pencil!!

1. If you can't have electric sockets why is the immersion switch in the airing cupboard or is it just mine? If they shouldn't be in there would an IP65 Weatherproof accessory box be a good idea or should it be moved.
2. Should electrical cables be under the floorboards beneath the shower tray?
3. The earth bonding earth wire on the pipe work disappears into a wall beside the bath and I think it goes into the electrical socket into the bedroom running parallel with the bath. Is this ok or should it go to consumer unit (yes this is ancient too! - probably the original)
4. There isn't any earth bonding in the airing cupboard - is this a job for an electrician or can any competent person do it - also does it need to go to consumer unit or can it go into a socket?

Sorry if I sound like an idiot or just a complete worrier but I'd rather be safe than sorry

Richard Burns · Aug 28, 2014

1. sockets are not permitted because non water safe appliances may be plugged in, the immersion heater is fine as the immersion heater is suitable for the location and nothing else can be 'plugged' in, especially as it is in the airing cupboard which is not "in" the bathroom.
2. They do not need to be under the floorboards, junctions and such like (depending on the access under the shower tray) would not be so good unless they are a shower pump or such like that is designed for this use.
3. The bonding cables on metallic pipework in a bath room may well be supplementary bonding that should be connected together locally to the bathroom, though admittedly not usually to a socket, though it would not matter too much. In general supplementary bonding is for circuits inside the location and any accessible earthed metal work.
4. supplementary bonding may not be required in the airing cupboard, as it is not in the bathroom, however this is usually a convenient place to connect all the bathroom pipework together easily, but it could have been connected elsewhere, if it is required.
Current regulations for a fully compliant installation in terms of earthing, bonding, disconnection times and RCD protection do not require supplementary bonding in the bath room.