Is this possible?

[Flanders]

I stand corrected I have never taken one down just thought that's how there wired Mind you I should of known after all my mum had one and an iron that plugged into the light fitting

 

[uksparks]

The bloke wants the pull switch taking out as it reminds him if his wife who died of cancer last year every time he pulls it as she used to get up in the night and he would hear it.

I can understand why he wants it changed, I feel sorry for him but now don't know what to suggest that's easy and compliant...

 

[NickD]

He would ideally like the switch on the outside wall of the bathroom, I could easily do that but there's no flipping rcd... So cannot just stuff cables in the wall.

any thoughts not involving up selling a new CU or RCD as that's not really possible either.

If you mean outside the bathroom: Neatly surface mount in trunking? Small profile trunking is available for 1.0/1.5mm T&E which doesn't look too foul. Earthed-metallic sheath cable or other earthed containment?

A pull-cord switch that sounds sufficiently quiet/different?

 

[davesparks]

All plastic trunking looks carp, regardless of how small or well fitted it is.
The foil screen in FP200 is rated for compliance with the earthed-metallic-screen exception to the RCD for buried cables rule.

But you still have the requirement for RCD protection for all bathroom circuits.

 

[uksparks]

Thanks.

my only concern is extending the circuit with no RCD as it's not really allowed is it.

 

[Flanders]

The bloke wants the pull switch taking out as it reminds him if his wife who died of cancer last year every time he pulls it as she used to get up in the night and he would hear it.

I can understand why he wants it changed, I feel sorry for him but now don't know what to suggest that's easy and compliant...

Now it sound like a Job that has to be done ,very sad about his wife. I think the best answer is mini trunking but show the customer a sample first other wise go for the PIR that doesn't need a neutral

 

[uksparks]

I think I'm just going to have to tell him he either needs a new light in the bathroom and scrap the heater light so I don't have to take it apart and risk it not going back together again, this way I could probably fish a neutral to the switch.

the only other solution is tell him he needs a fuse board upgrade and probably extra work like bonding, I don't want to go down this route as he's an old boy who just doesn't want to be reminded of his dead wife.

 

[uksparks]

The PIR requires the light to stay on for more than 12 hours a day to keep the battery charged to keep it working, so can't do that.

I cant do the mini trunking as would be extending the circuit and have no RCD protection.

bugger isn't it.

 

[davesparks]

Thanks.

my only concern is extending the circuit with no RCD as it's not really allowed is it.

You have to apply knowledge, experience and professional judgement.
The world is full of installations which were installed to a perfectly good standard and set of regulations, they are only now non-compliant because someone re- wrote the rules.
Assess all possible implications of making this alteration without strict adherence to the regulations and then use your judgement to decide what you should do.

The regulations are non-statutory and if you have suitable knowledge and experience you can decide whether making a deviation is acceptable or not.

 

[NickD]

Taking the switch outside the bathroom is not an addition within the bathroom and such an addition would not IMHO impair the safety of the existing installation (MWC form wording).

5 Amp Pull Cord Switch - Contactum

"Quieter action than most ceiling swithches"

Go home TLC, you're drunk.

 

[NickD]

Remote-controlled bulbs* and bulb* holders exist, are they any good, how long will the device or the remote survive in a bathroom, no idea.

(*that's lamp spelt B-U-L-B if the term offends you )

<edit> Also do ones suitable for bathroom use exist, no idea.

 

[uksparks]

Taking the switch outside the bathroom is not an addition within the bathroom and such an addition would not IMHO impair the safety of the existing installation (MWC form wording).

5 Amp Pull Cord Switch - Contactum

"Quieter action than most ceiling swithches"

Go home TLC, you're drunk.

The bloke doesn't want a pull cord at all, that's the issue.

 

[NickD]

The bloke doesn't want a pull cord at all, that's the issue.

Oh, OK. I kinda read into what you were saying that the sound of the existing switch was the issue so a softer sound might be OK. If not, then not.

 

[uksparks]

Yeah i did suggest it to him, but he doesn't even want to see it... never had this issue before! The things people ask eh!

 

[davesparks]

? Seems like a perfectly reasonable and logical thing to ask for in the situation.

You will come across issues like this more and more every-time the regs change!
It gets a bit embarrassing sometimes when you go back to a house you re-wired less than 12 months previous to do some extra jobs and have to explain that the CU you installed no longer complies!

 

[shanky887614]

? Seems like a perfectly reasonable and logical thing to ask for in the situation.

You will come across issues like this more and more every-time the regs change!
It gets a bit embarrassing sometimes when you go back to a house you re-wired less than 12 months previous to do some extra jobs and have to explain that the CU you installed no longer complies!

But it would still be fit for continued service so no problem.

 

[davesparks]

But I can't go adding things in the bathroom without RCD protection now can I? When 12months earlier the 16th edition said I could.

 

[uksparks]

I could do it then back date his invoice lol.

 

[davesparks]

What would that achieve, apart from making you look guilty of something?

I've posted the answer to this one earlier in the thread.
You use your skill, knowledge and experience to assess whether it is acceptable to make a deviation from the regulations or not. Nobody can do that for you as nobody else has seen the existing installation.
If the installation is in good condition, safe and properly installed and your alterations will leave the installation in an as-safe or safer condition than when you started then crack-on.

They've even provided a handy box on certificates to record deviations and reasons for them!

 

[HandySparks]

The PIR requires the light to stay on for more than 12 hours a day to keep the battery charged to keep it working, so can't do that....
bugger isn't it.

I think that you have mis-read the spec. It says that the light must not be on for more than 12 hours per day (unlikely for a bathroom).