Shower Isolator

[Brilec]

When you think of it, if you walke over to the door after having a shower, if you don't dry yourselves off who's to stop you walking out and turning on the light in the hall way/landing with wet hands!

 

[Jimmy Boy]

Totally agree. Of course, someone who's just had a shower and thus has lower body resistance wouldn't dream of walking out of the bathroom and turning the shower isolator off... They would wait until they had totally dried out.....

Yes that could be especially dangerous on a PME supply..:biggrin:

**Runs and hides**

 

[Moses]

When you think of it, if you walke over to the door after having a shower, if you don't dry yourselves off who's to stop you walking out and turning on the light in the hall way/landing with wet hands!

Who would walk out of the bathroom, after having a shower, without their pants?

And I would only wear my pants when I have dried myself,
I wouldn't want to get my pants wet, nobody likes to have wet pants!!!!

 

[Brilec]

interesting! wet pants, have you ever had to answer the phone just after getting out of the bath/shower.

 

[Moses]

interesting! wet pants, have you ever had to answer the phone just after getting out of the bath/shower.

I use my Mobile some time in the bathroom.

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I use my Mobile some time in the bathroom.

Hope it's SELV

ATB S

 

[sedgy34]

Who would walk out of the bathroom, after having a shower, without their pants?

And I would only wear my pants when I have dried myself,
I wouldn't want to get my pants wet, nobody likes to have wet pants!!!!

what if you have batman pants

 

[Moses]

what if you have batman pants

I have superman Pants!! LOL

 

[D Skelton]

Interesting that no one has suggested not fitting one at all!

If the shower has an integral on/off switch, you don't need an isolator.

Super mega ultra kevlar reinforced ballistic grade tin hat on

 

[johnboy6083]

There is nothing that says that a shower must have local isolation. Or fans for that matter. If you need to work on the shower, then theres no reason why you couldnt isolate it at the CU. This also goes for fans. People harp on about requiring local isolation, but if you needed to isolate a socket, then youd do it at the CU. Isolation doesnt have to be local either. Often in a house, its relativley simple to find what MCBs supplies what circuit.

 

[D Skelton]

A lot of old boys on these forums would kill us for these statements

 

[Guitarist]

Depends what the "manufacturers instructions" say. Some stipulate a DP isolator, and we all know that we have to follow instructions to conform with the regs

 

[Moses]

A lot of old boys on these forums would kill us for these statements

Why is there an isolator for :

Cooker?
Immersion Heater?
Washing Machine?
Dish Washer?
Fridge?
Boiler?
..........................?

 

[johnboy6083]

That is true.

 

[johnboy6083]

Often its for convenience, not safety. The cooker isolator is a safety issue IMO, as often rings/ovens ect can be left on by mistake so the isolator/switch is an extra precaution to stop injury or fire.The dishwasher ect is convenience. another bug bear for me is when people install fused spurs as isolation for fridges or dishwashers. It means that you often have 2fuses to replace rather than the one in the plug top. Double pole 20A switches can be used instead.

 

[Guitarist]

There is nothing that says that a shower must have local isolation. Or fans for that matter. If you need to work on the shower, then theres no reason why you couldnt isolate it at the CU. This also goes for fans. People harp on about requiring local isolation, but if you needed to isolate a socket, then youd do it at the CU. Isolation doesnt have to be local either. Often in a house, its relativley simple to find what MCBs supplies what circuit.

Isolation for a socket is really a moot point, as the plug provides the isolation for the load, along with a switch on most sockets if you don't want to unplug.
It's not really "harping on" either. I always fit a local isolator for showers and fans, because it provides local isolation for maintenance, as well as the convenience of disconnecting the supply without moving a ton of stuff from in front of the average CU (unlabelled in most houses I visit).

 

[Moses]

Isolation for a socket is really a moot point, as the plug provides the isolation for the load, along with a switch on most sockets if you don't want to unplug.
It's not really "harping on" either. I always fit a local isolator for showers and fans, because it provides local isolation for maintenance, as well as the convenience of disconnecting the supply without moving a ton of stuff from in front of the average CU (unlabelled in most houses I visit).

Hear hear !!!!

 

[Guitarist]

Often its for convenience, not safety. The cooker isolator is a safety issue IMO, as often rings/ovens ect can be left on by mistake so the isolator/switch is an extra precaution to stop injury or fire.The dishwasher ect is convenience. another bug bear for me is when people install fused spurs as isolation for fridges or dishwashers. It means that you often have 2fuses to replace rather than the one in the plug top. Double pole 20A switches can be used instead.

In over 20 years I think I have replaced maybe 2 or 3 blown fuses on appliances, rarely due to a fault. Can you honestly say that you often get problems with having to replace 2 fuses due to an electrician fitting an SFCU, rather than a DP switch?

 

[D Skelton]

Why is there an isolator for :

Cooker? If it has an integral on/off switch, or if it contains no motors ie, a non fan assisted oven, it wouldn't need one.
Immersion Heater? An immersion heater has an accessible isolator to satisfy reg 554.3.3
Washing Machine? Doesn't need one to satisfy the regs, although would be a pain in the bum to change a blown fuse in a plug rather than a SFCU above.
Dish Washer? As above
Fridge? An accessible means of switching off is achieved by the plug. If it's a fitted fridge, then a SFCU or isolator should be used if there is no other means of readily accessible switching off.
Boiler? Mainly to satisfy gas regs.
..........................?

Local isolation in domestic circumstances is very rarely needed, but almost always preferred.

 

[johnboy6083]

You raise fair points mate, and I agree. I also install local isolators where possible, for convenience, but unless I'm mistaken, they are not required by the green book.Often I find myself installing things a certain way, because of either specification, or because it's common practice.I meant no offence using the "harping on" reference, just a figure of speech.Often specifications cover worst case scenario, and insist that everything is done a certain way, but only 10% of an installation is subject to those conditions, and no discretion is allowed.