17th Edition bathrooms

Just a reminder about the changes to bathrooms.
For every body out their.WELL WORTH A READ.VERY IMPORTANT.

The 17th Edition includes a new Part 7 (Special Locations), which includes new

requirements for bathrooms. All those involved in electrical installation work need to be familiar with these new requirements. Help is at hand, in the form of a new edition of IEE Guidance Note 7 (Special Locations).

Section 701, Locations containing a bath or shower

Scope

The particular requirements of this section apply to the electrical installations in locations containing a fixed bath (bath tub) or shower and to the surrounding zones as described in the Wiring Regulations. The Regulations do not apply to emergency facilities, e.g. emergency showers used in industrial areas or laboratories. For locations containing a bath or shower for medical treatment, special requirements may be necessary.

What’s new?

Changes to the zonal system, RCD protection on all bathroom circuits, 230v socket outlets permitted 3 m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1; supplementary equipotential bonding may be omitted subject to the Regulations being met.

The zonal system

The Regulations state: Horizontal or inclined ceilings, walls with or without windows, doors, floors and fixed partitions may be taken into account where these effectively limit the extent of locations containing a bath or shower as well as their zones. This is similar to current requirements in the 16th Edition except that the actual location containing the bath or shower is mentioned as well as the zones. The zones are similar to current
requirements in the 16th Edition except for the omission of zone 3, also that zone 2 no longer extends above zone 1.

Zone 1 has been extended from 0.6 m in the 16th Edition for showers without a basin for a fixed water outlet to a distance of 1.20 m from the centre point of the water outlet. Demountable shower heads are no longer mentioned.

Zone 1 is now limited by the horizontal plane corresponding to the highest fixed shower head or water outlet or the horizontal plane lying 2.25 m above the finished floor level, whichever is higher.

RCD Protection

Regulation 701.411.3.3 now requires that additional protection shall be provided for all circuits of the location by the use of one or more RCDs having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1. This is a significant change. Previously (601-09-02), only
fixed current using equipment (other than electric showers) located in zone 1 required 30mA RCD protection and current using equipment (other than fixed current using equipment – such as a washing machine, if suitable for use in a bathroom, connected through a fused connection unit) in zone 3 required 30mA RCD protection. Regulation 701.411.3.3 means that all circuits, including lighting, electric showers, heated towel rails, etc., will require RCD protection, not exceeding 30 mA.

230 volt socket-outlets

Another significant change is introduced by Regulation 701.512.3. This now permits 230v socket-outlets to be installed in a room containing a bath or shower providing they are
installed 3 m horizontally from the boundary of zone 1. This change resolves the ambiguity that existed between locations containing a bath or shower and a bedroom containing a
shower.

To view the full article from the IET's Wiring Matters Spring 2008, click on the attachment below...

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Full Wiring Matters Article - 17th Edition launched - Special locations includes new requirements for bathrooms (PDF 223Kb)