Wiring new zone 2 bathroom light Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Throttle]

Hi
I've decided to replace a old bathroom light which was just wired central in the ceiling in the bathroom with a light switch outside the bathroom.

I have picked up a light that i liked from screwfix its a 3 spot light IP44 rated Zone 2 with and i found that the paperwork included mentioning about 30mA RCA being required.

It is all fine for zone 2 distance regulations yet im just checking on the RCA regulations, I was just expecting to remove the old rose type light and fitting this in its place am i going to need more work involved or will it be fine because of the RCD in my consumer unit that all my lights on the ground floor are linked too ?

[Mr White]

If you are sure the new light is suitable and you are only changing it, then it does not matter if you have RCD protection or not.

[ericmark]

RCD protection in the bathroom changed in 2008, with that edition of the wiring regulations the need to bond all metal pipes in the bathroom was dropped, as long as all in bathroom is protected by a RCD.

It would be hard to write a full description on a new lamp saying when RCD protection is required, so easy way out is simple say it is required.

This raises a second issue, it also states:- "Electrical equipment shall be installed in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the equipment." so even if 701.415.2 Supplementary equipotential bonding requirements are complied with, which says "Where the location containing a bath or shower is in a building with a protective equipotential bonding system in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2, supplementary equipotential bonding may be omitted where all of the following conditions are met:" and continues to say it can be omitted if RCD is fitted, you should follow the instructions.

But in the main, lights are over 2.25 meters high, so are not in zone 2. And zone 2 only goes 0.6 meters from bath or shower tray, so in most cases lights are not in zone 2.

But some times you need to use common sense, I don't think I have ever stood in the bath full of water to change a bulb, and when I change a bulb I turn off the light first, OK with a pull switch there is a problem, but most people would not change the light bulb with a bath full of steaming water.

Also the regulations are not retrospective.

It is unclear if your lights are RCD protected to 30 mA at 40 mS, back in the last century we used 100 mA time delayed (type S) RCD's so can't simply say if RCD protected it's OK.

We have moved on, it started with 30 mA for sockets which may be used outside, then it increased to all sockets, cables buried less than 50 mm in wall, bathrooms, and rules on nuisance tripping have resulted in now all RCBO consumer units, and use of electronic equipment not supplied with transformers has resulted in type AC going out and in the main use of type A, with EV charging even type B is required some times.

But in the main there is no point supplying one RCD from another, so if there is RCD protection in the CU then no need for extra RCD's, in fact most RCD sockets and fuse connection units (FCU) are not to the correct British standard so don't count.

OK likely they work, but you need to use common sense, in the main I would not fit a RCD to feed bathroom lights unless a rented property and likely to have some jobs worth doing the electrical installation condition report (EICR), for the sockets yes, but doing a risk assessment, which is more likely to cause danger, some one touching the lights with an earth fault, or some one tripping over because a RCD has failed and the lights have gone out?

So use common sense.