Possible to wire an LED bathroom cabinet to a shaver socket? - it has no switch!

Kamran
Kamran Posts: 477 Forumite
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in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Hi all, hope you're well :T Your thoughts on electrical question would be much appreciated!

I purchased a lovely Ikea bathroom cabinet with LED lights called Storjorm and it looks great, except that it has a serious design flaw - no light switch! It's supposed to remain permanently on!

I'd rather not waste electricity so my question is whether I can simply wire it to my 240V shaver plug (and in theory just plug it in and out when needed) - or better still, connect some sort of switch...?

1. Here is the mirror itself, on the wall, located next to the shaver plug
mirror8b85.jpg

2. Here is the info on how much voltage the LED lights on the cabinet can handle
info92f8.jpg

3. Here is the end of the wire, leaving the cabinet. If i took an old electric toothrbush charger, stripped the wire, could I connect that to the end of this, and then connect to the mains socket?
wire065f.jpg

4. Lastly, would a simple switch such as any of the following, be wired in?
- Inline rocker 1
- Inline rocker 2
- Flick switch

Thanks again, your suggestions would be much appreciated!
:T

Kam

Comments

  • SeaDweller
    SeaDweller Posts: 12 Forumite
    Disclaimer! I am not an electrician, certified or otherwise. Take my advice as amateur, and remember electricity is deadly.

    Looking over the documentation and reviews, the reason there is no light switch is because it is meant to be hard-wired by an electrician; the electrical wiring regulations for bathrooms specify that you should not have exposed electrical parts within reach of the wet zone (unless specifically designed), which is why your light switch is a pull cord or located outside the room.

    That said, the power drawn is 10.5w which should be okay for a shaver socket. I can't vouch how safe the wiring would be (shaver plugs are generally moulded/not-rewirable by regulation/design) but technically it seems possible. Definitely find a switch that is IP rated, but I would stick to plug in/out with a shaver 2 pin.
  • tonyh66
    tonyh66 Posts: 1,736 Forumite
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    edited 17 October 2016 at 11:03AM
    It is supposed to be wired into the main lighting circuit so it swiches on and off when you turn the bathroom light on/off.
    I don't know what wires you have in your hand in the picture, but they don't appear in the instructions. You (an electrician) should only be wiring live and neutral colour coded wires into the mains side of the LED transformer.

    Mains electricity and bathrooms do not play nice together, which is why there are so many regulations covering it.
  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    Get an electrician to come and wire it up properly to your lights, it will be safer, neater and energy efficient.
  • societys_child
    societys_child Posts: 7,110 Forumite
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    TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »
    Get an electrician to come and wire it up properly to your lights, it will be safer, neater and energy efficient.
    Agree with that.
    It also appears to be in zone1, if so, I think it requires installation by a qualified person, the council should be notified, and
    the circuit must be protected by a 30ma RCD.
  • JohnB47
    JohnB47 Posts: 2,544 Forumite
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    societys_child wrote: »
    ... the council should be notified ...


    I didn't read anywhere that this is a council house, so why do you say this? Perhaps I've missed something.
  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
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    JohnB47 wrote: »
    I didn't read anywhere that this is a council house, so why do you say this? Perhaps I've missed something.

    What he meant was that this may be notifiable work under Part P of building regulations (modification to circuit in a special location).
  • Risteard
    Risteard Posts: 1,882 Forumite
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    SeaDweller wrote: »
    That said, the power drawn is 10.5w which should be okay for a shaver socket.
    Shaver sockets are not designed to be used continuously.

    Also you would be creating an electrically separated supply to numerous lights instead of having ADS for basic and fault protection of the lights. It most definitely is NOT the thing to do. It's concering that this has even been contemplated.

    Only the use of a fully qualified Electrician - preferably an NICEIC Approved Contractor - is the correct course of action.
    RECI & Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor
    NICEIC Approved Contractor
    ECA Registered Member
  • maninthestreet
    maninthestreet Posts: 16,127 Forumite
    First Anniversary
    £250 for a bathroom cabinet???
    "You were only supposed to blow the bl**dy doors off!!"
  • societys_child
    societys_child Posts: 7,110 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    JohnB47 wrote: »
    I didn't read anywhere that this is a council house, so why do you say this? Perhaps I've missed something.
    Yup, you've missed something.
  • Zandoni
    Zandoni Posts: 3,426 Forumite
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    maninthestreet wrote: »
    £250 for a bathroom cabinet???
    Very observant, it is £250.
This discussion has been closed.
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