Installing a LED mirror where a shaver point currently is in bathroom.

Korkyb

I've been trying to get a sparky to visit my house to install a LED mirror where a shaving point currently is (in an en-suite) for around 9 weeks now without success (? too small a job...).

If this was in any other room I wouldn't have thought twice about doing it myself as I'm reasonably competent with the usual DIY electrical stuff (changing sockets / light fittings and the like) but am aware that bathrooms have restrictions on DIY work.

The house is relatively new with modern wiring & the job just involves removing the shaving point and using the existing wiring to power the LED mirror. 

No additional wiring will be required & the shaving point will be discarded.


As the likelihood of me seeing an electrician this side of New Year seems to be low my question(s) are:

1/ Am I "allowed" to crack on and do the job myself?

2/ If the answer to 1/ is "NO" ....... should I crack on and do the job myself??


Thanks for any advice!

fenwick458

anyone who feels competent can replace "like for like" electrical fittings. https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/q-day-can-i-replace-electrical
you would want to make sure that the circuit you are working on is protected by an RCD
is the new LED mirror class 1 or class 2? (one has exposed metal and requires an earth, the other doesn't)

justwhat

Probably not allowed i am sure it will fall fowl of the regs somehow. or your diy method.

Go for it i won't tell anyone. lol (i am sure someone will be along to tell you the pitfalls of DIY electrical work)

Martin_the_Unjust

1. Probably not.

2. I would as long as the unit is rated for use in bathrooms (if you don’t know then don’t do it)

prowla

justwhat said:

Probably not allowed i am sure it will fall fowl of the regs somehow. or your diy method.

Go for it i won't tell anyone. lol (i am sure someone will be along to tell you the pitfalls of DIY electrical work)

So, the question is are you going to do it or chicken out?

Bendy_House

Would the best method be to replace the shaver socket with a switched fused outlet, with a 3A fuse?

I know the current shaver socket will almost certainly just be wired off the lightning circuit, so safeguarded by that circuit's MCB, but would folk on here simply fit an unswitched flex outlet plate, or go FSU?

Not that I'm trying to suggest to the OP what to do. It would just be nice to know...

grumbler

Bendy_House said:

Would the best method be to replace the shaver socket with a switched fused outlet, with a 3A fuse?

I am pretty sure normal switches aren't allowed in most areas of bathrooms.

Personally, I'd keep the shaver socket and add a fused spur (without a switch).

Section62

Bendy_House said:

Would the best method be to replace the shaver socket with a switched fused outlet, with a 3A fuse?

Electrical switches in bathrooms?

Bendy_House said:

I know the current shaver socket will almost certainly just be wired off the lightning circuit, so safeguarded by that circuit's MCB, but would folk on here simply fit an unswitched flex outlet plate, or go FSU?

The answer depends on whether the light and the cable supplying it have a rating appropriate for the fuse/MCB protecting whatever circuit the shaver point is currently on. (which needs checking of course).

If the circuit protection device rating is too high for the light and cable then a FCU with an appropriately rated fuse could (/should*) be added to give the light/cable the required level of protection. ('Should' because protection is non-optional, 'could' because it may not be the right solution)

Personally, that isn't something I would fit within the bathroom of my own house, I'd look at doing a better/neater job than attempting to fit a FCU in a non-optimal position - particularly if the shaver point is currently fitted in a shaver-point size backbox.

justwhat

Why not just run a spur from the lights. Maybe less hassle in the long run. 

Korkyb

Update!

Finally managed to get a sparky to visit my house on the morning of 26th November.

He checked that the mirror was suitable for the location & said it was a straightforward job, wouldn't require any additional cable, would take around an hour and he should be able to do the job within the next 2 weeks, an emailed quote was to follow.

We did have a discussion about me doing it DIY which he felt was entirely reasonable but after discussion how much he would charge I was happy for him to do the job.


Unfortunately 26th November was also the day of Storm Arwen and as I live in a rural area of Aberdeenshire the situation changed overnight.


A few weeks later I hadn't received any contact from the electrician and hadn't got a reply to further texts (I could understand this as there were people in much greater need of his services after the storm than I was).


As I really wanted the mirror up before Christmas I decided 4 days ago to crack on myself & the job turned out to be much easier than I had imagined.

I removed the shaver socket and moved the existing cable that had been connected to the shaver socket up to a new hole I had cut in the appropriate place to power the mirror (the cable was on a lighting circuit as i had suspected).

I then repaired the old hole with battens & plasterboard & then installed / connected the mirror.


A few quid saved with no dramas & mirror working fine so happy days.


The electrician actually phoned a couple of days ago to apologise for lack of contact & to say that he could do the job that afternoon. (as well as the storm disruption he had also lost his mobile & therefore my contact details).

Although I didn't use him this time I'd certainly give him a call next time I want to avoid electrocuting myself.


Thanks again for all your advice.