Can you put a consumer unit in a bathroom?

Your consumer unit should be nowhere near a shower room. Get an Electrician in to advise you the builder saying boxing it in is totally wrong, you are not allowed to have a wall switch in a bathroom/shower room let alone a consumer unit!

Can you have an electrical box in a bathroom?

Is it legal to have an electrical panel located in a bathroom? An electrical panel containing the service disconnecting means cannot be located in a bathroom [230.70(A)(2)]. In dwelling units and guest rooms or suites of hotels and motels, overcurrent devices cannot be located in bathrooms [240.24(E)].

Where can a consumer unit be located?

An often overlooked element of fitting a consumer unit is the location where it is placed. Consumer units are famously located in some of the most awkward places imaginable often behind piles of storage boxes, in the darkest corner at floor level!

Can you put a subpanel in a bathroom?

As per the IRC and NEC, A subpanel can not be installed in a bathroom or half bath. While subpanels can be protected against moisture, the prohibition likely exists because of evidence of foolish installation in places like showers. If the bathroom subpanel was installed before 1993, it can be grandfathered in.

Can I put consumer unit in cupboard?

Answered by Farrah, Electrical Safety Expert

The consumer unit needs to be accessible for operation and maintenance and therefore being located in a cupboard containing a hot water tank and immersion heater is not a great idea. The temperature in the cupboard also needs to be taken into consideration.

Electrical Work in Bathroom - Consumer Advice

Can a consumer unit be boxed in?

Consumer units boxed in wooden cupboard or mounted under wooden stairs are seen as a fire hazard as these materials are highly combustible. According to building regulations your consumer unit should be enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure constructed of non-combustible material such as steel.

Should plastic consumer units be replaced in 2020?

Old style plastic consumer units no longer meet new regulations, however they don't need to be replaced. So long as their safety features are up to date (such as old MCBs updated to RCBOs) and they are fully enclosed in a non-combustible casing, they can remain in the property.

Can a junction box be in a bathroom?

There are no restrictions of any kind referring to junction boxes in a shower in the NEC so there is no code reference to refer to. Same goes for height restrictions for light fixtures. I found a junction box in a shower. It was a big fancy shower in a big fancy house.

Can you have a fuse box in a toilet?

The consumer unit (fuse box) would be fine as long as you can get to it from the hallway side and not from beside the toilet. Some careful thought on the toilet and waste, whether the waste pipe will exit under the toilet or out the back into the space where the electrics are.

How close can an electrical panel be to a shower?

You should keep the receptacle at least 6 feet away from the edge of a bathtub or shower and at least 1 foot away from sinks.

Do I need building regs for a new consumer unit?

Replacing a consumer unit is notifiable works under Part P of the building regulations. Not only does the work have to comply with the Electrical wiring regulations (BS7671) but it is a legal requirement for it to be notified.

Can you put a consumer unit in a garage?

A Garage Consumer is a type of consumer unit and distribution board (aka mini consumer unit) used to extend and provide electric supply to the exterior buildings such as shed, workshop or other outdoor installations in the garage. A garage consumer unit is used to feed up fewer load circuits (generally 2-5 units).

Is it against code to have a breaker box in a bathroom?

NEC 240.24(E) prohibits overcurrent devices in bathrooms (which fuses and breaker both are).

Is it illegal to have a plug socket in the bathroom UK?

Electrical sockets are permitted in bathrooms or shower rooms as long as they are located more than 3m from the edge of the bath or shower. Specially designed shaver units are an exception to this rule and can be located slightly nearer, but still no closer than 600mm from the bath or shower.

Do bathrooms have to be on their own circuit?

A The main rule of Section 210-11(c)(3) requires a 20A circuit that is dedicated to bathroom receptacle outlets. It does not require a separate circuit for each bathroom. One circuit may supply multiple bathrooms as long as only bathroom receptacles are supplied.

Can a fuse box be in a bathroom UK?

Your consumer unit should be nowhere near a shower room. Get an Electrician in to advise you the builder saying boxing it in is totally wrong, you are not allowed to have a wall switch in a bathroom/shower room let alone a consumer unit!

Can an electrical panel share a wall with a bathroom?

Answer: No. All electrical conductors, equipment, light fixtures and so on must be identified for use in the operating environment in which they will be installed (indoor dry locations, indoor or outdoor wet locations, hazardous [explosive] location inside a vehicle paint spray booth, etc.).

Can I have a fused switch in a bathroom?

Your electrician is right, a switched fused spur inside the bathroom is totally unsafe and not compliant with BS7671:2008 wiring regulations.

Can you have an electrical panel in a bedroom?

Yes, a bedroom is an allowed location for an electrical panel. When the panel is placed in the bedroom, the electrician usually puts it in the area behind the door swing.

Which breaker is for the bathroom?

This has happened just over the past year or so. The circuit breaker in your bathroom is called a Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) and is a safety device designed to protect you and not the circuit, the breakers in your electrical panel do that.

Does a consumer unit have to be metal?

Metal Consumer units have been a requirement in 'NEW INSTALLATIONS' since Amendment 3 to the 17th edition of the wiring regulations. This is not that new, it actually became a requirement for new consumer unit installations as of 1st Jan 2016.

How much does it cost to change consumer unit?

Depending on your needs, the cost of an upgrade will vary. A standard 40 amp unit to a 63 amp consumer unit will run about £300 to £350, and if you need more power from your fuse box, you'll add about £50 for each additional 10 amps. While a larger 100 amp unit can run up to £470 to £510.

Can you have 2 consumer units in a house?

You can certainly have as many CUs as you want. There is a BS 7671 regulation demanding that every installation has a (singular) "main switch".