[Technology] Question for NSC's electricians - washing machine in bathroom.

[happypig]

We're doing up our house and are thinking of relocating the washing machine and tumble dryer into a cupboard in the bathroom.
Is it allowed ?

 

[Giraffe]

Morally frowned upon I'd say.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Not an electrician but.....

If the cupboard wall is in internal and the sockets are the other side of the wall? Why not?

 

[Bodian]

We had our washing machine in the bathroom for many years (not in a cupboard). The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom.

 

[Monkey Man]

We're having some building work done and I'm pretty sure the electrician said that rules have changed about electricity in bathrooms, partly because of modern circuit breakers being so effective. I seem to recall him saying that various regulations have been relaxed or amended.

Two caveats here:

(a) I don't really understand how electricity works
(b) I could have completely misremembered the conversation.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Why not use a bath or shower like everyone else?

 

[jackanada]

If the manufacturer allows it you can have an appliance in a bathroom without it being in a cupboard. RCD protected circuit and connected with FCU rather than plug socket.

 

[Madafwo]

When we had our loft converted we had a small utility room put in, accessed through the bathroom. Not once was it mentioned about the potential safety risks as it's completely cut off from the bathroom by a door. You should be fine.

 

[Justice]

You can have a socket 3m from the shower or bath and is has to be installed out of the out of the zone, less distance to play with and it must be a fused spur connection, obviously backed up with an RCD/RCBO. I’ve seen plenty in bathrooms housed in purposely built cupboards.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Five minute job

 

[Official Old Man]

My first thoughts, as an old time electrician, was 100% NO.
But times have changed now. Apparently ring mains are no more, but that's another subject.
Bodians comments of "The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom" obviously forgets that a washing machine is full of electric circuitry all with 240v running through.
So my thoughts are simple. Do you have hot baths or showers resulting in a steam filled bathroom. Yes, then forget it.

 

[Bodian]

My first thoughts, as an old time electrician, was 100% NO.
But times have changed now. Apparently ring mains are no more, but that's another subject.
Bodians comments of "The cable went through the wall, and the sockets were in the kitchen - so no live electrics in the bathroom" obviously forgets that a washing machine is full of electric circuitry all with 240v running through.
So my thoughts are simple. Do you have hot baths or showers resulting in a steam filled bathroom. Yes, then forget it.

Ha - yes, indeed. Never really thought about that at the time! Mind, I'm still alive. During the time we were at that house I fixed the cables in the hall lightswitch after turning off the downstairs light circuit - only to find that of course as the switch also did the landing light...... And that was also when I cut the old cable off the hoover for future use, forgetting to unplug it first (well, it wasn't working so there was no electricity through it...) - I still have the kitchen knife with a big hole in the blade to remind me.

So, perhaps I'm not the best person to comment on electrics.....

 

[Cheshire Cat]

https://darwinawards.com/

When do nominations open for 2021?

 

[Live by the sea]

I know nothing about electrics but I do know that if you are at some time in the future looking to sell your house , it is very off putting for buyers to see a washing machine in a bathroom or a boiler in a bedroom .

Put your boiler downstairs enclosed in a unit that you can access easily and your washing machine in a utility room . If you don’t have a utility room , see if you have space to get it fitted in your kitchen behind a kitchen unit so it doesn’t stick out and is seamlessly intergrated .

You’re welcome…

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

When I first arrived in the States I was surprised at having electrical outlets in the bathroom. Apparently it's perfectly safe as long as they are protected by a circuit breaker and also their voltage is less at 120V.

I've never been convinced somehow as I don't think electricity and water / steam mix and never use them.

 

[BN9 BHA]

We're doing up our house and are thinking of relocating the washing machine and tumble dryer into a cupboard in the bathroom.
Is it allowed ?

Handy for washing bath towels

 

[dazzer6666]

I know nothing about electrics but I do know that if you are at some time in the future looking to sell your house , it is very off putting for buyers to see a washing machine in a bathroom or a boiler in a bedroom .

Put your boiler downstairs enclosed in a unit that you can access easily and your washing machine in a utility room . If you don’t have a utility room , see if you have space to get it fitted in your kitchen behind a kitchen unit so it doesn’t stick out and is seamlessly intergrated .

You’re welcome…

Might be a few issues with not having boilers in bedrooms.........what if she doesn’t want to be ‘enclosed downstairs’ ?

 

[BN9 BHA]

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Very common in Germany I believe, as I understand it they find it quite amusing that we get undressed upstairs but carry our clothes downstairs to a different room then take them back up once clean and dry.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Very common in Germany I believe, as I understand it they find it quite amusing that we get undressed upstairs but carry our clothes downstairs to a different room then take them back up once clean and dry.

The hours must fly by in Germany if they find this funny.