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Update bathroom - RCD protection?

Posted by Andrew Doughty, on Fri 14 Jun 2013 07:21pm

I am thinking of updating our second bathroom. At the moment all it has is a light hanging from the ceiling and string pull switch. I will want to change the lights to LED recessed downlighting, add a toothbrush/shaver plug and put in an extractor fan. Can I have a fuse/switch/RCD on the wall outside the bathroom (in the hall) that will protect all of these without having to rewire the house? (obviously to be safe but also to comply with regulations).

Les Ward

Fri 14 Jun 2013 08:54pm

Hi Andrew, you do not need to rewire the circuit to add RCD protection at the consumer unit/ fuse board. The origin of the circuit is the logical place to add RCD protection. If the property was last rewired before the mid-sixties and there is no earth wire (CPC) in the lighting circuit, then rewiring is appropriate. As Ken Williams says, new electrical work in rooms containing a bath or shower is subject to building control and the easiest way to comply with these requirements is to use a Part P registered electrician.

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Ken Williams

Fri 14 Jun 2013 07:37pm

You can have an RCD fused spur supplying the power to the bathroom.. however you still need a qualified electrician who is Part P registered to do this as working in a bathroom is notifiable to building control.

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