Outlets in the bathroom : how to determine the location and installation, mounting

As recently as a few decades agoback electrical equipment bathrooms were very poor.Most often it is limited to single bulb on the ceiling.A little later came the first washing machines, which are often connected to the outlet, located outside of the bathroom.In the XXI century, our bathrooms have begun mass-filled electrical equipment, which required power supplies, located directly in the bathroom.The emergence of baths with whirlpool, showers, boilers and similar equipment has led to the need for sockets in the bathroom.

previously thought that the outlet is located near water sources, will necessarily lead to a short circuit, electrical appliances in the bathroom so try not to use.It has now become inevitable, and we are already hard to imagine a bathroom without a hair dryer, fan, electric, and other useful equipment.

There are a number of normative documents, which you can find requirements for arrangement of electrical wiring in different types of buildings.The most authoritative sources - this is the "Rules unit of electrical installations" (abbreviated RB) and GOST P 50571.11.

most important recommendations that must be followed, the following:

• If you live in an old house, in which the ground for the outlet is not provided, it is necessary to take care of it yourself.Devices with a small capacity can be powered by safety transformers.
• Since the bathroom is always increased humidity, the wiring should be made flush.However, this statement is only recommendatory in nature.The main thing - is to ensure a good seal.
• For installation of sockets should be carefully choose the place: do not do it on the walls that are prone to condensation and closer than 0.6 meters from the pool.
• In the bathroom you need to choose the electrical outlet, having a certain degree of protection against moisture and dust.It is denoted by the abbreviation IP and two digits.These sockets are equipped with caps and rubber elements.Minimum permissible in the bathroom protection - IP 44.
• If you intend to connect many high-power electrical appliances, make sure you install the wiring device tripping that is capable of protecting your family and appliances from the effects of electric current.
• to install high-power electrical requirements are usually stated in the instruction manual.Be sure to follow them!Use three-prong outlet with a three-core cable and circuit breaker.
• If you do not have sufficient knowledge in the field of electrical, leave all work on the device wiring professional electrician.

close electricity contact with water, a priori can not be safe, so the standards are not recommended to install the outlet in the bathroom smaller areaeight square meters.However, in our apartments, where even the food is often just short of the six "squares", meet this requirement virtually impossible.

safety of using electrical outlets in the bathrooms is directly dependent on the equipment used.Let's talk about it in more detail:

1. Ground. If you live in a building, something about it will likely take care of you builders.Owners of the "Khrushchev" and "stalinok" less fortunate.But should not get upset: ground wiring in the bathroom is quite possible to own.The earthing circuit is usually located in the panel, next to the counter.You need to connect a single cable and lead to the individual boards, which is located in the apartment, or to the junction box with wires in the bathroom.
2. breaker, or as it is called in the people - "automatic", it is necessary only if in the bathroom would be a washing machine or boiler.For this purpose, suitable machine capacity of 16 amps.If the powerful appliances in the bathroom is not provided, you can do without it.
3. protective devices also recommended that you install only a highly loaded electrical wiring.However, you can install it and just to feel safe.If water gets into the socket, or any object that can lead to a voltage drop, the device will shut off the power supply, and nothing and no one gets hurt.
4. The bathroom can not be connected using wires, twists, terminal blocks and other similar products. All joints and connections should be carried out of the bathroom, even if you mount the hidden wiring.

As a rule, in the bathroom there is not much room to install an electrical outlet.The difficulties caused by the fact that not every piece of free space for this good.If visually divide the room into zones, it is possible to determine which place is best suited for socket installation.

total of such zones will be four:

• Zone 0 - this sanitary equipment: bath, sink, toilet, bidet, shower.In other words, everything that is connected with the water.In this zone installation sockets and other equipment, which voltage exceeds 12 V, except for those required for sanitary devices, it is prohibited.
• Zone 1 - are areas located above and below the area 0. Sockets are mounted is impossible, but it is possible to install water heating equipment with an earthed housing and protection class IP N5.
• Zone 2 - these are the 0.6 m, which must be separated from the water sources of electrical connection points.On this site, you can set the socket to protect from moisture class and not lower than IP N4.
• Zone 3 - the area that begins where the previous end zone.The width of this zone is 2.4 meters. It is already possible to install electrical outlets with protection class IP N1.

defined the place where the socket will be installed, you can go shopping.Choose the electrical socket for the bathroom is not too difficult, because of the diversity represented in the stores, we only fit a few.

In this article we have already mentioned that the outlet is installed in a room with high humidity, have to be protected against dripping water.

determine the degree of protection will help mark the type IP NN, where the first number shows the degree of protection against dust, and the second - from moisture.

have outlets class IP N0 protection is not, in principle, and IP N8 class sockets withstand prolonged immersion under water to a depth of 1 m

We need the golden mean -. IP N4 or IP N5.

Weatherproof outlet must be equipped with a lid and rubber waterproofing.It is also necessary to have a ground, that is, the presence of the third contact.

addition, sockets differ in the number of connected appliances.The most popular options - a single or double outlet.We recommend buying double sockets, as they help to save space and use two simultaneously appliance.

In addition, pay attention to the power, which is designed electrical outlet.To connect, for example, a washing machine, you need the power of not less than 16 amperes, and for more small household appliances will be enough 8 amperes.

first consider the case when the outlet installed in the bathroom on the first stage of repair, respectively, all finishing materials dismantled and we are dealing with a rough surface of the wall.

Work procedure:

• Setting outlet starts with the dirty work.To celebrate the beginning of the wall place where will be mounted socket.Then, using a punch with a special nozzle for work on concrete, punching a hole in this place for the Escutcheon.Further, Stroebe wall of the hole to the ceiling.Under the ceiling break through the wall through-hole, through which we will then pull the wires.
• A simpler option - it is just through prodolbit wall, in a place where it will be located outlet.But in this case Realized installation work will have to carefully mask.
• podrozetnik Puts in place and fix it with a solution of alabaster.It clings to it three-core cable and Stroebe taking it outside the bathroom, fixing with the help of plaster.
• Install the socket on the Escutcheon and connect the cable to the main wiring - boards or junction box, depending on the capacity of the equipment used.

It also happens that the repairlong ago finished in the bathroom: electricity conducted sockets are installed, but suddenly need to connect another device, which requires a separate outlet.How to be, because the use of extensions and adapters is not recommended in the bathroom?In this case, you can install an additional power outlet is not completely knocking the finish coating from the walls.However, the outlet will be located very low, almost at floor level.

To do this:

• distribution board is de-energized;
• from the distribution panel is energized new wire and pull it under the baseboard;
• remove the topcoat from the place where it will be installed and outlet to the floor;
• in the removed wall coverings (for example, in the tile) drilled hole for Escutcheon;
• assemble podrazetnik;
• drilled in the wall of the channel to the floor and a hole was drilled under the baseboard;
• stretch through the cable to the Escutcheon;
• return topcoat in place and collect outlet.