Bathroom socket in Adria Matrix

[SalcombeRegis]

Hi. I have a new Adria Matrix Axess 600SL.

In the bathroom cabinet is a blanked off socket where for the UK market it contravenes regulations so there is a blanking plate. Looks like the rest of the sockets - just a circular plate in the middle.

Does anyone know 1. Are the wires behind but just terminated? and 2. How do you get the face plate off to have a look?

Any advice appreciated?

 

[Minxy]

Doesn't make much odds in my experience the RCD nearly always trips before a fuse blows.

Not in our place - we used to have a VERY sensitive consumer unit in which the slightest thing would flick the main switch off so our whole place was with out electric this happened a lot when the local electric company changed over from one power producer to another so would trip the ruddy thing. We eventually replaced it with one that wasn't quite so 'touchy' so it doesn't flip all the time and instead the individual room ones go off but usually only if it's something like a bulb going when we first turn a light on, if it's a table lamp for example the fuse in the plug goes instead.

 

[cmcardle75]

Not in our place - we used to have a VERY sensitive consumer unit in which the slightest thing would flick the main switch off so our whole place was with out electric this happened a lot when the local electric company changed over from one power producer to another so would trip the ruddy thing. We eventually replaced it with one that wasn't quite so 'touchy' so it doesn't flip all the time and instead the individual room ones go off but usually only if it's something like a bulb going when we first turn a light on, if it's a table lamp for example the fuse in the plug goes instead.

You still have incandescent light bulbs? We stopped using those in the mid 1990s. I thought they'd been banned?

 

[autorouter]

In the UK you can, if you want, wire in a 20A radial circuit with several sockets on it, instead of a ring main. You might want to do that for a garage, workshop, extension etc. Obviously you can't fit the same number of sockets as on a 32A ring, but two radials is much the same as a ring. I don't think any motorhome is wired as a ring.

 

[Minxy]

You still have incandescent light bulbs? We stopped using those in the mid 1990s. I thought they'd been banned?

It was one of those 'spiral' energy saver ones.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ambulancekidd]

Lenny. i have RCD's in my house but i still wouldn't have a3 pin 240 volt socket in the bathroom

I quite agree, what would you use a 240v socket in the bathroom for anyway?

 

[cmcardle75]

I quite agree, what would you use a 240v socket in the bathroom for anyway?

It's so you can dry your hair whilst sitting in the bath.

 

[Ian Bosman]

Lenny. i have RCD's in my house but i still wouldn't have a3 pin 240 volt socket in the bathroom

In a bathroom in a household it is safe to have a 13am 3pin socket which is designed for bathrooms, they have a 1:1 transformer which automatically isolates it from the mains therefore not lethal and legal

 

[Vipar]

It doesn’t matter if you break the cover as you are going to change it for a socket anyway.

 

[Ian Bosman]

Hi. I have a new Adria Matrix Axess 600SL.

In the bathroom cabinet is a blanked off socket where for the UK market it contravenes regulations so there is a blanking plate. Looks like the rest of the sockets - just a circular plate in the middle.

Does anyone know 1. Are the wires behind but just terminated? and 2. How do you get the face plate off to have a look?

Any advice appreciated?

A picture would help with the second question

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ian Bosman]

House regs.... Bathroom should only have a proper shaver socket, a vapour proof light and a pull cord or external light switch.

Motorhomes.... Do as you please.

For the uninitiated the shaver socket has a 1:1 transformer which isolates from the mains, that Is what meant in my post about the socket.

 

[Bessy765]

There is a 240 socket in the bathroom of our 2019 Burstner? bought brand new

 

[Bessy765]

It’s true water and electric don’t mix,

 

[SalcombeRegis]

If it's just been done for the UK market it may actually have been altered by the selling dealer who may have ben a bit 'over-sensitive' to the supposed rules (no idea why as we've never had them blocked off in any of our MHs). The wires will still be there behind the plate and just made safe as there's no way Adria would make a loom and/or alter they way the manufacture purely for us lot.

Just turn off the electrics and remove the cover to have a shuftie - the likelihood is that the cover just clips on - if you can give us a photo we'll be able to advice more specifically.

Looked a bit further this weekend and found the 240v cables. Live, neutral and earth. All with wago clips and red insulation tape. New IP44 socket now all connected, tested and safely tucked away. As you correctly said - they would not change the loom just for the UK market.

The regs in my opinion are there for good reason to prevent the less savvy from killing themselves but it must be down to choice and perceived risk.

If the risk was high then Europe would not do it in the first place, and you can’t have too many sockets in your living space especially as there are not a lot in a MH in the first place.

End result is that I am happy and in reality no bigger risk than the socket that is above the cooker/sink in the kitchen area - that is permitted!

Thanks all for your advice and pointers. ️️

 

[63720]

We have a bathroom socket in ours. I don't perceive this as a problem because it's in a cupboard and our van is not connected to a mains water supply (earth leakage return path), the only danger as I see it is the possibility of touching it with wet hands, a bit of self discipline removes the hazard. Including the garage we have 8 sockets and we have a purpose for them all when on hookup.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

For those who are concerned about mains sockets in bathrooms they could put in a child safety cover to protect it from splashes etc or accidentally touching it.

 

[autorouter]

the only danger as I see it is the possibility of touching it with wet hands, a bit of self discipline removes the hazard.

There are other dangers, some far-fetched but possible. Standing in the shower space with wet hands and feet, with a hairdryer for example. The purpose of regulations is to make scenarios like that impossible. Ok you would never do that, but the designers have to allow for teenagers too. Fortunately RCDs are a gamechanger when it comes to electrical safety.

 

[PhilandFran]

We just bought a second hand Pilote G740. We had it independently inspected by Greenfields for a habitation check. When we went to pick it up we discovered that the bathroom socket had been disconnected by them as it was a code one (??). All this means is that my husband (who is not an electrician) is going to reinstate it. What a waste of time! All the four rental motor homes we have used in the last year have had sockets in the bathrooms. I understand that if the shower was in the same room this could pose an unacceptable risk, but in this case the shower is separate.

 

[Ian Bosman]

For those who are concerned about mains sockets in bathrooms they could put in a child safety cover to protect it from splashes etc or accidentally touching it.

Child safety covers on Uk style 3pin socket must never be used as they make the socket, which is the world’s safest, unsafe which should have shutters in the pin holes to stop little fingers. The holes are too small for little fingers anyway. All the electrical safety experts agree on these so if you use them throw them away. If the socket is the continental two pin then they do not have shutters so do need to be protected or disconnected.

 

[Ian Bosman]

For the uninitiated the shaver socket has a 1:1 transformer which isolates from the mains, that Is what meant in my post about the socket.

absolutely agree that a 1:1 transformer is a fully safe option on any socket if you are unhappy about the pin holes being accessible but the UK 3 pin is safe anyway but the regs make it doubly safe.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[John Barrett]

The van has an RCD so it's safe, every van we have had has a socket in the bathroom, I'm still alive.

Agreed. I've put a socket in both of ours. It's the Nanny State at work, again!

 

[Ian Bosman]

Maybe there real issue is that electricians are presumably trained for day to day stuff in the domestic and industrial applications not in the motorhome applications. The former applications are well covered with regulations but the regulatory body for motorhomes and caravans (the tugging variety) is who?

 

[stevewagner]

House regs.... Bathroom should only have a proper shaver socket, a vapour proof light and a pull cord or external light switch.

Motorhomes.... Do as you please.

Sockets allowed in a bathroom if more than 3 metres from the bath. Bathrooms that big are rare but do exist.

 

[stevewagner]

Doesn't make much odds in my experience the RCD nearly always trips before a fuse blows.

An RCD trips with earth fault across earth/neutral or earth/positive. A fuse or MCB blows for a dead short or overload. You can get a shock from a fitting without tripping an RCD.

 

[Otter Spotter]

The van has an RCD so it's safe, every van we have had has a socket in the bathroom, I'm still alive.

That’s cos your not daft enough to stick anything in the hole

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mitzimad]

two points that popped into my mind
1 was the socket wired for240 0r 12v our bursner has a 12v socket
2 if were going to apply uk domestic rules ie no sockets within a metre of the sink in a 6metre van they will be on the back doors and dash

 

[Otter Spotter]

You still have incandescent light bulbs? We stopped using those in the mid 1990s. I thought they'd been banned?

Sales have, use not

 

[mitzimad]

i recently installed a shower cubicle that had a usb charging point inside for what i have no idea

 

[Otter Spotter]

i recently installed a shower cubicle that had a usb charging point inside for what i have no idea

Beard trimmer

 

[Lenny HB]

That’s cos your not daft enough to stick anything in the hole

Well I ain't going to stick me togger in there.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Beard trimmer

A charge on mine lasts 3 or 4 months never had to charge it when away on the van.