Bathroom latch

All electrical lighting questions in here please. Including outside lighting and light switch / dimmer questions.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
AidanOrton
Newly registered Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:41 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Bathroom latch

Post by AidanOrton »

Hi

Newbie here, so please be gentle.

I'm in the middle of a bathroom refit and I dislike having pull cords, but the problem with light switches outside the room is someone can switch the light off when you're in the shower with the door locked.

I have an idea that if I have a normal external light switch and a micro switch on the door I could latch the light on until the door is open.

In an ideal world, with the door open the external switch would behave as normal and with the door closed its state would be latched until the door is open.

A latching relay feels the way to go, but if anyone could offer advice or knowledge of any regulations preventing this, it'd be appreciated.

Thanks,

Aidan
dewaltdisney
Senior Member
Posts: 16947
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:51 pm
Location: Essex
Has thanked: 807 times
Been thanked: 3500 times

Bathroom latch

Post by dewaltdisney »

Buy a movement detector bulb, about a fiver.

DWD
User avatar
Someone-Else
Senior Member
Posts: 14582
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:03 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 2561 times

Bathroom latch

Post by Someone-Else »

Seems an odd thing to do, but if you want to, that would be up to you, providing everything is suitably protected. You could of course have a normal switch, provided it is more than 60cm from the edge of the bath, and the circuit is RCD protected.
Above are my opinions Below is my signature.

Would you hit a nail with a shoe because you don't have a hammer? of course not, then why work on anything electrical without a means of testing Click Here to buy a "tester" just because it works, does NOT mean it is safe.

:mrgreen: If gloom had a voice, it would be me.

:idea1: Click Here for a video how to add/change pictures


Inept people use the QUOTE BUTTON instead of the QUICK REPLY section :-)
OnlyMe
Approved Electrician
Posts: 3114
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire
Has thanked: 225 times
Been thanked: 662 times

Bathroom latch

Post by OnlyMe »

AidanOrton wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:51 pm Hi

Newbie here, so please be gentle.

I'm in the middle of a bathroom refit and I dislike having pull cords, but the problem with light switches outside the room is someone can switch the light off when you're in the shower with the door locked.
So? Either break their fingers or put the lightswitch on the inside.
AidanOrton
Newly registered Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:41 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Bathroom latch

Post by AidanOrton »

Hmm, shame not to have a solution to the idea raised, but some interesting feedback.

Despite being a decent sized bathroom, there's not zone 3 space around the door for a normal light switch and I don't fancy flapping my arms around from the bath\shower to get the lights back on, but passive \ low voltage switches in zone 2 seem to be an option, so I'll investigate those.

Thanks.
dewaltdisney
Senior Member
Posts: 16947
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:51 pm
Location: Essex
Has thanked: 807 times
Been thanked: 3500 times

Bathroom latch

Post by dewaltdisney »

Well for a fiver it is worth a go, my porch light is very sensitive to any movement and in a bathroom, there is detectable movement, unless you have a shower curtain. You could maybe go a step further and look at a smart LED bulb that you can control with your phone or Alexa. Have a look at this one from Argos https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1931738 ... R=plp:9:36

DWD
User avatar
Someone-Else
Senior Member
Posts: 14582
Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:03 pm
Has thanked: 47 times
Been thanked: 2561 times

Bathroom latch

Post by Someone-Else »

AidanOrton wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:21 amthere's not zone 3 space around the door for a normal light switch
There is no zone 3, that is why I said as I did. Zone 3 went with the 17th edition
Above are my opinions Below is my signature.

Would you hit a nail with a shoe because you don't have a hammer? of course not, then why work on anything electrical without a means of testing Click Here to buy a "tester" just because it works, does NOT mean it is safe.

:mrgreen: If gloom had a voice, it would be me.

:idea1: Click Here for a video how to add/change pictures


Inept people use the QUOTE BUTTON instead of the QUICK REPLY section :-)
AidanOrton
Newly registered Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:41 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Bathroom latch

Post by AidanOrton »

Someone-Else wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:07 am
AidanOrton wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:21 amthere's not zone 3 space around the door for a normal light switch
There is no zone 3, that is why I said as I did. Zone 3 went with the 17th edition
Sigh, pedant award goes to.. Anything outside zone 2, not in a zone, safety zone, non-wet area, call it what you will.
OnlyMe
Approved Electrician
Posts: 3114
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:01 pm
Location: South Yorkshire
Has thanked: 225 times
Been thanked: 662 times

Bathroom latch

Post by OnlyMe »

AidanOrton wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:15 pm Sigh, pedant award goes to.. Anything outside zone 2, not in a zone, safety zone, non-wet area, call it what you will.
So you mean it's a tiny bathroom then?
AidanOrton
Newly registered Member
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:41 pm
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 0

Bathroom latch

Post by AidanOrton »

OnlyMe wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:43 pm
AidanOrton wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:15 pm Sigh, pedant award goes to.. Anything outside zone 2, not in a zone, safety zone, non-wet area, call it what you will.
So you mean it's a tiny bathroom then?
2.25m x 3m, tiny?
Post Reply

Return to “Lighting”