It's hard to believe, but until 1996 there was a ban on sockets in the bathroom. Now this is a necessity, because the number of electrical partitions that people use in it has increased. These include an electric razor and a toothbrush, an epilator, a hair dryer, a water tank, a washing machine, and sometimes even a radio, telephone, tablet, etc. Given such a long list of electrical appliances needed in the bathroom, it becomes clear that you can do without an outlet not allowed.
The ban existed in order to protect people from fire and electric shock, because the bathroom is humid, and electricity and water are incompatible. It is believed that pure water without impurities is a poor conductor of current, but the water that flows from the tap contains salts, chlorine and various chemical compounds that make it an excellent conductor. When installing electrical appliances and sockets in the bathroom, you must be extremely careful and be guided by the principle of security, and not the principle of convenience. If you ignore certain rules of the installation of electrical installations, this can result in a breakdown of the socket, electrical appliance or even the occurrence of a fire.
Particular attention should be paid to the outlet for such an assistant housewife as a washing machine, which has become an indispensable attribute of a modern bathroom. How to choose, place and install a socket for a washing machine in the bathroom , protecting yourself and your loved ones, is described in this article.
Features of the outlet for the washing machine
There are special requirements for sockets for washing machines in the bathroom due to the fact that these electrical appliances have an increased level of energy consumption due to the presence of heating elements in them. In addition, they are often installed in the bathroom, where you need to be extremely careful with electricity.
Residual Current Device (RCD)
For security reasons, you should give preference to a socket with a built-in RCD or install it separately in the electrical panel. This device can protect against electric shock - it stops its supply if there is a leak on the case, as well as with a short circuit or touch to live elements. With the help of an RCD, it is possible to prevent the failure of an electrical appliance and the occurrence of a fire. The highest leakage current is 30 mA.
Power
The power of the outlet depends on the power of the washing machine that connects to it: the higher it is, the greater the load must withstand the outlet. If the power of the machine is within 3 kW, then the outlet should be chosen with a power of at least 16 A (amperes). If the power of the outlet does not match, it turns out to be less than what is required, then it will melt. As a result, short circuiting may occur in a humid environment.
Moisture proof
The socket in the bathroom for the washing machine must be waterproof, covered with a lid so that water does not get into it. In the inside of such outlets there are rubber rings, the presence of which reduces the risk of sparks and, as a result, short circuit.
There are 8 degrees of moisture resistance of outlets, of which only 3 are suitable for a washing machine in the bathroom:
- IPX 4 - protection against splashes in any direction;
- IPX 5 - protection against jets;
- IPX 6 - protection against strong jets.
The choice of degree depends on the location of the outlet. If it is located away from the shower, bath and sink, then the first 2 types (IPX 4 or IPX5) are suitable, if close to IPX 6. A photo of the outlet for a washing machine in a bathroom with a high level of moisture resistance is presented below.
Grounding
In addition to the protective shutdown device, the sockets for the washing machine must have a protective earth. The residual current device will work without it, but the level of protection will be much lower. In addition, the washing machine may shock if there is no grounding.
To connect it, one of the conductors of a three-core copper wire for a socket is used.
All conductive elements (e.g. metal bathtub, steel wire) must be grounded in the bathroom.
Cable section
When buying a cable for an outlet, you should pay attention not only to its length, but also to its cross section. The durability of the washing machine and the outlet depends on this. In addition, if it is less than it should, the wire may burn out and cause a fire.
The selection of wire depends on the power of the device that plugs into the outlet, in this case, the power of the washing machine. It is indicated in the instructions and on the device case (in extreme cases, you can see the power of a car of any model on the Internet).
Information on what section the wire should be for a machine of a certain power can be found in the rules in the Electrical Installation Rules (PUE). The table from the PUE is presented below.
Power of electric appliance, kW | Cable cross section mm |
4.1 | 1,5 |
5.9 | 2,5 |
8.3 | 4 |
10.1 | 6 |
15.4 | 10 |
18.7 | 16 |
25.3 | 25 |
For a machine with a power of, for example, 3 kW (the most common type), a cable with a cross section of 1.5 square meters is required. mm, but you can make a margin and purchase a cable with a large cross section - 2.5 square meters. mm
You cannot use one outlet for all electrical appliances. For such a powerful technique as a washing machine, there should be a separate outlet and a separate cable. If it is not possible to make several outlets, then the total power of all connected electrical devices should be taken into account and a cable with a large cross section should be selected.
The wire for the outlet must be enclosed in a silicone or plastic cable channel.
Concealed wiring type
All cables in the bathroom, including for the washing machine, are laid in a hidden way, i.e. inside the walls, without access to the surface.
If this is not possible and the wires are laid openly, then they must be insulated. You can not use a metal sleeve, lay cables in steel pipes, use metal brackets without coating for fastening.
Bathroom areas
Depending on the location of objects in the bathroom, it is divided into zones. Not all of them are favorable for the placement of outlets.
In the "zero" zone are the shower, bath - those objects that create a large amount of spray. Therefore, the placement of the outlet for the washing machine in this area of the bathroom is undesirable.
In the first and second zones of the outlet can be mounted, because they are water heating appliances and exhaust fans.
But the third most favorable area of the bathroom for the location of the outlet is the third one - it is designed for this, because here you can not be afraid of water entering them.
The photo below shows all 3 zones, the last of which is the most favorable for placing the outlet for the washing machine in the bath.
Location of the outlet for the washing machine
For convenience, the outlet is located next to the washing machine and, as already mentioned, away from the shower, bathtub, so that there is less chance of water entering. If the outlet is needed near the washbasin, it is better to place it on the side, it is forbidden to do this above or below the sink.
Also, do not place outlets on cold walls where condensation is constantly forming to avoid moisture.
The outlet for the washing machine should be at a height of not less than 60 cm. The distance from the floor can be even greater (some experts recommend even 180 cm). This will protect it from water in case of flooding the bathroom. Too high a socket is also not recommended: it is necessary that the wires of the washing machine are enough to connect it. Often, for the location of the outlet, a height of about 100 cm from the floor is chosen (with an average height of the washing machine of 85 cm). A power outlet is located above the machine for easy operation.
The rule of “sixty centimeters” applies not only to height: the outlet for the washing machine in the bathroom should be located no closer than 60 cm from the nearest water source.
Wire route
To save material, the wire is laid by the shortest route. The wire for the outlet intended for the washing machine must not intersect with other branches of the electric wire. No junction boxes are also recommended - this is dangerous. When laying, the wettest sections of the walls should be avoided (near the sink, bathtub, shower). Strong, load-bearing walls should also be avoided - gating can complicate the reinforced mesh located in them.
Socket connection diagram
The socket and the washing machine must be connected via a residual current device. It can be installed in a power outlet or after an opening machine that supplies this group. A three-core copper wire is separately conducted from the shield to the outlet.
Installation Instructions
Work with electrical wiring is considered particularly difficult and dangerous. Therefore, if there is no experience in this area (or at least experienced assistants), then it is worth instructing the installation of the outlet in the bathroom to professionals who will give a one hundred percent guarantee of electrical safety.
If you have to install the outlet yourself, then you need to do this, observing safety precautions. First of all, you need to work in protective gloves. The working area must be completely de-energized. It is important to clearly plan how to make a socket in the bathroom for the washing machine: it is better to divide all the work into steps and think through each of them, from ditching the walls and installing the socket and ending with the installation and installation of the socket itself.
Installation of the outlet begins with determining its location, according to the requirements described above. Marked. After that, it is necessary to make a hole in the wall under the outlet with the help of a crown for a perforator.
Then, using a puncher or grinder, deep strobes for wires in the cable channel are knocked out. An easier option would be to punch a hole in the wall, but in this case too noticeable traces will remain.
A protective shutdown device is installed in the electrical panel (if it is not built into the outlet). When the wire is laid in the cable channel and connected to the RCD, you can lead it through the strobe to the outlet for the washing machine in the bathroom. Then, using a cement mortar, an undersocket is installed in the hole, the wire cores are connected to the contacts of the outlet and its external part is mounted. After checking the operability of the wall outlet, you need to bring it back to its original state, and you're done.
Based on the foregoing, we can formulate the basic requirements for the sockets for a washing machine in the bathroom and other electrical equipment necessary for its connection to the network:
- The presence of a residual current device designed for leakage current not exceeding 30 m.
- Socket power not less than 16 A (for a 3 kW machine).
- Water tightness of the socket (protective cover, protection of degree IPX 4, IPX 5, IPX 6).
- The presence of grounding contact.
- Cable with a cross section of 2.5 square meters. mm
- Concealed cable management.
- The location of the outlet for the washing machine in the bathroom at a height of not less than 60 cm from the floor in the 3rd zone of the room is away from sources of water that create a large amount of spray.
Fulfillment of these requirements for the selection and installation of the outlet will reduce the risk of such unpleasant consequences as electrical equipment failure, electric shock or fire. When installing the outlet for the washing machine in the bathroom - a room with high humidity, a prerequisite is security.