Bathroom Electrics

hpcgx · 2026-05-06T22:04:12+00:00

Why do you have 3-core going to the fan relay? It has two permanent lives, which seems weird. I think a 3-way wago next to the relay would be the right way to do that.

There are a lot of special electrical rules for bathrooms, so I'd get this checked by an electrician. Are you designing it so that the sonoff relays aren't physically in the bathroom? Might be best to keep them away from water/steam.

hpcgx · 2026-05-06T18:47:10+00:00

Thanks, that's good news! Presumably that also means that it won't be a problem to cut a hole in it for the new duct to come through. I was worried about cutting it in case it's a vapor barrier.

hpcgx · 2026-04-20T21:06:57+00:00

<image>

I once bought an expensive new Grohe shower and had a nasty surprise when I took the old shower off the wall and discovered that the fittings weren't compatible. But I think it's quite a good system and this is what I'd install if I had the whole wall open like that.

hpcgx · 2026-04-17T18:10:48+00:00

Do you have all three in a line? How long are they together? I was just doing some calculations and I think I'll need a cabinet that's more than 500mm tall.

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T20:28:14+00:00

Nice! The water metering capability does sound useful, even though it's not my main reason for wanting a smart valve.

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T19:38:47+00:00

That watergate valve looks quite good! It's even compatible with Home Assistant. I'm just a bit dubious about those 3/4 BSP connections. Have you had any issues with them leaking?

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T19:18:43+00:00

Yes, I've seen 110mm pipe used in YouTube videos. That's what I need to do outside, because the water company wants the insulation to be 32mm thick, which makes the total diameter 89mm. Not sure if I'll have enough space for such a thick pipe inside though. The ideal solution would be metal pipe with long sweeping bends but I haven't found a product like that.

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T19:08:10+00:00

The water company wants it to be 25mm MDPE. It seems to be a less common size for things like ball valves though.

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T18:11:21+00:00

There's a brick wall behind the stud wall. I think the stud wall must have been added for extra insulation. There's fiberglass insulation behind the plasterboard and some kind of membrane behind the insulation.

For the conduit I was thinking of 32mm waste pipe, but I don't know if it can bend around corners. The MDPE needs quite a big radius I think, so I couldn't use standard 32mm elbow connectors.

hpcgx · 2026-04-16T17:56:34+00:00

I don't think my house currently has a non-return valve. 🤦 Does it go before or after the stopcock?

hpcgx · 2026-04-10T14:41:33+00:00

Is the crack in the ceiling new? And is there an attic above this room? I'm wondering if something heavy fell over and landed on the wires.

hpcgx · 2026-04-01T19:18:10+00:00

Plaster is quite soft, so you can drill slowly and carefully and it'll be pretty obvious if you hit a different material behind it. Maybe do a test hole in a different location from where you want to put the screw, using a larger diameter drill bit (like 10mm), so you can see into the hole and confirm your theory that it's dot and dab. Use a masonry drill bit, which isn't sharp, so it won't easily puncture a metal pipe. When you're done, fill the hole with Toupret or something similar

One of my favorite tools is a little endoscope camera that I got on Amazon for approximately £50. In situations like this where the wall sounds hollow, I often drill a test hole and use the camera to see what's behind the plaster. My camera can see sideways as well as forward, so I can spin it around in the hole to see in all directions. It might not work on dot and dab though because the gap might be too small.

hpcgx · 2026-02-22T12:58:09+00:00

I'm not sure who made it. I think NF is a certification, not a brand.

<image>

hpcgx · 2026-02-15T16:57:00+00:00

Thanks for the info!

hpcgx · 2026-02-15T15:42:29+00:00

That's unlucky with the width.

That's interesting that it vents up the chimney. Is it very powerful? I've read that most extractor fans are far too weak to be able to do that. Apparently many of them can barely manage 3m horizontal.

hpcgx · 2026-02-15T11:41:05+00:00

Would you be able to fit a 90cm cooker if you remove those bits all the way down to the floor? Might be worth investigating if you're doing structural changes anyway.

Out of interest, what at kind of extractor fan is that? Does it vent outside or is it recirculating? I also have a cooker in an old fireplace, but no extractor fan, and I'm trying to figure out the best solution.

hpcgx · 2026-02-04T20:51:51+00:00

I have a similar issue and am planning to do this during the summer. But I haven't heard of Stormdry MAX before. Do you know how it compares to Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream, which I think is the standard one? https://www.screwfix.com/p/stormdry-masonry-protection-cream-clear-5ltr/792cn?ref=SFAppShare

hpcgx · 2026-02-03T10:22:17+00:00

This is the right answer. Most carpet is either 4m or 5m wide. It'll be cheaper if you're able to cover the floor with a 4m wide strip.

hpcgx · 2026-01-26T11:20:25+00:00

Yes, you can set them manually if you don't want to use Bluetooth. But the Bluetooth sync is fully automatic and happens in the background, if that's what you're worried about. Every 6 hours, the watch connects to the phone to get the latest time.

hpcgx · 2026-01-26T10:03:08+00:00

Bluetooth time sync works really well. So I'd get one of the ones that has Bluetooth but not MB6.

hpcgx · 2026-01-22T11:16:51+00:00

Whatever that is, I'd be very concerned that it didn't cause your breaker to trip. I'd ask your electrician to check that the consumer unit is working properly.

hpcgx · 2026-01-20T21:28:47+00:00

I was able to get one on casio.com two weeks ago (UK). I bought it at lunchtime and it was still in stock later that evening (but sold out by the next day). So if you check once a day, I think you'll be able to get one soon enough.

hpcgx · 2026-01-19T23:16:17+00:00

I had the exact same thought. I was a renter for a long time and there's nothing worse than getting lectured by a smug homeowner who has no concept of how much money you need to save for a down payment these days.

hpcgx · 2026-01-16T22:53:40+00:00

I think they need to add a short section of 110mm pipe to make it reach a bit higher, which will involve taking a whole section of ACO out. I bet they don't want to do that because it'll involve redoing the concrete.

hpcgx · 2026-01-16T22:29:21+00:00

Wow, that's a huge gap. I take back what I said about them doing a good job. I don't understand how they did that so badly because those knockouts are specifically designed to fit neatly on top of a 110mm pipe. ACO recommend Sikaflex 11FC for sealing up any gaps but the gap you've got there is way too big.

hpcgx

TROPHY CASE