Electrical Contractors’ Association
KEY FACTSHEET
THE 17TH EDITION & LOCATIONS CONTAINING
A BATH OR SHOWER
INTRODUCTION
ection 701 of BS7671:2008 The 17th Edition is the new section covering locations containing a
bath or shower. The bathroom regulations Section 601 of the 16th Edition were based on the draft
international standard IEC 364. The 17th Edition has been based on both IEC 364 Section 701 and
the new European harmonised document HD 384 Part 7, within Section 701 of the 17th Edition.
S
HD 384, Section 701 has been published. The 17th Edition absorbs the regulations in these standards.
As with the 16th Edition, regulations in 701 are specific requirements that add to or modify the general
requirements of Parts 3, 4 & 5. The numbers following the section number relate to the chapter and
sections of the general parts e.g. 701.415.2 supplementary equipotential bonding is an extension of
section 415.2 in Chapter 41.
The scope of Section 701 is the same as the 16th Edition, any location where there is a fixed bath or
shower. This includes communal showers and baths in sports facilities and accommodation buildings,
hotels and similar as well as domestic bathrooms. It does not include emergency showers in industrial
areas or laboratories and medical treatment locations. However, there are no special requirements
recorded for medical treatment locations.
MAIN CHANGES
OMISSIONS FROM 16TH EDITION
601-01 Zone 3 is deleted.
601-04 Supplementary equipotential bonding is not required provided that all circuits at the location are
protected by a 30 mA RCD and there is continuity between the extraneous-conductive-parts and the
protective equipotential bonding.
601-07 Wiring systems is deleted.
There are no restrictions as to where cables may be installed but any surface enclosures, including
trunking, installed in the zones must have minimum rating IPX4.
ADDITIONS
701.411.3.3 Additional protection by 30 mA RCDs is required for all circuits serving equipment in the location.
701.512.3 Low voltage socket-outlets may be installed, but must be at least 3 m from the zone 1
boundary and protected by a 30 mA RCD.
701.753 Particular requirements for electric floor heating systems.
DETAILS OF REQUIREMENTS
ZONES
701.32.1 The upper height limit of all zones is 2.25 m. Above 2.25 m is outside of all zones.
701.411.3.3 ADDITIONAL PROTECTION BY RCDS
All circuits must be protected by RCDs. A single RCD may protect a group of circuits.
THE 17TH EDITION & LOCATIONS CONTAINING A BATH OR SHOWER
701.413 ELECTRICAL SEPARATION
May be used as a protective measure for a single item of equipment or a single socket outlet.
Not to be used with electric floor heating systems.
701.414 EXTRA LOW VOLTAGE - SELV OR PELV
All live parts to be insulated or contained within enclosures, minimum IPXXB or IP2X.
701.415 ADDITIONAL PROTECTION SUPPLEMENTARY EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING
Where required, supplementary bonding shall connect protective conductors of each circuit to each other
and to accessible extraneous-conductive-parts. This includes: metal water, gas and waste pipes, metallic
air conditioning and heating systems, accessible structural parts of the building.
Metal door and window frames and similar are not normally extraneous-conductive-parts unless connected
to structural steel.
The bonding does not necessarily have to be in the location. It may be an adjacent room (linen cupboard)
or above a ceiling. It must be accessible for inspection, testing and maintenance.
SUPPLEMENTARY BONDING IS NOT REQUIRED AND MAY BE OMITTED:
(i)
where main bonding is provided in accordance with 411.3.1.2, and
(ii)
all final circuits meet the required disconnection times 0.4 sec for TN systems, 0.2 sec for TT
systems, and
(iii) all circuits have additional protection by 30 mA RCD, and
(iv) all extraneous-conductive-parts (metal water pipes) in the location are electrically continuous
and effectively connected to the protective equipotential bonding.
Where the main pipework of water distribution and central heating systems are pvc, short sections of
copper pipes connecting taps, radiators and the like are not considered to be extraneous-conductiveparts because they are unlikely to introduce Earth to the location. Supplementary bonding is therefore
not required.
Supplementary equipotential bonding is unlikely to be required on a new installation. It may be required
where alterations and additions are being made to an installation (it may already in place). In this
situation, circuits that are not being affected by the alterations do not require upgrading to meet the
requirements of 701.411.3.3 protection by 30 mA RCD.
701.5 SELECTION AND ERECTION OF EQUIPMENT, SWITCHGEAR AND CONTROLGEAR
701.512.2 EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
The following does not apply to the switches and controls of fixed current using equipment and the cords
of pull cord switches.
All equipment must be suitable for the zone in which it installed.
Requirement for equipment:
(i)
Zone 0 - IPX7
(ii)
Zones 1 & 2 IPX 4 (except in Zone 2, shaver sockets to BS EN 61558-2-5 located where
direct spray from showers is unlikely).
(iii) IPX5 anywhere where equipment may be exposed to water jets.
THE 17TH EDITION & LOCATIONS CONTAINING A BATH OR SHOWER
13 Amp socket outlets may be
installed 3m horizontally from the
boundary of Zone 1 and must be
protected by a 30mA RCD
*Zone 1 if the space is accessible without the use of a tool.
Spaces under the bath accessible only with the use of a tool
are outside the zones.
701.512.3 ERECTION OF SWITCHGEAR, CONTROLGEAR AND ACCESSORIES
(i)
Zone 0 - no switchgear or accessories are permitted
(ii)
Zone 1 - only switches for SELV circuits and equipment - max 12V a.c. rms or 30V ripplefree d.c. may be used. Safety source to be outside zones 0, 1 & 2.
(iii) Zone 2 as (ii) above except, shaver sockets to BS EN 61558-2-5 may be fitted.
(iv) 13 amp socket-outlets may be installed, must be at least 3 m from the zone 1 boundary.
THE 17TH EDITION & LOCATIONS CONTAINING A BATH OR SHOWER
701.55 CURRENT-USING EQUIPMENT
In zone 0 current-using equipment must
(i)
comply with the relevant product standard
(ii)
be suitable for use in Zone 0
(iii) installed to manufacturer’s instructions
(iv) be fixed and permanently connected
(v)
SELV not exceeding 12 V a.c. rms or 30 V ripple-free d.c. Safety source to be outside Zone 0,1 & 2
In zone 1 current-using equipment must
(i)
be fixed and permanently connected
(ii)
be suitable for use in Zone 1
(iii) installed according to manufacturer’s instructions
Equipment that may be installed
(i)
Whirlpool units
(ii)
Electric showers
(iii) Shower pumps
(iv) Equipment protected by SELV or PELV nominal voltage not exceeding 25 V a.c. rms or 60 V
ripple-free d.c.
Safety source to be outside Zone 0,1 & 2
(v)
Ventilation equipment
(vi) Towel rails
(vii) Water heaters
(viii) Luminaires
In zone 2 current-using equipment must be
(i)
permanently connected, the means of connection must be outside of zone 2
(ii)
suitable for use in a location containing a bath or shower
(iii) installed according to manufacturer’s instructions
(i)
comply with relevant product standards
(ii)
have a metal sheath, or
(iii) have a metal enclosure, or
(iv) be covered with a fine metal mesh.
Unless the protective measure SELV is applied, metal sheaths, enclosures and grids must be
connected to the circuit cpcs
The protective measure ‘electrical separation’ is not permitted
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact: Electrical Contractors’ Association Tel: 020 7313 4800 or visit the website www.eca.co.uk
PXXXXXXXX
Heating cables and thin sheet heating elements must:
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701.753 ELECTRIC FLOOR HEATING SYSTEMS