Need some Inspiration For
Your Bathroom Lighting
Scheme?
Take a look
at our guides:
Ideas On Bathroom Lighting
Techniques
How To Use Lights
Effectively In Your Bathroom Lighting Scheme
How To Get Bathroom Lighting Right For
Your Taste
Bathroom Lighting Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
What Does IP Rating Mean For My Bathroom
Lights?
IP rating is a measure that is called Ingress
Protection.
Ingress protection is a measure of the sealing
effectiveness of
enclosures against the
intrusion of moisture and solid objects.
So how does this relate to your bathroom lighting? The
table
below shows how the numbers
after the IP relate to your
application and what that light is suitable for.
The first digit after the IP refers to the protection the
light offers
from solid foreign bodies
such as dust and
dirt.
| Number |
Description |
| 0 |
No protection |
| 1 |
Protection from solid objects over
50mm |
| 2 |
Protection from solid objects over
12mm |
| 3 |
Protection from solid objects over
2.5mm |
| 4 |
Protection from solid objects over
1mm |
| 5 |
Protection from dust |
| 6 |
Completey protected against all soild
objects and
dust |
The second digit after the IP indicates the
degree of
protection the light fitting
offers against moisture, this is
probably more relevant for lights in the damp
bathroom
environment.
| Number |
Description |
| 0 |
No protection |
| 1 |
Protection from vertical falling liquid
droplets |
| 2 |
Protection against sprayed liquid up to 15
degrees
from vertical |
| 3 |
Protection against sprayed liquid up to 60
degrees
from the vertical |
| 4 |
Protection against sprayed liquid from all
directions
limited ingress
permitted |
| 5 |
Protection against low pressure liquid jets from
all
directions limited ingress
permitted |
| 6 |
Protection against strong jets of liquid limited
ingress permitted |
| 6 |
Protection against strong jets of liquid limited
ingress permitted |
| 7 |
Protection against temporary immersion in liquid
between 15cm and 1 metre -
tested for 30 minutes |
| 8 |
Protection against long periods on submersion
into
liquid under pressure |
See the zone information below that
indicates which
IP rating is require for
each bathroom zone.
What Do Zones 0, 1, 2 and 3 Mean?
The diagram below shows how the zones are broken
down for
bathroom lighting
installations.
Zone 0: This is the area inside
the shower
or bath. Any light fittings
used in Zone 0 must be 12 volt and
have a minimum of IP67 rating.
Zone 1: This area is above the bath or
shower to a
height of 2.25 metres. You
may use 240 volt light fittings in this
zone and all bathroom light fittings must have an IP
rating no less
than IP44. It is also a
requirement that if 240 volt
bathroom light fittings are used in this zone then an
RCD unit
must be used.
Zone 2: This is the area over 2.25 metres
above the
bath or shower unit and 0.6
metres around the bath or shower
cubicle, you should also note the 0.6 metre radius
around the
basin unit. This zone requires
all light fittings to have an IP
rating of no less than IP44. You can use 240 volt
bathroom light
fittings in this area but we
would recommend that an RCD
unit is used.
Zone 3: Zone 3 covers anywhere outside of
zones 1,2 &
3. There is no IP rating
required for zone 3, although there are
exceptions if you are using a wet room. We would
advise that
you consult and electrician if
you are unsure.
Can I Use Plug In Lights In My Bathroom?
Plug in lights in any form must be avoided in the
bathroom area.
The light will not have
been designed for use in a
bathroom.
Can I Have A Switch For My Lights In The
Bathroom?
Yes you can use a pull cord switch in the bathroom
area. You
must not use a standard
rocker switch in the bathroom area as
wet hands on a rocker switch can be very dangerous.
If you want
to use a rocker switch or
dimmer switch then these must be
located outside of the bathroom.
How Far Apart Should I Put Down Lights In My
Bathroom?
There is no real rule to this it is just down to personal
choice.
Generally we recommend
between 700mm – 1000mm apart and
about 50-100cm from the wall. This will obviously vary
if you
have an odd shaped
bathroom. Some points to consider:
Try to think about where the light will be required
when
positioning because once the holes
are drilled for the lights it is
very difficult to go back. The positions of the lights
need to allow
for where the bath is,
where the shower is and where the
sink is located. All of these areas will require a good
amount of
light. The basin is always a
difficult one as you are
normally stood over it looking in the mirror and a
downlight
positioned above the head will
cause a shadow so we recommend
either an illuminated mirror, shaver light or wall lights
either side
of the mirror.
The shower is another area to think about as you will
normally
require a downlight in the
shower cubicle because when the
door or curtain are shut it will cut out a lot of light.
Where Should I Put Lights Around The
Bathroom Mirror?
If you have a mirror above the basin then lights either
side or
above the mirror are a great
idea. Lights either side of the
bathroom mirror should be at around eye level and a
shaver light
above makes a good
addition as well, this will prevent any
shadowing.
Do Your Bathroom Shaver Lights Charge
Razors And
Toothbrushes When The Light
Is Off?
This is a question we are asked a lot. Yes all of the
bathroom
shaver lights in our range will
charge a razor or electric
tooth brush when the light is turned off.
Can I Dim The Lights In My Bathroom?
Yes you can dim lights in the bathroom as long as they
are not
using energy saver light
bulbs. As previously talked about the
normal dial dimmer switch would need to be located
outside of
the bathroom.
Why Do I Have To Use Different Lights In The
Shower
Area?
Referring back to the bathroom zones image, the
shower area
comes into zone 1 so lighting
in this area comes under different
regulations. The reason for this is there is much more
steam and
danger of splashing the
lights.
Can I Use Energy Saver Light Bulbs In My
Bathroom
Lighting Scheme?
Yes you can use energy saver light bulbs in the
bathroom
lighting, some of our bathroom
lighting range come with energy saver
light bulbs as standard and some you can change for
energy
saver light bulbs after you
have purchased the lights. Please be
aware though that standard types of energy saver
light bulbs
cannot be dimmed although
there are more types coming onto the
market now that can be dimmed.
The Table Below Shows Equivalent Energy Saver Light
Bulbs
Wattages:
| Incandescent Lamp
Wattage
|
Equivalent Energy Saver Lamp
Wattage |
| 40 Watt |
9 Watt |
| 60 Watt |
11 Watt |
| 75 Watt |
15 Watt |
| 100 Watt |
20 Watt |
Can I have a Chandelier In My Bathroom?
Believe it or not some bathrooms can have
Chandeliers, these
are probably only suited
more to the larger bathrooms. The
larger bathrooms that are well spread out would can
have a
chandelier as they would come
into zone 3 if they are far enough
away from the water sources. We would recommend
that you
have good air extraction and
always consult an electrician before
going ahead with anything.
Can I Install Bathroom Lighting Myself?
Yes you can do the installation of the lights yourself
but we
always recommend that a fully
NIC registered electrician
carries out any wiring work.
Can I Use LED Lights In My Bathroom?
Yes, LED’s are the most energy efficient form of
lighting on the
market. We can supply LED
lights for pretty much all
bathroom areas.
Can I Use Ceiling Lights Intended Use in
Other Areas Of
The Home In My
Bathroom?
No, it is very important that you use only lighting that
is
specifically designed for use in the
bathroom. Bathroom lighting
is sealed to prevent moisture getting to the electrical
parts of the
light because as we all
know water and electricity do
not mix!
Every room in the home
should have a specific feel
and bathroom lighting can
enhance this space, whether
you choose
wall lights,
LED lights,
mirror lights or
a
pleasing combination of
several types.  Bathroom
lighting presents challenges
that may not be present in
other rooms of the home. It's
best to learn about zones in
which fixtures can be
placed.
For example, Zone 0
designates the interior of the
bath or shower. Electrical
fixtures in this zone must be
low voltage. There are two
additional zones with specific
guidelines for placement and
voltage, in addition to No
Zone (formerly Zone 3).
Within these important
guidelines it's possible to
provide style and class with
the right combination of
ceiling lights
, halogen fixtures,
mirrors and other creative
ideas. It's tempting to
concentrate only on necessity
when planning bathroom
lighting but there is much
more to a well-designed
bathroom than safety and
practicality. It is important to
combine proper lighting in the
wash-basin area with well-
placed mirrors so that
shaving, hair-styling and
other personal-grooming
activities can be completed
without stress.
Many homeowners and
interior designers emphasize
softer light with minimum
shadows for bathroom
lighting. 
Too often we find
harsh, open lights that create
a very uncomfortable
atmosphere. Give some
thought to the location and
style of light above the
mirror, for example.
For
additional light, consider using
wall sconces.
Recessed
lighting and fixtures
that are
flush with the ceiling surface
are also great ideas. Don't
hesitate when it comes to
choosing colour and design
for your bathroom lighting. |
Home & Interior Lighting
Bathroom Downlights
