Isolating Transformers

[Guest CFrost]

We have 3 vanity units fitted in our house, 2 in bathrooms and one in a bedroom. Each unit is connected to the hot and cold water supplies and is fitted with lighting and a switched socket - not a shaver type socket - wired directly to the mains. I would have thought that at least the sockets required isolating transformers - but cannot find any at the local Bricos are they not required in France?

[Punch]

LAST EDITED ON 06-Aug-04 AT 07:56 PM (BST)

LAST EDITED ON 06-Aug-04 AT 07:54PM (BST)

>We have 3 vanity units fitted
>in our house, 2 in
>bathrooms and one in a
>bedroom. Each unit is
>connected to the hot and
>cold water supplies and is
>fitted with lighting and a
>switched socket - not a
>shaver type socket - wired
>directly to the mains. I
>would have thought that at
>least the sockets required
>isolating transformers - but cannot
>find any at the local
>Bricos are they not
>required in France?

Yes they are often required in any room contaning a bath or shower. It is the proximity of the light to the bath or shower that determines if you need one. Bathrooms have three zones; 0,1,2 & 3. Usually striplights have the "transformateur de sparation" built in but you can order them from trade wholesalers. You can have lighting in all zones but if it is in zones 1,2 or three then it has to have the transformer outside of volume 2.
All circuits in a SDB must be protected by a differentielle (RCD)rated at 30 milliamp trip.

The best way to understand the zones is to see the diagrams often in leaflets or books.


Best Regards,

Paul