The individual protection areas in the bathroom.
We explain why you should pay attention to protection areas in the bathroom when buying lamps for humid environments.

Bathroom lighting is suitable for use in humid environments. However, they have to meet the protection and safety classes that are required for the respective area. Due to the dangerous combination of water and electricity in the bathroom, the installation of lamps should only be performed by a licensed electrician. In the following we explain the three protection zones (0-2) in these rooms.


Contents

Area 0

Inside the bathtub or shower only lamps of IPX7 may be used (protected against the effects of immersion). In addition only fixed devices with a protective low voltage <12 volts or battery-powered devices (<12 Volt) may be installed. An underwater lighting in the hot tub meeting these requirements is allowed.

The individual protection areas in the bathroom.

Area 1

The area covers bathing or shower tubs up to a height of 2.25 m above the floor. Within a radius of 120 cm around a solid source of water, the lamps must at least comply with protection class IP X5 (protected against hose water). Only the installation of permanently installed consuming devices (e. g. boilers, ventilation devices) is permitted whereby the electrical supply lines to these devices must always be installed vertically. Only lighting with safety extra-low voltage (low-voltage technology) is permitted. An installation of transformers is only allowed in area 2 or above.

Area 2

This area is limited to areas with a depth of 60 cm in front of  the bathtub or shower, at the sides of the wall to a height of 2.25 m and in the area of the walls from floor level. The same requirements as for area 1 apply, but the installation of lighting and the connection of washing machines is possible. Not allowed are sockets and switches. This area is getting smaller when a partition wall protects the electrical equipment against water splashes. The lights must have a minimum protection of IPX4 (splash-proof).


For washers, for the toilet and the like there are no further protection areas in the bathroom. It is assumed that the human being is not in the water in these areas when he uses electrical appliances (which might fall into the water).


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