Hi fellers, hope all is well on the Western Front these days.
Just done a PIR om small studio flat, all electric with a recently installed replacement electric shower above the bath.
Just to the right of the sink, (adjacent to bath) but 20+cm's out of Zone 2, was the 50A pull switch, mounted horizontally on the same wall, approx 1250mm above ffl and 400mm from the sink.
I can't be sure whether it had been moved from the ceiling on this occassion as everything is covered in new tiles, paint etc.
To me this looks horrible in every way, but I'm struggling to find anything in Regs that I can fault it under, short of 134.1.1 "Good workmanship..etc.."
Any suggestions?

I may be wrong here, but I think these types of switches may be technically called Ceiling Switches and hence should be installed on the ceiling

I would say that if you had the manufacturer's installation instruction it would most likely tell you where it should be mounted.

Does operation of the pull cord not take a little more effort?

Is it mounted on a surface mounted box? If so I would say that there would be undue force being applied and eventually the screw mounts may give way, or the box may crack.

Lots of conjecture I know, but just thought I'd give my, well, thoughts

Update:

I did some "research" and found this in BS EN 60669-1:2000+A2:2008 - Switches for household and similar fixed-electrical installations - Part 1: General requirements

20.9 The operating member of a cord-operated switch shall have adequate strength.

Compliance is checked on a new specimen by the following test:

The switch is mounted on a support as in normal use.

A pull of 100 N is applied for 1 min on the operating member as in normal use, after which a
pull of 50 N is applied for 1 min in the most unfavourable direction within a conical surface with the centre being the operating cord and the angle not exceeding 80 ° to the vertical.

After the test the switch shall show no damage within the meaning of this standard. The operating member shall not have broken and the cord-operated switch shall still operate.

So now all you need is to add a 100 N and 50 N weight and a stop watch to your test gear and off you go

Regards

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E & OE

Edited: 21 September 2009 at 12:37 AM by micjamesq

It wouldn't be my choice of switch in that location either, but I can't think of anything to code it under either apart from the BS number for that type of switch mounted horizontally. (suitability)

I think it's being a bit picky tho' in the great scheme of things.

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I am prone to talking complete bol***ks at times, please accept my apologies in advance.

Just buy a 50amp double pole switch, and swap out the pull cord switch - I once did that on such an installation just outside a bathroom door (controlling a shower), where a pull switch had cracked due to excessive force, and simply swapped it out with a wall type DP switch (and also tested the RCD tripping time, which was 20ms for 1*30mA, and 10ms for 5*30ma).

Thanks for your input fellers - my main concern (apart from it looking damn silly) was that it was in just the right place for someone to lean forward and rest their wet hand on while admiring themselves in the mirror or brushing the old tusks. 30A and a full sink didn't seem such a good combination.
It just beggars belief what some people will do to save six feet of 10mm T&E and a bit of chiselling!
CB.