# UK/Ireland dopers - do you have an electrical socket in your bathroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156 "2011-06-28T17:05:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/1 "2011-06-28T17:05:21Z")
We used to have the two pin razor one but my dad removed it. I notice there are electrical outlets in most US bathrooms but I’ve rarely seen them here. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/2 "2011-06-28T17:25:36Z")
Nope. Not even the razor one. I’ve never seen one in England and thought that, apart from the razor socket, it was banned. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/3 "2011-06-28T18:00:26Z")
You can only have one if it has an isolating transformer in it, which is only suitable for brief low-current applications like shavers. It’s against the Wiring Regulations to fit any other kind. I never actually use it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/4 "2011-06-28T18:01:54Z")
No, although my childhood home had no less than two of the razor ones. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/5 "2011-06-28T18:12:40Z")
Just a razor one that never gets used. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/6 "2011-06-28T18:30:57Z")
Nope none here. ---
**Author:** ![BDoors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BDoors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BDoors)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/7 "2011-06-28T18:38:07Z")
Building Regulations in the UK have been very strict about electrics in bathrooms, hence the prevalence of special shaver sockets and pull-cords rather than light switches, but it is now allowed to have conventional electrical outlets if they’re far enough away from baths, showers etc. (so you need a pretty big bathroom). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/8 "2011-06-28T18:45:59Z")
Not in my house. Pull cord for the light too. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/9 "2011-06-28T21:43:51Z")
Razor socket, pull-cord light. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/10 "2011-06-28T21:49:12Z")
No socket, pull cord for lights too. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/11 "2011-06-28T21:50:47Z")
Our light switches are in the hall outside. I wasn’t aware of the regulations, but must be the same in Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/12 "2011-06-28T22:30:11Z")
2x Razor socket 115v/240v, light switch is outside. ---
**Author:** ![JessMagic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@JessMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JessMagic)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/13 "2011-06-29T11:34:45Z")
No socket in bathroom, light switch is in the hallway outside. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/14 "2011-06-29T11:51:44Z")
None here. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/15 "2011-06-29T12:51:46Z")
Nope, none. In fact I was pretty shocked when I had a new bathroom installed in a house in Italy to see conventional light switches, sockets, the works! My bathroom light switch is outside the bathroom ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/16 "2011-06-29T14:29:11Z")
Pull cord, razor socket. Inspecting the above-the-mirror light fitting in the loo at work - it has a pull cord so I wondered if had an accompanying socket - yup, it has a little slidey cover for a razor socket. I wonder if the one in the ladies is the same? > [@SanVito](#): > > Nope, none. In fact I was pretty shocked… Plugging the hair drier in? ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/17 "2011-06-29T15:04:57Z")
No conventional sockets, two (I think) razor sockets. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/18 "2011-06-29T15:53:45Z")
> [@BDoors](#): > > Building Regulations in the UK have been very strict about electrics in bathrooms, hence the prevalence of special shaver sockets and pull-cords rather than light switches, but it is now allowed to have conventional electrical outlets if they’re far enough away from baths, showers etc. (so you need a pretty big bathroom). If safety is the concern, why not just use [GFCIs?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device) I can’t imagine a US bathroom without sockets, switches, all on GFCI. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/19 "2011-06-29T16:06:35Z")
We do not use GFCI, we have something simlar, the Residual Current Device - RCD. Principle of operation is very similar, however due to our permanet earth system, it is easier to implement. Under our wiring regualtions, this would be classed as a Special Location - somewhere that presents higher than normal risk to the user from electricity. Note, even with a RCD you would still get a nibble from 240 Volts before it tripped. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Dalliard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mr\_Dalliard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Dalliard)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156/20 "2011-06-29T20:17:46Z")
But you have electricity _right inside the shower_! I was surprised when I visited London to find that the little box that adjusts water temperature in the shower uses electricity. Do I misunderstand how that thing works? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-ireland-dopers-do-you-have-an-electrical-socket-in-your-bathroom/587156.md?page=2)