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You are at:Home»Projects and advice»Installing a shaver point

Installing a shaver point

LAST UPDATED: 3rd January 2023 by The Editorial Team

Summary: Step by step guide and video showing how to fit a mounting box and wire in a shaving plug.

Contents

  • Wiring a shaving socket in the bathroom
    • Planning and preparation
    • Fitting a mounting box
    • Wiring in the shaving point
    • Tools needed
    • Materials needed
  • Wiring a bathroom shaver socket video

    Wiring a shaving socket in the bathroom

    * Notifiable project requiring Building Control approval. A shaver point is the only electric socket outlet permitted in a bathroom.

    Although surface-mounted boxes can be purchased, it is safer to install a flush-mounted shaver point. Shaver points can either be connected to a ring main spur via an FCU or run from a spur on a lighting circuit.

    An FCU is a socket with an integral fuse used for connecting high-wattage appliances, such as cookers, extractor fans, central heating timers and heaters to a circuit. You can connect an FCU to a circuit in three ways:

    • Replacing an existing socket outlet with an FCU.
    • Running a spur from a socket outlet on a ring main circuit
    • From a radial circuit.

    To reduce the risk of overloading the circuit, high-wattage appliances are usually run on their own separate radial circuit.


    Planning and preparation

    • Cut off the power supply to the relevant circuit from the consumer unit.
    • Ensure all metal pipework and objects in the room are properly earthed.
    • If your lighting circuit is not connected to a junction box above the bathroom, follow instructions for installing a junction box in the section on Extending Lighting Circuits.
    • Prepare the cable route from the junction box to the shaver point.
    • Follow the instructions in Extending Lighting Circuits to run a spur from the lighting circuit to the junction box.

    Drill holes around your outline to make chopping out the hole easier.
    If you are fitting a mounting box to a masonry wall, mark the screw holes before drilling and plugging them.

    Fitting a mounting box

    The safest way to install mounting boxes for the FCU and the appliance outlet plate is to flush-mount them:

    • Hold the mounting box level against the wall at least 150mm (6in) above the floor and draw around it.
    • Place a masonry bit on your drill and set the drill to the depth required by the mounting box.
    • Drill holes around and inside the outline to make chopping out the hole easier. If the wall is masonry, cut out the hole using a club hammer and cold chisel or brick bolster.
    • Vacuum the hole and surrounding area to remove any dust.
    • If the wall is plasterboard, cut out the hole with a padsaw blade.
    • Press out the plastic tab in the back of the mounting box to make a hole for the cables.
    • Insert an eyelet or grommet into the hole to prevent damage to the cables.
    • Feed the original cable(s) and the new cable though the hole in the back of the mounting box and fit the box in the hole.
    • If you are fitting a mounting box to a masonry wall, mark the screw holes, then drill and plug the holes to screw the mounting box to the wall.



    Connections at the shaver point.

    Wiring in the shaving point

    • Prepare the cores of the other end of the cable.
    • If the earth cores are bare, cover the exposed end with a green-and-yellow sheath.
    • Connect the neutral wire (black or blue) to the N terminal in the face-plate, connect the live core (red or brown) to L, and connect the earth to the earth terminal.
    • If you have a metal mounting box, ensure it is earthed: an earth core should run between the mounting box and face-plate. With plastic mounting boxes, the earth cable should be placed in a plastic terminal block.
    • Screw the face-plate to the mounting box.
    • Switch the power on for the lighting circuit and test that that the shaving unit works.
    • If the unit is working satisfactorily, plaster over the chase.

    Tools needed

    • Insulated screwdriver
    • Wire cutters/strippers
    • Trimming knife
    • Power drill
    • Masonry bit
    • Club hammer
    • Cold chisel OR Brick bolster
    • Padsaw (For plasterboard walls)

    Materials needed

    • Yellow-and-green sheathing
    • Mounting box
    • Grommet
    • Wall plugs (For masonry walls)
    • Terminal block (For plastic mounting boxes)

    Wiring a bathroom shaver socket video


    Author

    The Editorial Team

    The Editorial Team at lets-do-diy.com are a team of experts led by Mark Wilson. We have been creating DIY projects, articles, costs guides and product reviews since 2008. For more info see our about page.

    Related projects

    • Electrical earthing
    • Installing a fused connection unit (FCU)
    • Extending a lighting circuit
    • Preparing cable and flex for connection
    • Preparing the circuit route

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