Light above the shower..

[Sincraft]

I have a light and a fan over my toilet right now but I am considering combining and moving or at least moving the light over the shower area.

There is a GFI outlet near the sink but the electric going to the fan and the light is tied into another circuit.

Should I tap into the GFI with a spur to the light over the shower or, is moving the light over the shower without any GFI considered 'ok'?

Thanks

[prashster]

This is not advice - just my understanding. Pls check w yr township inspector b4 taking it:

The lights don't need to be on a gfci.
They don't have to be, but IMHO are better on a separate circuit from the gfci outlets in the room. That way, if the gfci trips, you can still see what yr doing while you reset or inspect.

The shower light does require a wet-location fixture. That means a gasketed faceplate in the recessed can. If your shower is a steam shower, then you should make that fixture a vapor proof fixture, which means either swapping out the can for a fully sealed fixture, or finding an approved way to achieve a v-proof seal between the faceplate and the ceiling.

[Speedy Petey]

What prashster said is correct. Except the recessed can need not be vapor proof. The trim is what makes it acceptable for a wet location. As long as the trim is suitable for a wet location you are fine.

[Chris75]

If you do move the fan over the shower, most of the ones I've installed do require GFI protection...


Wouldn't a recess be considered a damp location unless the shower spray could hit it?

[Speedy Petey]

Wouldn't a recess be considered a damp location unless the shower spray could hit it?

I guess you don't have kids.


"In" the shower area is always considered a wet location.

[Chris75]

I guess you don't have kids.


"In" the shower area is always considered a wet location.

Not according to 410.4(D)

[Speedy Petey]

Touché.

I guess I personally consider any shower area "subject to shower spray". Although the literal interpretation of the code suggests otherwise.

I guess it depends on whether a removable shower head is installed.

I don't know. Somehow the ceiling is wet every other time my son comes out of the shower. And we don't have a removable shower head.

[Chris75]

Touché.

I guess I personally consider any shower area "subject to shower spray". Although the literal interpretation of the code suggests otherwise.

I guess it depends on whether a removable shower head is installed.

I don't know. Somehow the ceiling is wet every other time my son comes out of the shower. And we don't have a removable shower head.

Believe me, I would not install anything other than a WET location fixture, just stating the code thats all...

[Speedy Petey]

No, you are totally correct. I just don't remember ever actually reading that text before. I guess I just took it for granted.

[Sincraft]

Someone just shoot me please.

I've got bigger fish to fry in this bathroom.

I had a contractor friend of mine come in and he said I'm in big trouble as, I have ALOT of work to do.

My vanity was on an outside wall shared with another townhouse. There is nailer board glued to the brick to allow drywall and plaster skim to go up. I ripped this down as it was wavered and nasty.

I want to recess a med cab or, come up with an intricate method to add storage.

The area where the vanity needs to go is only 26" deep. If I build a wall to recess electric/mirror - then with a 22" vanity (with overhand) I will have to carve into my doorway trim.
AND the plumbing went into the side wall so I would have to route this through the last load bearing stud (replace it with another and notch this one)
The vanity we want is furniture with legs. Opps, now I have to figure out how to hide the pipes too with a brick wall behind.

The fan and light aren't going to be issues anymore. I'm ditching the one electrical service into a box for eternity, and taking the light location and turning it into a combo unit where it sits and it will let the proper light into the shower a couple feet over as it will be a glass door. No worries now and it keeps light centered between the toilet stall and shower stall.

The toilet, vanity and show each have their own separate stalls. You'd have to see what I'm talking about. I may post a step by step progress report on a website of mine.

The shower pan also has feet 8" in circum. from the center drain. The hole the previous builder cut was about 8" exactly. When I dry fit the shower pan, the little feet only sit half way on it. When I stand on the shower pan, I get a rocking. ALAS, I will now have to cut out this piece and replace it FUN FUN FUN. I just LOVE wood butchering subflooring! NOT.

It doesn't stop there. I found black mold on some of the dryway I pulled out and dryrot on a few studs that are load bearing also. Not a big deal I can replace all of these and treat surrounding areas in half a day. Just more headaches.

And it keeps going on and on and one.

SO - I appreciate the help and tips about the light over the shower, I was going to do something neat there and have possible a water / vapor proof triple direction light thing up there with a fan placed strategically - then ran into all of this and said FORGET IT.

I have to be careful to do things in the proper step, test whatever I can for function and form and then put up my permanent things like drywall and flooring.

This sucks.