Replacing a light in a bathroom without a vent fan


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Old 03-05-11, 01:05 PM
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Replacing a light in a bathroom without a vent fan

The full bathroom in my circa 1950s home does not have a vent fan. This is something that I plan to do this year, but not sure when yet (finances will play a big factor). I'm trying to separate my bathroom from a nearby bedroom (currently all on one circuit) and to do so I need to cap off a connection in the light which is feeding the other room. If I temporarily replace the current light with either one of those fixtures that's just a light bulb socket or a cheap globe light fixture, do you think that would be fine or will I be allowing for there to be a moisture problem any more than I currently have?

This is my current light fixture where moisture is already allowed to get in through that hole in the center of the glass cover
 

Last edited by DIYnewbie9; 03-05-11 at 01:59 PM.
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Old 03-05-11, 01:10 PM
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In my opinion I would leave the bath light on with the bedroom and just run a new 20 amp circuit for the bath GFCI for running your hair dryers and such. This will get the major load off the existing circuit.
 
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Old 03-05-11, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Tolyn Ironhand
In my opinion I would leave the bath light on with the bedroom and just run a new 20 amp circuit for the bath GFCI for running your hair dryers and such. This will get the major load off the existing circuit.
Is there an electrical safety/code reason you suggest that or just that it might be easier to accomplish?

Also, I would still like to investigate the light connections anyway since I found wire connections in the neighboring bedroom with no wire nuts and just tape. I suspect I might find the same in the bathroom.
 
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Old 03-05-11, 02:05 PM
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The National Electrical Code has for many years required dedicated 20 ampere branch circuits to bathroom receptacles. If you strip the existing bathroom to the studs you are required to upgrade the electrical.
 
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Old 03-05-11, 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Furd
The National Electrical Code has for many years required dedicated 20 ampere branch circuits to bathroom receptacles. If you strip the existing bathroom to the studs you are required to upgrade the electrical.
I understand that if I was completely renovating I would need to rewire to 20 Amps since that's the current requirement, but I'm not doing that. I'm just trying to figure out the easiest way to get the bathroom and bedroom on their own circuits to at least give the bathroom a full 15 Amps to work with.

With my question I'm just trying to figure out if anyone saw any more moisture risk in changing the fixture after investigating the box connections vs. leaving it. Do you think there would be any issue with replacing the fixture as I described?
 

Last edited by DIYnewbie9; 03-05-11 at 03:38 PM.
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Old 03-05-11, 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by DIYnewbie9
Is there an electrical safety/code reason you suggest that or just that it might be easier to accomplish?
It is easier to accomplish and would be 100% code compliant. In almost all cases, new and remodel, we put the lighting of a bathroom on it own or with another part of the house lighting due to the low demand of bathroom lighting (unless quite it is large) The bathroom receptacle can have quite a heavy load which is why the code requires a 20 amp circuit now.

As far as temporary changing the fixture, I see no issues as long as it is not over a tub or shower.
 
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Old 03-05-11, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Tolyn Ironhand
It is easier to accomplish and would be 100% code compliant. In almost all cases, new and remodel, we put the lighting of a bathroom on it own or with another part of the house lighting due to the low demand of bathroom lighting (unless quite it is large) The bathroom receptacle can have quite a heavy load which is why the code requires a 20 amp circuit now.
That's interesting. I didn't realize newer bathrooms are setup that way (lights separate from the outlets and combined with rooms). Is that true even with a vent fan? I'm not sure how much power something like that uses.

Originally Posted by Tolyn Ironhand
As far as temporary changing the fixture, I see no issues as long as it is not over a tub or shower.
Unfortunately, while not directly above the shower/tub, it's pretty darn close. Does that make it a worse idea?

 
 

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