The bathroom is a wet room. This is where moisture meets electricity. When installing luminaires, therefore, certain protective measures must be taken into account, specified in DIN VDE 0100, Part 701. The standard distinguishes between four different room zones and three protection areas.

Protection zone 0
Area 0 includes the interior of the bath or shower tray. Only luminaires with protective extra-low voltage up to 12 volts that are expressly approved for installation inside the tub area may be used here. They must comply with protection class IP X7 as a minimum.

Protection area 1 Protection area 1 describes an area within the vertical boundaries of the tub or shower. If there is no shower, a radius of 120 centimeters around the shower head in its holder applies. Upward, a horizontal surface is assumed at a height of 2.25 meters above the floor; the lower boundary is the floor. In this area, too, only luminaires with protective extra-low voltage up to 12 volts may be operated. They must at least comply with protection class IP X4 - protected against splashing water. Transformers may not be mounted in protection areas 0 and 1.

Protection area 2
Protection area 2 is adjacent to protection area 1 with a depth of 60 centimeters. In this area, luminaires must have at least IP X4 protection - protected against splashing water. If, for example, massage jets are also used, luminaires of protection type IP X5 are required - protected against jet water. Outside the defined protection areas, luminaires do not have to have a higher protection class.

Dealing with sockets
Neither switches nor sockets may be installed in protection areas 0,1 and 2. Switches that are directly installed in luminaires are excepted - as long as they do not lower the protection class of the luminaire. By the way: Sheathed cables to luminaires may be laid on or under plaster in bathrooms, and stay cables only under plaster at a depth of at least six centimeters.