High voltage on a door

unc2701

Random question, but someone might have a solution:

My wife wants a towel warmer in our bathroom. Due to the layout of the bathroom, the only place to put one is on the back of a door- everyplace else is mirrors, cabinets, tub, shower stall, etc. Ideally, I'd like this hardwired- and there's no room next to the door to add a plug for it, anyway; the shower stall tile is right against the door casing.

So: Is anyone aware of a NEC approved method for putting high voltage into a hollow core door?

The only solution I can think of is having the wire exposed from the warmer to the casing with enough extra slack to allow for the movement, then poking it into a hole in the casing and running this on down into the crawlspace, but I don't know if this can be done to code (at the very least, I'd need flexible wire, not too ugly, rated for in-wall, sufficiently armored, and probably moisture-resistant).

Jstas

NEC approved or not, your local building code is what you have to worry about.

I wouldn't call the county though, they might start wondering and call a building inspector out to your house and screw you with violations or a reassessment for tax purposes. The local building code should be available online. I'd read up on it. If you still have questions, open the phonebook and find a house inspector and ask them.

I do not believe it's OK here in NJ and a building inspector here in NJ once told me "If you have to ask a question because you aren't sure then you probably shouldn't do it."

But the thing going through my head is that a hollow core door, while not completely hollow, is not a strong thing. The insides are often braced with copious amount of glue and treated corrugated cardboard. It's not exactly "structurally sound" for anything more than the weight of the door and a door knob. I mean, you can walk right through one if you really want to. That said, a towel heater is quite heavy just from the heating coils for it and the transformer needed to power those coils. I don't see it being a viable solution.

Jstas

I'm looking and I know I've seen a free standing towel warmer that plugs in to the wall but I can't find it.

Then again, there is this:

http://www.amazon.com/Jerdon-Towel-Spa-Warmer/dp/B001B2SL48/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_ex



That might be a more viable and safer alternative than hanging a warmer or a steam filled rack on a door.

If anything, I'd move the mirror to the back of the door and put the tower rack on the wall where the mirror was.

dkg999

The code question is a good one, I'm at work and my code books for the universal code rules are at home.

They do make flexible electrical connections that are used mainly outdoors in my experience to get electricity to something mounted on a movable door. It's like a flexible appliance gas hookup pipe, only it's flexible conduit with wire inside. I used these to get electricity to fans mounted on raisable doors on my hog finishing bldg. In the winter the doors were shut and the fans would cycle when needed, in the summer the doors were raised and the fans turned off.

Jstas

Here is one that hangs on a wall but pivots. Solves a few "footprint problems" for many cases.



http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=3717


Here is a free stander:




And this is a neat idea but probably not what you are looking for. It's a basin stand and the metal rods holding up the sink basin are towel warmers.



http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=1948

unc2701

Jstas: I'm aware of the local code vs NEC distinction - I was trying to avoid the getting the "just wrap it in duct tape" type of responses & was thinking that the may be some sort of... "device" if you will- Like a hinge or something. The door isn't the kind of hollow core that you're thinking of- I know the kind you're talking about & totally agree: it'd rip right off. This door can support it.

Anyhow, that pivoting wall one might work- I'd have to drill through the shower stall tile (on the outside of the glass), but if it'll fit between the stall and the door casing, that's probably the best idea I've seen.

Already considered free-standing and we'd just be tripping over the wire.

Jstas

Well, I've seen free-standing ones that are basically poles with pivoting arms. But I can no longer find it.

Look around online. That one pivoting towel warmer is small. I've seen larger ones that pivot as well. Or you could just install two, one above the other. there are better prices than that link I posted as well.


Oh and hard wiring is not a real issue. Even if you have a plug in model any electrician should be able to hard wire it to a switch. It's probably not recommended by UL but if you want the warmer(s) on a wall switch and don't have a switched outlet, it is an option and allowable as long as it's fault protected. At least it was in NJ last time I checked. I do know that a polarized, 2-element power cord isn't so easy but a grounded, 3-element plug works out just peachy.

bobman1235

Wait, I'm confused.... Do towels get cold?

madmax

I'm really into this one but geez, over $700?
madmax

tonyb

bobman1235 wrote: »

Wait, I'm confused.... Do towels get cold?

Only if you shower outside.:)

Seriously...why would you run voltage near or on a door ? Door handle is metal, wood can carry electricity...gettin' the picture ? Of coarse all this means nothin' unless you have some other motives. Be afraid Mrs., be very afraid.:)

zingo

Good luck with your towel heater, but I was hoping this would be an electrified door for security question.

Jstas

bobman1235 wrote: »

Wait, I'm confused.... Do towels get cold?

Yes, on a cold morning in the colder climates, like where you live, towels can be quite cold and uncomfortable when you are getting out of the shower. Especially if you are in an older, more drafty house.

madmax wrote: »

I'm really into this one but geez, over $700?
madmax

I've seen similar ones for much less. I only posted that one because it was the first picture I found big enough to see here.

However, particular finishes cost more. Like all the fixtures in my bathroom are oil rubbed bronze and that would be a costly towel heater.

unc2701

bobman1235 wrote: »

Wait, I'm confused.... Do towels get cold?

One of the places we stayed in France had one, so now I have to figure out how to make this work :rolleyes:. That aside, the towel hook that we currently have on the aforementioned door bunches up the towels so they never really get dry, so the warmer would help with that.

The hardwiring is more about aesthetics- the wife won't go for a ugly white cord, plus that sort of thing won't really match the house.

Yeah, I might wind up doing my own "brushed" finish- that seems to add some cost.

mmadden28

What about a force air heater mounted above the door that blows the heated air down onto the towels, and at the same time adds some heat to the room while in use?? I'm assuming that you would have this heater on a timer or something and not something that runs all the time??

Jstas

mmadden28 wrote: »

What about a force air heater mounted above the door that blows the heated air down onto the towels, and at the same time adds some heat to the room while in use?? I'm assuming that you would have this heater on a timer or something and not something that runs all the time??

Better off doing a heat lamp over the area where you get out of the shower. The forced air needs to be close to the towels to be effective. A heat lamp will heat the area directly beneath it so a cold towel won't be that much of a big deal.

I went with a heat lamp in my bathroom instead of a towel warmer or auxiliary heater.

unc2701

All good ideas... apart from the fact that there's a woman involved. It's not about the towels being warm, but rather a towel warmer warming them. I'm just lucky I don't have to find the exact same model that we used in France.

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure I have the room to mount the pivoting one next to the shower, have it parallel to the glass & not get it involved in the door. Fishing the wire shouldn't be bad on that wall, either.

Thanks!

Jstas

unc2701 wrote: »

All good ideas... apart from the fact that there's a woman involved. It's not about the towels being warm, but rather a towel warmer warming them. I'm just lucky I don't have to find the exact same model that we used in France.

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure I have the room to mount the pivoting one next to the shower, have it parallel to the glass & not get it involved in the door. Fishing the wire shouldn't be bad on that wall, either.

Thanks!

Yeah, just don't pat 700+ bones for it! I saw other sites as cheap as $128 for a similar unit. Especially if you are going to work over whatever finish it has to fit your decor.

kcoc321

I agree on the wall mount model being the best. Just make sure it is on a GFI circuit, so you don't get zapped. You can put the outlet on the outside wall, since it sounds like you don't have much room. It just needs to be between the fixture and the electrical source.

these guys have quite a few models, but I only saw one piviting one for around that price point. Looks to be the same for $665. But they go up from there. ther eis a white finish wall one for $400...and they go up to $2k+...also noticed they have the timered wall switches. It is not "ideal" but what is over the toilet?

http://www.faucetdirect.com/index.cfm?page=search:browse&term=towel+warmer&x=0&y=0

Polkitup2

Just install a sound system in the bathroom with a class A amp and hang the towels above it.

I-SIG

I thought you were talking about high voltage, like 25kV or something. Nevermind.....

Wes