Author Topic: water proof access panel  (Read 17142 times)

bandito

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water proof access panel
« on: October 03, 2013, 04:30:23 PM »
Has anyone ever attempted to make a water proof access panel.  I am looking to put one in my shower which is next to the jacuzzi drop in tub.  I would like the motor to be on the shower side with the access panel in the shower.  I got lots of ideas on how to make the access panel but not sure how to make it 100% water proof.

ncornilsen

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2013, 04:53:03 PM »
I don't know if anything like that off the shelf. I doubt you'd get it past inspection... there's probable some code thing about it.

can you make an access panel from the outside wall or the room the bathroom borders?

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2013, 05:10:35 PM »
Never thought of the code thing. I read some examples online but didn't really get the picture.  It's a little complicated.  The access panel has to be on the side where the pump is.  If I have it on the side facing the shower I then I can mount a TV behind a two side glass mirror (tv will actually be in the adjacent room but visible in the bathroom).  If I install the access panel on the wall side then there is no TV.  I was looking around at some magnetic seals. Canadian Tire sells magnetic tape for $5.  I think I will go with a magnetic fridge door magnetic as it creates a consistent seal even in the corners.

Kevan

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2013, 09:24:47 PM »
Because you will probably need access to the motor very rarely, if ever, you could either (1) seal your door with silicone caulk and just endure the difficulty of getting it loose if and when you ever need to or (2) simply ignore the matter now and create an access door when the need arises.

All of the jacuzzis I've seen have a removable panel across the entire long side and it's usually "glued" on with acrylic caulk, which comes loose more easily than silicone does.

Greg

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2013, 09:03:29 AM »
I would look at exposure-rated electrical panels.  Usually gray PVC plastic, with screw-on doors with good rubber o-ring type seals.  Stout for what they are, not sure if it would look good.  Easy to drill for whatever cables etc you want to install.  You can cut the back off if you just want the door and frame to work with.  I would recommend a drain hole or two regardless, to drain out the water that might get in.

Throw some of those silica moisture-absorbtion packets for good measure, often found in electronics packaging, vitamin and nori packaging.

Daley

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2013, 09:18:22 AM »
Never thought of the code thing. I read some examples online but didn't really get the picture.  It's a little complicated.  The access panel has to be on the side where the pump is.  If I have it on the side facing the shower I then I can mount a TV behind a two side glass mirror (tv will actually be in the adjacent room but visible in the bathroom).  If I install the access panel on the wall side then there is no TV.  I was looking around at some magnetic seals. Canadian Tire sells magnetic tape for $5.  I think I will go with a magnetic fridge door magnetic as it creates a consistent seal even in the corners.

All this wrangling is being done to the detriment of budget, building code and personal safety all for the sake of watching a TV in another room from the bathroom.

Am I the only person here who wants to ask the question of why Bandito needs to be able to watch TV from his bathroom in the first place?

Bathrooms are for cleaning and crapping, not watching TV. If you're on the can long enough to need a distraction, you need more fiber in your diet. If you can't stand to be unplugged from the idiot box long enough to take a bath or a shower, you might have an addiction problem. This seems like searching for a solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.

Greg

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2013, 09:45:10 AM »
It's for a TV next to a jacuzzi tub if I read correctly.  I suspect the tub is used for extended relaxing soaks, with bubbles and stuff.  Some folks just like their video stuff I guess.

Spork

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2013, 10:03:09 AM »

I'm not sure I'm picturing the setup exactly... but... there's gotta be a better way.   Is there no way you can separate these 2 functions? 

Is there a simpler way to go about this?  I.e.: a mildly accessible pump motor and a tv with a standard wall mount?  I'd keep the electric parts and the tub as separated as possible.  In other words: I'd make it so that you couldn't reach the tv from the tub if even if you tried.

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2013, 10:23:37 AM »
Am I the only person here who wants to ask the question of why Bandito needs to be able to watch TV from his bathroom in the first place?

It's not really for me. I am flipping the home.  Since I have all the walls are open at the moment in the washroom I would like to install as many accessories as possible.

Daley

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2013, 10:29:17 AM »
Am I the only person here who wants to ask the question of why Bandito needs to be able to watch TV from his bathroom in the first place?

It's not really for me. I am flipping the home.  Since I have all the walls are open at the moment in the washroom I would like to install as many accessories as possible.

If you're flipping the home, why are you installing a television in the first place? Why would you risk doing electrical work that wouldn't pass a homeowner's inspection if it's work solely being done to increase the resale value of the home by including a feature that most sane people aren't going to give a toss about at best and want to remove at worst? Why not just drop a TV coax line into the bathroom next to the speaker connections you also don't use and let the next sucker who owns the home deal with his own hedonic adaptation wants and install a bathroom TV on his own if he thinks he needs it?

Kevan

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2013, 09:15:23 PM »
Somebody needs a nap.

worms

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2013, 12:35:07 AM »
Somebody needs a nap.
LOL! 

But I'm with I.P.Daley I'm this, if I was a prospective buyer I'd run a mile from a house modified in the way suggested!

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #12 on: October 06, 2013, 06:22:02 PM »
I don't understand how it wouldn't pass inspection when the TV and power are in another room but anyhow have fun running. LOL

paddedhat

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #13 on: October 07, 2013, 06:47:23 PM »
Thirty years in the building trades, and at least 10 mil. worth of custom homes in the rear view mirror. All I can say is that any plan that would indicate a need for a service access in a shower is one that needs to be re-designed. IMHO, If presented with such a potential situation, I would gently steer the customer toward a safer, more practical solution. If it appeared on a drawing by an alleged "professional" I would not be very kind as I dealt with the source of that cluster-F.   I have installed them on ceilings where a stacked plumbing arrangement, in a multi-story institutional occupancy, required them in shower rooms. JMHO, but they always end up looking like shit in a few years. The metal ones start to rust, and all of them end up with condensation on both sides of the doors, and frequently show signs of mold on the plaster/drywall at the edges. Quality spas have access from the front, via well concealed factory access covers.

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #14 on: October 07, 2013, 07:12:29 PM »
Thirty years in the building trades, and at least 10 mil. worth of custom homes in the rear view mirror. All I can say is that any plan that would indicate a need for a service access in a shower is one that needs to be re-designed. IMHO, If presented with such a potential situation, I would gently steer the customer toward a safer, more practical solution. If it appeared on a drawing by an alleged "professional" I would not be very kind as I dealt with the source of that cluster-F.   I have installed them on ceilings where a stacked plumbing arrangement, in a multi-story institutional occupancy, required them in shower rooms. JMHO, but they always end up looking like shit in a few years. The metal ones start to rust, and all of them end up with condensation on both sides of the doors, and frequently show signs of mold on the plaster/drywall at the edges. Quality spas have access from the front, via well concealed factory access covers.

Thanks for the quality reply.

Nords

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #15 on: October 07, 2013, 08:37:50 PM »
Am I the only person here who wants to ask the question of why Bandito needs to be able to watch TV from his bathroom in the first place?
It's not really for me. I am flipping the home.  Since I have all the walls are open at the moment in the washroom I would like to install as many accessories as possible.
If I was a homebuyer and saw what you'd done to the shower, I'd go look at some other home. 

There are plenty of whirlpool tubs with perfectly accessible motors & controllers that don't require splashproof panels for "access" to something that very rarely needs maintenance.  You're just asking for mechanical/electrical trouble in pursuit of some fashion that has nothing to do with function.  It's not an accessory, it's a potential problem waiting to happen.  It's right up there with wall-mounted telephones next to the toilet, garage refrigerators, and six-burner gas cooktops in the kitchen.

Why not just make the bathroom into a bathroom, stay within your budget, flip the house, and get the heck outta there?  House flipping is all about focus, efficiency, and speed-- not bling.  Unless, of course, you're planning a reality show like HGTV's "Property Ladder" or hoping to partner up with Vanilla Ice's next project.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2013, 08:39:54 PM by Nords »

PantsOnFire

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #16 on: October 08, 2013, 07:37:23 AM »
Quick question...

What's underneath the jacuzzi?  You might just be able to have an access panel in the ceiling of the room directly under the pump.  Then you wouldn't have to break any watertight seals or anything like that. 

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #17 on: October 08, 2013, 07:57:42 AM »
Quick question...

What's underneath the jacuzzi?  You might just be able to have an access panel in the ceiling of the room directly under the pump.  Then you wouldn't have to break any watertight seals or anything like that.
The basement.  I was thinking of doing that also but that would require cutting a joist.

PantsOnFire

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #18 on: October 08, 2013, 08:18:30 AM »
Hmm... probably not a good idea with the weight of a jacuzzi above.  I mean, there are ways to do it, but it may be more involved than you want. 

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #19 on: October 08, 2013, 10:18:43 AM »
Hmm... probably not a good idea with the weight of a jacuzzi above.  I mean, there are ways to do it, but it may be more involved than you want.


There are ways to do that but in the end the opening to access the pump may be to small.

Based on some other suggestions and looking at panel designs online I think I have come up with a solution. Once I have it all together I am post some pictures.

kdms

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #20 on: October 10, 2013, 10:55:52 AM »
Didn't see anybody else mention it, but have you checked with marine supply companies for a sealed hatch?  Also called an inspection port.  I had three of these installed in the hull of my racing dinghy to hold stuff like sunblock, lunch, waterbottles, etc.  If they can keep a lake out, they can keep random shower spray out.  The hatches are around 6 inches across (pretty sure they come in different sizes as well) and the unit comes as a ring that gets sealed/screwed into the cut hole, and the hatch screws into place.

Just a thought.

 https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=929&q=inspection+ports+for+boats&oq=inspection+ports&gs_l=img.1.2.0j0i24l3.3347.5790.0.8735.16.13.0.3.3.0.189.1407.4j9.13.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..1.15.1305.debuQ9vg4K0

bandito

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #21 on: October 10, 2013, 12:00:02 PM »
Didn't see anybody else mention it, but have you checked with marine supply companies for a sealed hatch?  Also called an inspection port.  I had three of these installed in the hull of my racing dinghy to hold stuff like sunblock, lunch, waterbottles, etc.  If they can keep a lake out, they can keep random shower spray out.  The hatches are around 6 inches across (pretty sure they come in different sizes as well) and the unit comes as a ring that gets sealed/screwed into the cut hole, and the hatch screws into place.

Just a thought.

 https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=929&q=inspection+ports+for+boats&oq=inspection+ports&gs_l=img.1.2.0j0i24l3.3347.5790.0.8735.16.13.0.3.3.0.189.1407.4j9.13.0....0...1ac.1.27.img..1.15.1305.debuQ9vg4K0

Actually it did cross my mind.  I did do a little googling.  I still have to stop by the local marine shops to see what they have. I did find some useful items for others things at a marine shop that weren't marine related.  Thanks for the reply.

paddedhat

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Re: water proof access panel
« Reply #22 on: October 19, 2013, 03:07:05 PM »
Hmm... probably not a good idea with the weight of a jacuzzi above.  I mean, there are ways to do it, but it may be more involved than you want.


There are ways to do that but in the end the opening to access the pump may be to small.

Based on some other suggestions and looking at panel designs online I think I have come up with a solution. Once I have it all together I am post some pictures.
 

Glad you are giving this some serious thought for the next guy, when the pump needs to be replaced.  Don't forget that inspectors will want to see good access to the outlet, and that you can easily unplug the pump, as this is often the official "means of disconnect". Could be worse, I know of at least one leak  that was repaired, off scaffold, after the siding and sheathing was removed from the outside wall of the second floor bathroom. Good luck.