Customer project 19 - Fibre optic bath panel lighting

This was part of the same bathroom makeover featured in Project 16, and was illuminated by the same light source which was located up in the attic, well away from any wet areas.

In this part of the project the aim was to add some interest to the curved front panel of a corner bath, using optical fibres terminated in little acrylic end fittings. As always, the project starts with careful measuring and marking of the locations of the individual light points.

Positions are marked out along the panel and then holes drilled for the fibre optic end fittings

Once the locations of the lights have been marked, the holes for the
end fittings can be drilled out.

Whereas the fibres used in this bathroom's coving lighting were 1mm diameter, thicker 1.5mm fibres were used for the bath panel lights, with the "mini-harness" of fibres being run up the wall (prior to tiling) and into the attic to the waiting light source.

The bundle of optical fibres runs from the bath up to the light source in the attic.

These fibres will carry the light from the light source in the attic to
the individual fittings in the bath panel.

The fibres were separated out from the bundle and one passed through each of the holes drilled in the bath panel. A dab of epoxy on each fibre end secured the fibre into the acrylic end fitting. To add a bit more class to the acrylic fittings, chrome plated trims were fitted into the holes in the panel, with the acrylic fittings then being seated in the trim. Finally a dab of silicone was added at the back of the panel, just to be doubly sure that everything was secure.

A single optical fibre is passed through the hole in the bath panel.

The fibres protrude through the holes in the bath panel, ready for insertion into the end fittings.

A single 1.5mm fibre is pushed through each of the holes in the bath panel, chrome-plated trims are added to the holes and then acrylic end fittings are fixed to each fibre.

A dab of silicone helps to anchor each fibre in place in its acrylic fitting.

The acrylic end fitting in place, with its decorative chrome trim.

A dab of silicone at the back ensures that nothing will come adrift, with
the acrylic end fitting now snug in its chrome trim.

The completed project. The fibre optic fittings provide mood lighting without any electrical hazard and with no need ever to remove the panel for maintenance purposes.

The finished effect: light generated up in the attic emerges at the front of the bath panel.

This is a very simple installation, well within the capabilities of any DIY enthusiast, and the same principle can be applied to all sorts of applications. In fact, this is essentially the same process as demonstrated in Project 4 - skirting lighting.

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