Bathroom Timer Fan Modification

[John Breeds]

Hi

I’ve just fitted a timer extractor fan in our new bathroom. When taking a ‘S, S and shave’ I want the timer to work in the normal way, where the extractor continues for a couple of minutes after switching off at the lighting pull cord.

However, when taking a long soak in the bath I wish to switch off the extractor fan (yet obviously keep the lights on). How can I do this? Presumably, I could modify the fan and just introduce a double pole switch in series with L and L1 connections to fan?

Alternatively, intro a sp switch to the fan’s L supply; but I wonder if the continuous 240v to the fan’s L1 timer would do any harm?

I’m thinking of a simple pull cord switch mod for the fan.

John

 

[breezer]

it will be a pain, put a single pole pull cod in line with the aire that goes to the timer.

I say it will be more troble than its worth

 

[RF Lighting]

Use a TP fan isolator pull switch.

Trouble is you will switch it off for a bath, and forget to switch it back on again, making having a fan pointless.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASCS3PIF.html

 

[breezer]

i miss read the post, i read it as he wants to stop the fan while in the bath but still have it working later.

but still it will be a pain

 

[John Breeds]

Yes, a TP fan isolator pull switch is the obvious answer. BUT I think your type are ceiling mounted. My extractor is wall mounted. It would be too much of a pain to wire it in.

I was thinking of a subminiature DP pullcord switch housed inside of the extractor box.....with the pullcord threaded through a hole in the botom of casing.

John

 

[breezer]

nothing says you cant wire it via a ceiling switch (it has to be fed from somewhere

 

[John Breeds]

GU 1013 1 Gang 6 Amp 3 Pole Fan Isolator Switch

RF Lighting Thank you.

You've put me on the right track! I will get a wall-mounted version, as above model (albeit not pullcord) but within the bathroom specs.

Cheers

John
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I forgot to add reference in previous post:-

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASCS3PIF.html

John

___________________________________
Lynda, moderator

please note forum rules, general information, item g

 

[RF Lighting]

Where exactly is your fan in the bathroom in relation to the bathtub?

There are very strict restrictions for where you may mount non pullcord 230V switches in a bathroom.

 

[John Breeds]

The fan is wall mounted; about 200mm from the long edge of the bath and 250mm from the ceiling.

John

 

[RF Lighting]

http://www.niceic.org.uk/downloads/Pocket Guide 1.pdf

 

[John Breeds]

Thanks for the Zone Chart reference. The bathroom height is 2.32m high. The lowest level of the fan is 1.9m and is placed 0.2m away from the bath. Accordingly, this indicates that the fan is sited in Zone 2.

So, it looks like the wall mounted switch is OUT! (GU 1013 1 Gang 6 Amp 3 Pole Fan Isolator).

The pocket guide chart is a bit confusing, as it says that for Zone 2, it’s okay for an ‘Insulating Pull Cord’……… but not for a ‘Pull Cord Switch Mechanism’. What’s the difference? (Perhaps I could still resort to my original corded DP switch idea?)

Btw, the lighting circuit is 30mA RCD protected from mains box.

John

 

[RF Lighting]

The pocket guide chart is a bit confusing, as it says that for Zone 2, it’s okay for an ‘Insulating Pull Cord’……… but not for a ‘Pull Cord Switch Mechanism’. What’s the difference?

Pull Cord Switch Mechanism - the white box the string goes into

Insulating Pull Cord - the bit of string

 

[John Breeds]

Okay. It looks like I'm snookered for the time being. I don't want to bugger up finished ceiling and tiled walls. The wiring to fan is particularly awkward (although I have plenty of room behind the fan housing).

.....probably end up jamming a stick in the fan

- thanks for your help anyway.

John

 

[John Breeds]

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ASCS3PIF.html
AS CS3PIF3 pole Fan Ceiling Pull Switch

Another thought….. I could fix the pull cord switch inside the wall cavity behind the fan; and run the cord through the fan casing. In this way I would not be infringing regulations.

John

 

[John Breeds]

The fan casing has a slot for a cord.

Looking inside of the casing it seems that the simplest solution is to use a SP sub-min pullcord switch in series with the fan motor itself.

The plastic extrusion even appears to allow for a pull-cord switch (for their non-timer model). Although the extractor is in Zone 2 position, the solution of o/c ing the fan does not infinge part P.

But my only concern is that the back-emf from an oc fan might screw up the timer electronics (with no load). Any comments?

I only want to turn off the fan yet keep the lights on while I have a quiet soak in the bath! I'm amazed that extractor fan manufacturers doesn't include this feature.

John