I am hoping that someone will be able to advise me about a technical/purchasing problem.
In our bathroom is a ceiling rose (this is in addition to the light in the centre of the ceiling), from which a flex emerges. This flex (it is thick enough to carry a full 13 amps) is connected to the mains supply in the loft. It was installed, years ago, by me. In my ignorance, I did not put any kind of fuse between this mains outlet flex, and the bathroom extractor fan. I have since realised that the fan ought to be protected by a 3-amp fuse, of course, but I am in a quandary as to how to find a fused switch-box of a kind that will allow me to address this problem. If I were to use a standard fused switch-box, it would be necessary to chisel the plaster, down from the ceiling to the switch-box (so as to bury the flex in the plaster), but I am very reluctant to spoil the decor of the bathroom. And anyway, the flex (ultimately, connected to a junction box in the loft) might not be long enough to allow this, as it droops down from the ceiling rose and, traversing the distance at an angle, goes into the top of the fan casing (i.e. I don't think it could accommodate a right-angle). I am no longer able to go into the loft, and replace any existing flex, or spur-cable, with a cable long enough to accommodate the right-angle that would be required. Besides, there is so much stored junk in the loft, that to look for the junction box would be a nightmarish task.
It’s relevant to point out that our consumer unit has very sensitive flip-switch circuit-breakers, and not the old-type fuses.
What I am hoping is that, somewhere, a fused switch-box may be found that has a grommeted entry-hole at the top of the casing (instead of the mains cable entering the box at the rear). This would then allow me simply to screw the switch-box to the wall, lead the mains-flex into the box, and let it emerge from the bottom of the box (with a fused switch in between the two), thus making the fan 100% safe.
My question is, therefore: are such a fused, top-entry switch-boxes made, and can anyone tell me where one to buy one?
Failing that, is there such a thing as an in-line fuse (3amp) that might be inserted into the existing flex, and not look too incongruous?
In our bathroom is a ceiling rose (this is in addition to the light in the centre of the ceiling), from which a flex emerges. This flex (it is thick enough to carry a full 13 amps) is connected to the mains supply in the loft. It was installed, years ago, by me. In my ignorance, I did not put any kind of fuse between this mains outlet flex, and the bathroom extractor fan. I have since realised that the fan ought to be protected by a 3-amp fuse, of course, but I am in a quandary as to how to find a fused switch-box of a kind that will allow me to address this problem. If I were to use a standard fused switch-box, it would be necessary to chisel the plaster, down from the ceiling to the switch-box (so as to bury the flex in the plaster), but I am very reluctant to spoil the decor of the bathroom. And anyway, the flex (ultimately, connected to a junction box in the loft) might not be long enough to allow this, as it droops down from the ceiling rose and, traversing the distance at an angle, goes into the top of the fan casing (i.e. I don't think it could accommodate a right-angle). I am no longer able to go into the loft, and replace any existing flex, or spur-cable, with a cable long enough to accommodate the right-angle that would be required. Besides, there is so much stored junk in the loft, that to look for the junction box would be a nightmarish task.
It’s relevant to point out that our consumer unit has very sensitive flip-switch circuit-breakers, and not the old-type fuses.
What I am hoping is that, somewhere, a fused switch-box may be found that has a grommeted entry-hole at the top of the casing (instead of the mains cable entering the box at the rear). This would then allow me simply to screw the switch-box to the wall, lead the mains-flex into the box, and let it emerge from the bottom of the box (with a fused switch in between the two), thus making the fan 100% safe.
My question is, therefore: are such a fused, top-entry switch-boxes made, and can anyone tell me where one to buy one?
Failing that, is there such a thing as an in-line fuse (3amp) that might be inserted into the existing flex, and not look too incongruous?
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