Pull cord switch fails to switch off light and extractor fan

[dhruva]

Hi there,

I have a pull cord switch in my downstairs toilet, which also activates a timer controlled extractor fan.

Since yesterday, pulling the cord is not turning off the light, in fact it only dims a little and stays dimmed but does not switch off. The extractor fan also stays on consequently.

Apart from a faulty pull cord switch, what could be the other possibilities that I should be looking at? Faulty earthing?

Cheers,
DSG

 

[riveralt]

Loose cable in the pull switch terminal block is another possibility.
Make sure you isolate the power before you start looking at these cables.
However, it is likely to be your first thought.

 

[dhruva]

Loose cable in the pull switch terminal block is another possibility.

The wires are screwed in nice and tight.

Could the extractor fan permanent live be feeding into the light circuit?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It already comes from the lighting circuit, and it won't have rewired itself overnight.

Just get a new switch.

 

[333rocky333]

Could the extractor fan permanent live be feeding into the light circuit?

If you have lost your neutral somewhere then yes maybe the permanent feed is feeding back to the lamp /switchline via the fan

 

[dhruva]

As I suspected, changing the switch did not solve the problem. So I removed the extractor fan and light switches off as normal.

So next job: replace the extractor fan. Thankfully I can find a like for like replacement.

Will post again if even that does not work!

 

[333rocky333]

As I suspected, changing the switch did not solve the problem. So I removed the extractor fan and light switches off as normal.

So next job: replace the extractor fan. Thankfully I can find a like for like replacement.

Will post again if even that does not work!

Try just disconnecting the fan first and see if the light then works as normal