Bathroom Neon Ceiling switch

[aryl]

Hi,

I have installed an extraction fan in my bathroom with a humidistat. It is also possible to trigger the fan for which I have installed a separate (from the ceiling light) ceiling pull switch with a neon.
When pulled once the neon goes on and connects the trigger circuit which starts the fan. As long as the neon is on, the fan will continue running. If the switch is pulled once again the neon will go off and the trigger circuit is disconnected and the fan will shut off after the timer period has elapsed.

Now that is how it is supposed to work the only problem is that the neon which is connected across the pull switch actually lets through a small current which is enough to trigger the fan. The result is that the fan is running all the time regardless if the ceiling switch is connected or not.

If I remove the neon from the switch everything works fine!

But I do want the neon in order to know which state the switch is in.

Does anyone know if there is a solution to this or not? (I am not interested in a mechanical indicator!).

Thanks,
Anders.

 

[securespark]

You need to feed your neon with neutral on one side, and a switched live on the other.

 

[fireman22]

no securespark, small current back feeding. aryl i had this prob on a job we installed a momentary mk switch, pull fan starts let go fan runs on for timer duration no neon but not required as the switch is not latching.

 

[Spark123]

I don't understand where you are coming from fireman, If a neon is connected between switched live and neutral it will illuminate when the switch is on and goes off when the switch is opened. The neon will be between Ls and Neutral, so the only leakage can be from the fan circuitry to neutral which isn't a problem. The only thing I can envisage is he has connected the neon across the switch so when the switch is open the neon illuminates, when the switch is closed it goes off. If this is the case, like Secure says he needs to run a neutral to the switch and connect the neon between Ls and N

 

[fireman22]

spark123, "When pulled once the neon goes on and connects the trigger circuit which starts the fan. As long as the neon is on, the fan will continue running. If the switch is pulled once again the neon will go off" any leak on the switched live terminal normally wouldn't have any path, the neon gives it a path and causes this. happened to us thats why installed momentary switch, honest.

 

[fireman22]

we installed for a guest house who didnt want guests leaving fan on, they suggested neon but were happier with our solution as when guests leave room fan could only run for timer duration

 

[Spark123]

But surely any leaking current to the switched live would be there wether the neon was connected or not?? I would have expected a neon connected between Ls and neutral would help to some extent reduce this voltage.
This is why I am thinking he has connected the neon across the switch contacts, when the switch is closed the neon goes off, when the switch is open it illuminates i.e. working opposite to what he thinks he has.

 

[fireman22]

spark123, sorry just read post again first paragraph is hypothetical, just spoke to our apprentice and he said we talked customer into mom. pull cord before trying their neon switch. so you are right as if leak accross neon you would also have leak accross normal bulb, sorry

 

[fireman22]

apprentice

 

[Steve]

apprentice

what about him? if you wanted to correct the previous post, why didn't you just use the EDIT button?

 

[aryl]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I believe that the solution with connecting the neon to the L after the switch and adding a N will do the job.

However I will probably go for the momentary switch instead, that is what I wanted from the beginning but could not find one. Now I have found one,

http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/s...feceefdffhdfgj.0&cacheID=uknetscape&Nr=avl:uk



Cheers,
Aryl.

 

[Steve]

that RS link opened in THIS window if i knew that i would have pressed "open in new window", but i know usually i can trust links here to open in a new window anyway!