Extractor Fan In Shower Cubicle

[cwcw]

We have moved to a house with an extractor fan actually in the shower cubicle. I have read that this is ok as long as it is low voltage. How can I confirm for myself that the fan is a low voltage one or not?

It is on the lighting circuit and has 1 brown, 1 thick brown and 1 blue cable connecting it.

Thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Look for a transformer, or see if there's a model number you can google.

 

[JohnW2]

We have moved to a house with an extractor fan actually in the shower cubicle. I have read that this is ok as long as it is low voltage. How can I confirm for myself that the fan is a low voltage one or not? It is on the lighting circuit and has 1 brown, 1 thick brown and 1 blue cable connecting it.

Can you see what sort of cable it is - 'flat house-wiring cable' or 'flex'? Is there also an 'earth' wire visible in the cable - either a bare one or one with green/yellow insulation (even if it's not connected to anything)? The 'thick brown' one is probably one of a different colour which has had brown sleeving put over it - can you see what coulour it is underneath?

Since someone is bound to point this out (or tease you!) if I don't, as far as electricians' terminology is concerned, mains voltage (nominally 230V) is 'Low Voltage' (LV), where they call really low voltages (12V or 24V) 'Extra Low Voltage' (ELV). From what you've said so far, I suspect that your fan may be mains voltage.

Kind Regards, John

 

[cwcw]

We have moved to a house with an extractor fan actually in the shower cubicle. I have read that this is ok as long as it is low voltage. How can I confirm for myself that the fan is a low voltage one or not? It is on the lighting circuit and has 1 brown, 1 thick brown and 1 blue cable connecting it.

Can you see what sort of cable it is - 'flat house-wiring cable' or 'flex'? Is there also an 'earth' wire visible in the cable - either a bare one or one with green/yellow insulation (even if it's not connected to anything)? The 'thick brown' one is probably one of a different colour which has had brown sleeving put over it - can you see what coulour it is underneath?

Since someone is bound to point this out (or tease you!) if I don't, as far as electricians' terminology is concerned, mains voltage (nominally 230V) is 'Low Voltage' (LV), where they call really low voltages (12V or 24V) 'Extra Low Voltage' (ELV). From what you've said so far, I suspect that your fan may be mains voltage.

Kind Regards, John

Thanks. I think it may be mains too. The cable is a flat-ish grey plastic with the 3 wires coming out of that. I can't see the thicker brown one is sleeving anything, but I guess it must be. There is no earth visible, just the brown, thicker brown and blue cables going into the terminals in the fan.

If it is mains, isn't it quite dangerous to have this in a shower cubicle? Since it's a recent bathroom installation I think someone may have bent some rules..

 

[EFLImpudence]

If it is mains, isn't it quite dangerous to have this in a shower cubicle? Since it's a recent bathroom installation I think someone may have bent some rules..

No, not if it was manufactured for that purpose.

Think electric shower.

 

[bernardgreen]

If the thick brown sleeve is on a bare copper wire in the gray cable and between the blue and brown wires then the perosn who installed it has broken the rules. The bare copper wire is the earth wire and must not be used for any other purpose, and most certainly NOT for use as a live wire.

You need to get an electrician to replace that length of cable with 3 core and earth if you want to keep the timer over run function.

 

[cwcw]

If the thick brown sleeve is on a bare copper wire in the gray cable and between the blue and brown wires then the perosn who installed it has broken the rules. The bare copper wire is the earth wire and must not be used for any other purpose, and most certainly NOT for use as a live wire.

You need to get an electrician to replace that length of cable with 3 core and earth if you want to keep the timer over run function.

Thanks. One of the reasons this fan is bugging me (apart from it being noisy) is it seems to have a life of its own. Sometimes it comes on with the light, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it stays on afterwards for hours and hours even when there's no moisture left (it has a humidistat and timer). Other times it turns off before it seems dry. Could this dodgy wiring be the reason for its random operating? Or would it only either work or not work?

 

[RF Lighting]

Can you post a photo of the fan, and the wiring which connects to it?

It's possible that it's a humidistat fan, but it could be a faulty unit. Also the wiring doesn't sound too clever.


Where is it in relation to the shower tray? Is it directly above? Also how high from the tray is it to the fan?

 

[cwcw]

Can you post a photo of the fan, and the wiring which connects to it?

It's possible that it's a humidistat fan, but it could be a faulty unit. Also the wiring doesn't sound too clever.


Where is it in relation to the shower tray? Is it directly above? Also how high from the tray is it to the fan?

I will have to wait until tomorrow before I remove the cover and check the wires again/ take photos, as I have to turn the light circuit off and it will be pitch black.

It is directly above the shower tray, within the cubicle (kind of a custom made cubicle with 3 fully tiled walls and a door. It is on the wall to the side, about 6 and a half feet up from the tray.

 

[cwcw]

Ok, I have looked again today. It's definitely low voltage after all. It says 12V SELV on various stickers.

The wiring is definitely 3 copper wires coming from a grey case. 1 copper wire has thin brown casing, 1 has thick brown casing (not sleeving anything other than the copper wire), and 1 has thin blue casing. All 3 connect to the modulator of the fan, which includes a humidistat and timer. There is no earth.

Does this sound right?

 

[RF Lighting]

Yes that does sound like everythings ok then.

 

[stillp]

It's definitely low voltage after all. It says 12V SELV on various stickers.

NOOOOO! SELV is Extra-Low Voltage!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I will have to wait until tomorrow before I remove the cover and check the wires again/ take photos, as I have to turn the light circuit off and it will be pitch black.

So there's no isolator for the fan....

 

[RF Lighting]

There might be next to the transformer. I usually fit both side by side when doing ELV fans.