extractor fan problem

[thehousethatjackbuilt]

i have had my house re-wired one year ago,.

i have my powersupply comming to a junction box where my light switch and power supply meet.

im attempting to put a extracor fan in the bathroom, if i wire the fan in as instructed as part of the lighting circute into the junction box, when the lights are on the fan is off.

when the light are off the fan is on.

however if i wire the fan directly into the lights both come on at the same time (however this is not an option as i would have to have tto replace the ceiling and have it replastered). BUT through frustration after testing the wire's the earth seems to be a return (Blue) although no sleave applied. if i wire the fan into the live and the return (neutral) into the earth then both come on at the same time.

 

[ColJack]

yes... very good.. you found that you can use an earth instead of the neutral...

this is extremely not clever or safe though so stop it immediately...
there is a very real risk of electrocuting someone since you are making the earth carry current..

the problem you have is that the "neutral" you connect to in the JB is not actually a neutral, it's the switch wire from the switch.. with the brown wire as the permanent live..

this results in both wires being at 240v when the light is on so no current flows.. and the fan stops..

when switched off, the switch wire is a 0v and the current flows through the light to the neutral ( the light may even glow slightly... more evident with CFL's.. )

if possible, post a picture of the JB with the wires showing and we'll tell you what wires to put where...

 

[thehousethatjackbuilt]

have drawn diagram , unablt to take pictue, not sure how to load on here though[/img]