Fan control

[Steve]

I have a new fan in the bathroom, but its very loud (like a cooker hood). One of them centrifugal ones by expelair. Its a standard 20 minute off delay.

Anyway, I cant have this on the traditional lightswitch control or else it'll be keeping us up at night when we pop to the lav etc.

So, I was wondering if there's such a thing as a momentary pullswitch. Like the "push" switches for exit doors etc. This would apply a pulse to the switched live, and let it run for 20 minutes to clear the air from a shower or a bath. Independent from the light.

Or any other bright ideas? Would a push switch be permitted just below the fan? Its on the opposite corner from the shower and bath, above but to the right of the basin.

 

[RF Lighting]

It's a retractive pull switch that you want.



http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/lighting-ceiling-pull-cord-switches/1860279/


This would work, but you'll probably want to change the string to white.

 

[Lectrician]

MK do momentary pull cords - They come with a red pull cord which could be replaced from the knuckle downwards, leaving a small piece of red at the top (could bleach it I guess).

I have seen MK ones with the top 2" of string before the knuckle being white - seems a little hap hazard as to what you get. Always red for the full part.

http://www.discount-electrical.co.u...ntary-sp-ceiling-switch-with-1-5m-red-cord-6a

 

[333rocky333]

If theres a suitable safe zone position

http://www.gil-lec.co.uk/products/S...late+Switch+Press+1+Gang+1+Way+10A/3457146763

https://www.gil-lec.co.uk/products/...ve+'Press'+Switch+1+Gang+2+Way+10A/1092648908

 

[RF Lighting]

You could always fit a humidity stat to the fan...

 

[Steve]

Thanks all, rob a humidistat crossed my mind but with such a loud unit I'd like to choose when I have it on. Plus in summer I can just open the window and not use the fan. As far as I can tell the fan is outside of zones so I could fit a retractive switch straight below it. Its straight opposite the bath/shower and cannot be reached from there or the sink.

 

[RF Lighting]

How easy to reach is the fan? Could you integrate an IR switch?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IR-MOTION...ighting_Lamps_Lighting_SM&hash=item2ec3f439d8

Unfortunately it's not a pulsed output, but I'm sure there will be one, or it could be adapted to be a pulsed output.

 

[Steve]

I love those switches rob, i was playing with them at the Bathstore showroom, they have them on their cabinets.

The fan is this one:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/xpelair-dx180t-centrifugal-bathroom-extractor-fan-with-timer/48699#

I have installed it on the surface of the tiles so I have used the frame that goes over it, there is a gap all the way around the inside of the frame, that I have used to route the flexes. The main incoming flex enters through the extract hole. It goes down inside the frame and exits the bottom, where I intend to fit a 3 pole switch on a surface box, but I could fit a different switch here. Then a second flex goes back into the frame and into the fan itself.

Between the frame and the fan there is only really space for a flex, nothing to be mounted there. Its pretty flimsy too.

All flexes are 4 core.

The fan is at a height of about 7ft 5in at its lowest point. The ceiling is 8ft6, and it is mounted close to the ceiling. The diagram on the screwfix website indicates it is in zone 3 (does that exist anymore?) as its within 8ft of zone 2 and below 3m. Am I allowed a switch here? Could I mount that IR switch to a blank plate if not? I'll put the 3pole elsewhere (loft) in this case. If I can have a switch there, I'll have a momentary push switch.