Installing bathrrom fan

[nadim]

Hi..

I'm trying to install a bathroom fan, connected to the light in the bathroom.

I have installed a 3 pole isolator switch outside the bathroom, but have 1 problem,

there are only 3 wires in the bathrrom lamp, neutral, switch live and earth, i can't find the LIVE ?.

Any help would be appreciated.



thanks

 

[andy]

youll have to find where the live is. try the switch

 

[TheWizard]

sounds like the mains in an out is at the switch

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or it's a junction-box system...

 

[plugwash]

you need to get up in the loft and follow the wire from the lamp. it will go to either the switch or a junction box and you should have all the wires you need there.

 

[nadim]

Hi

Think the live is in the light switch. Do I need to take the live wire from the switch to the bathroom lamp, then the triple switch and the fan, or can I take it from the light switch to the triple pole switch then the fan.



many thanks

 

[plugwash]

what wires do you have at the switch?

 

[nadim]

Hi

Thanks for the quick reply.

these are the wires in the light switch.

1 brown in COM Live

1 brown in Neutral

2 blue in the earth block ?.



Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The brown in COM is probably the permanent live, but there is no guarantee - it could be the one in L1 (not "neutral") - you should check with your multimeter.

You can take your permanent live from there, or from wherever that core originates.

If you can replace the cable running from the switch to the light, the neatest solution would be to replace it with a 3-core & earth cable:

Brown for the permanent live to the fan isolator
Black, sleeved brown, for the switched live to the light & fan isolator
Grey, sleeved blue, for the neutral to the light & fan isolator

Don't forget to maintain the continuity of the earths, even if the light and/or fan don't need to be earthed. If this is the case at either appliance, don't cut the earth back - sleeve it and make the end safe with a bit of choc-block.

 

[nadim]

hi

Ran a cable from COM live to the switch, then the fan, but fan doesn't turn on.

Think I will need to buy a multimeter.

I presume the mains will need to be on when I check for the current in the cables.



thanks