Issue replacing a bathroom extractor fan

[coliflower88]

Hi john, about 6,2 from the floor

 

[JohnW2]

Hi john, about 6,2 from the floor

Do you mean 6 feet 2 inches, aka about 1.88m? If so, that's pretty low, and easily touched by someone in the bath. More to the point, if it's above the bath and at that height it will be in 'zone 1' of the bathroom, and you would need to see if the instructions of your new (mains voltage) fan say that it is suitable/safe for installation in such a location. Sorry to say this, but it quite probably isn't, and that could well explain why there was a 12V fan there previously - so that you may not be able to find a mains voltage fan that can be safely installed in such a position.

Others may have other thoughts.

Kind Regards, John

 

[coliflower88]

Hi john yes that's correct looking at the diagram in the instructions it's probably on the border between zone 1 and 2 but more in zone 1.

http://m.screwfix.com/pr-gallery.htm?id=95442#imggal1

The image here shows the fan is suitable for zone 1 and 2 so should be ok?
Failing that I'll swap it for a 12v fan; will this have its own transformer or can I reuse the existing one?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Presumably I should be measuring in ac....... Have I made a fatal mistake!!?

Untitled

• PrenticeBoyofDerry
• 11 Dec 2014
• 1

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

so that you may not be able to find a mains voltage fan that can be safely installed in such a position.

Others may have other thoughts.

The MI states the fan is suitable for zones 1 and 2.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Have I made a fatal mistake!!?

No, not this time. But next?

Hopefully this has been a salutary lesson on the importance of paying attention. If you'd made the same basic mistake the other way around, and connected a 12V fan to 230V wiring the results, whilst unlikely to have been fatal, could have injured you if you were close to the fan when it went bang.

 

[coliflower88]

very true, hear hear!

Question is, with the fan where it is, would it be more sensible for me to take this fan back and swap it for a 12v (same make, diff model) or just remove the transformer?

what are the odds of the 12v transformer that's currently installed (nuaire genie) working with a 12v xpelaire fan

 

[ban-all-sheds]

12V is 12V.

So as long as any replacement fan draws no more current than the old one, and thus does not overload the transformer, it will be fine.

 

[coliflower88]

I guessed 12v is 12v but can I safely say that a replacement fan, different manufacturer will be exactly suited? i imagine the answer is no.

Thanks for ally our help on this, proved really useful, especially you John!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So as long as any replacement fan, no matter what make, draws no more current than the old one, and thus does not overload the transformer, it will be fine.

 

[coliflower88]

that doesn't really help? how much current does the old fan draw? (nuaire genie-h)

if so how much does this one draw?
http://www.screwfix.com/p/xpelair-lv100t-w-low-voltage-bathroom-fan-with-timer/78156

I suspect its not that easy to find out, so the better suggestion is to just remove the transformer; fingers crossed!

 

[JohnW2]

The MI states the fan is suitable for zones 1 and 2.

It does. The OP therefore doesn't have that problem.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

12V is 12V. So as long as any replacement fan draws no more current than the old one, and thus does not overload the transformer, it will be fine.

That is obviously true. However, whilst 12V is 12V, 12V is not 16.5V which is what the OP was measuring. It's quite probable that such is the no load (minimal load) output of the ("12V") device, but I suppose it's also possible that it has become ill.

However, as the OP has intimated, it would not surprise me if it's difficult to determine what ELV current these things actually draw.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

that doesn't really help? how much current does the old fan draw? (nuaire genie-h)

No idea, but that info should be on the thing somewhere

if so how much does this one draw?
http://www.screwfix.com/p/xpelair-lv100t-w-low-voltage-bathroom-fan-with-timer/78156[/QUOTE]

So just over 1A

 

[ban-all-sheds]

That is obviously true. However, whilst 12V is 12V, 12V is not 16.5V which is what the OP was measuring. It's quite probable that such is the no load (minimal load) output of the ("12V") device, but I suppose it's also possible that it has become ill.

There might be another reason.

What's the peak voltage of 12V RMS?