Kitchen extractor fan

[chris rushton]

My kitchen has a 12 volt wall extractor fan controlled by the light switch. Can i fit a 230 volt, 5 amp fan to the same circuit to replace the crappy 12 volt one? The circuit is protected by a 6 amp MCB in the consumer box.

 

[endecotp]

Probably not, as that doesn't leave much for the rest of the lighting. You would certainly need to investiage what else is connected quite carefully.
It's unusual for a fan to use that much power. Can you share a link or photo?

 

[chris rushton]

thanks

 

[Spark123]

We need more info on the fan to be able to say, a fan which takes 5A is big for a household kitchen, you may need to secure your wig!!

 

[Iggifer]

Was gonna say! a 1kW fan is certainly going to have a good flow rate. Leave the door open and it'll be a wind tunnel.

I assume the 5A you quote is what size fuse the fan instructions say there should be? Do you have a wattage rating for the fan?

 

[chris rushton]

sorry. i miread everything. As it turns out, i have to rewire due to the old fan having a seperate tranformer in the attic. thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

230 volt, 5 amp fan.

Hmm.

Photo of a 1½HP fan:

 

[seasickstevie]

... doesn't leave much for the rest of the lighting.

Not sure why it would necessarily have any effect on lighting. The OP doesn't say it's shared with any lighting circuit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

OK - given this:

My kitchen has a 12 volt wall extractor fan controlled by the light switch. Can i fit a 230 volt, 5 amp fan to the same circuit to replace the crappy 12 volt one? The circuit is protected by a 6 amp MCB in the consumer box.

can you explain why it would be reasonable to think it might not be a lighting circuit?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not sure why it would necessarily have any effect on lighting

I think he was (tongue in cheek) commenting on the OP's spec for the number of amps to power the fan!

a 230 volt, 5 amp fan

 

[seasickstevie]

More than likely is on the lighting circuit. But then unlike a bathroom, it's very unusual for an extractor fan to be controlled directly by the same light switch. Could be a two-gang light switch - one for light, one for fan, on two separate circuits.

Many would describe that as being controlled by the 'light' switch.

I don't recall ever coming accross a kitchen light linked directly to a fan ... but there's always a first time.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

More than likely is on the lighting circuit. But then unlike a bathroom, it's very unusual for an extractor fan to be controlled directly by the same light switch. Could be a two-gang light switch - one for light, one for fan, on two separate circuits.

Or a 2-gang light switch, one for light, one for fan, on the same circuit.

Many would describe that as being controlled by the 'light' switch.

Yes, but that description would also be the one used if everything is on the same circuit.

I don't recall ever coming accross a kitchen light linked directly to a fan ... but there's always a first time.

Do you recall ever coming across a situation where someone has installed a separate circuit to go to a 2G switch just for a fan in a kitchen?

Not sure why it would necessarily have any effect on lighting. The OP doesn't say it's shared with any lighting circuit.

Which do you think is more likely?

A separate 6A circuit running to a 2G light switch in the kitchen, or a switch (1G or 2G - it really doesn't matter) on the lighting circuit controlling the fan?

 

[seasickstevie]

More than likely is on the lighting circuit ...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I agree.

But if you think that I cannot for the life of me understand what value you thought there was in writing this:

Not sure why it would necessarily have any effect on lighting. The OP doesn't say it's shared with any lighting circuit.

 

[seasickstevie]

But if you think that I cannot for the life of me understand what value you thought there was in writing this:

I don't even understand the sentence.