Lighting circuit isolation via switch

[DJM]

Our bathroom lighting, shaver socket and extractor fan is at the end of the upstairs lighting cicuit, but isolated from the rest of the 1st floor via a switch. I assume that was an easy way of doing it when the bathroom was done by the previous owners. Its and old plastic toggle switch which has cracked over the years and needs replacing.

My question is should I just junction box it, or keep the switch? And if the latter any reason not to use a standard MK plateswitch rated at 10A?

 

[Iggifer]

You should really have means of isolation for a fan, so you should keep it.

What's behind the switch? Lots of cabling or just one live and switched live?

Does the shaver point work with the light off?

 

[sparkwright]

You would be better off keeping it as a switched fused spur unit, with a 3 amp fuse.

This method should ensure 3 pole isolation to the fan, as well as providing 3 amp protection for the fan which most manufacturers ask for.

 

[Iggifer]

You would be better off keeping it as a switched fused spur unit, with a 3 amp fuse.

This method should ensure 3 pole isolation to the fan, as well as providing 3 amp protection for the fan which most manufacturers ask for.

How are you going to provide 3 pole isolation with a DP spur?

I assumed he meant a standard light switch and not a spur though, missed that.

 

[sparkwright]

EASY.

The switched fused spur cuts out all the lighting circuit for the bathroom. So the switch isolates the bathroom's perm live and neutral.

As a result of isolating that, it also means the switched live for the bathroom light has also been made dead.

So, that double pole switch has isolated the perm live, the neutral, and the switched live.

This is how I used to do bathrooms many years ago before 3 pole switches were so readily available.

 

[DJM]

Perhaps should have been more specific.
The bathroom is on the lighting circuit but at the end of the serial . The switch is simply a power disconection to the whole bathroom. From the single cable out it stars to the lights and to the shaver point light and to an FCU that further isolates the humidistat fan.
So lights shaver and fan are separated from each other but all from the original switch. Three pole isolation not required for the fan as it is simply power to a transformer and from there to the integral humidistat fan.

So whilst I had thought of a switched FCU instead of a plateswitch it didnt seem to be much of an advantage

 

[winston1]

It is not normal or necessary to fit FCUs on lighting circuits. Chances are there will be no neutral at the switch anyway.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You should really have means of isolation for a fan

But not one which also takes out the lights.