New bathroom fan. Isolator required?

[mcprinter]

Refurbing our spare bathroom.
No extractor fan fitted and want to add one.

I have run 3 core and earth from the lighting circuit (MF Wago box) to near where the fan will be.
Should I be adding a 3 pole isolator? I intend to fit a fan with a timer.

The fan in the other bathroom doesn't have an isolator so wasn't sure if a requirement.

Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

It is not a requirement - up to you.

 

[Murdochcat]

The only reason I can think to fit an isolator is so that you can turn off the fan if its noisy at night ............. but if its going to be a rental property certainly don't fit one

 

[mcprinter]

Thanks both.
Not a rental. Just want to do the job properly.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If the room has another form of illumination/- like a window- then an isolator is not really necessary.

 

[ebee]

Well if it`s timed overun and it jams and starts to smoke I would prefer the option of a local isolator to kill the power rather than throwing the whole supply off at the mains in the dark of night!

 

[JohnW2]

Well if it`s timed overun and it jams and starts to smoke I would prefer the option of a local isolator to kill the power rather than throwing the whole supply off at the mains in the dark of night!

Maybe, but (as always ), in an attempt to put this into perspective, I have to wonder whether the probability of an extractor fan 'starting to smoke' is more or less than the probability of a person being struck by lightning

I actually have, in my time, experimented to see what happens if one deliberately 'jams' one of these extractor fans, and the answer seems to be EITHER'nothing much happens' (the increased current drawn not being enough to cause any problems) OR, if things start heating up, the motor almost always has a 'thermal cut-out' .... I certainly saw nothing approaching 'smoke'!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Well if it`s timed overun and it jams and starts to smoke I would prefer the option of a local isolator to kill the power rather than throwing the whole supply off at the mains in the dark of night!

Nevertheless as I wrote in answer to the OP's question it is not required by the regulations and it is up to him

.

.

 

[JohnW2]

Nevertheless as I wrote in answer to the OP's question it is not required by the regulations and it is up to him.

Indeed - and I have offered some thoughts that the OP might wish to take into account when making his 'up to him' decision.

 

[JohnW2]

deleted ... pressed wring button!

 

[JohnD]

I clean mine sometimes. I am not so poor that I can't afford a switch.

 

[mcprinter]

If the room has another form of illumination/- like a window- then an isolator is not really necessary.

What has a window got to do with an isolation switch?
Intrigued

 

[JohnD]

Some people like to clean or repair their fans by turning off the lighting circuit at the consumer unit.

So they have to work during daylight hours, relying on the window.

 

[JohnW2]

Some people like to clean or repair their fans by turning off the lighting circuit at the consumer unit. ... So they have to work during daylight hours, relying on the window.

Ironically, if there is a window, and if they could be educated to open it, then they might well not need the fan in the first place, so there would be nothing to clean or repair

... but there would, of course, still be the same issue as you describe if they wanted to clean or repair the light fitting(s), and no isolator would avoid that problem!

 

[ebee]

It is (or a least it was) more common than being struck by lightning for a fan to grossly overheat and go on fire/smoke according to a couple of my fire brigade contacts - I mean actual fire/smoke type situations they have attended or investigated forensically, it does happen or it did happen and they took the stance that a timed overrun fan needed an isolator close to the fan or say immediately outside the bathroom. Without timed overrun/humidistat etc it was not important because a flick of the lightswitch would suffice (although better for cleaning etc) .

I have seen the aftermath of a few after the event too. It should be an event rarer than being struck by lightning but it is a lot more frequent though.