Shower Room Extractor Fans

[wilfster]

I'm having problems with extractor fans in my shower room - not a shower cubicle, the room is about 1.5m x 2.5m. The fan ducting is rigid plastic through an 11" wall just below ceiling height. The fan is switched by a ceiling pull-cord the other side of the room. Over 9 years I've got through 5 fans. The first two were Vortice 5" fans with shutter and run-on timer. They lasted about 2 years each. The electronics for the run-on device seemed to burn out, so the third fan was the same type without timer. That lasted three or four years. I replaced that with a Vent-Axia 100mm fan with shutter and timer which lasted just over a year. Then came a Vent-Axia 100mm fan with timer but without shutter. It's an attractive, quiet, unobtrusive fan but it's lasted less than 6 months.

Is this normal lifespan for fans or am I just unlucky? Can anybody recommend an extractor fan that lasts??

 

[BS3036]

Just as a matter of interest - is there a flourescent light nearby?

 

[wilfster]

Just as a matter of interest - is there a flourescent light nearby?

No, just a tungsten bulbed light on a separate lighting circuit.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[sparkyspike]

You're not the only one to have fan problems. I've had problems with Manrose, Icon and Vent Axia. Usually it's the motor that goes, sometimes the circuit board. I think Manrose, Icon and other budget brands use the same make of motor. However, I've never had a problem with in-line fans. Perhaps this is because of the way they are installed? Or just coincidence maybe.

 

[pbar]

Is the fan sited in a position where it gets a large amount of moisture in it or something like that? I have 4 Manrose fans, 2 normal and 2 inline, and never had a problem with any so far. I guess lack of incoming air could cause an issue. As air is taken out, more has to come into the room. Do you have a vent, window, window vents, gap in the door, etc. where air can come back in.

 

[mattysupra]

Cut 10mm off the bottom of the door.

For an extract fan to work it must be able to draw free air from somewhere else in the house.

Try puting your hand over your mouth and breath in - see wat I mean.

Would such a small fan be able to cause negative pressure in a room to put it under load? I guess that is what your thinking? Of course it would work better if it had a good supply of air coming in.

I would guess that it would be damaged by someone opening the door tho while running causing a vacuum through the fan? Maybe 10 mm of the door would be a plan?

While we are on the subject tho, can anyone recommend a good fan for above a power shower that sits inside a duct?

 

[pbar]

Well, only you can know if there's enough air coming into the room. Put the fan on and stay inside the room for 15 minutes or so. Then hold a piece of card up to the fan. If it grabs it and holds it just the same as it would with the door wide open, then there's no problem, the fan isn't struggling.
Opening/closing doors whilst the fan is on shouldn't cause it harm, everyone has to do that and fans don't break because of it.
Must be something else affecting it.