Hello all,

I hope everyone is well. I have an extractor fan in the bathroom but it hasnt worked since we moved in and the steam after a while is causing the lights to stop working for a short period of time. I had a look yesterday and the extractor is not connected to anything (that explains why it isnt working). I have been in the loft but there doesnt seem to be anything to connect it to and I think it has neve been done.

Can anyone (in simple terms) tell me how an extractor is supposed to be wired to the mains and the light switch. There are only two cables coming from the extractor which i'm assuming would be a live and a neutral.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Rik

[quote name='Rikos' date='04 June 2010 - 01:24 PM' timestamp='1275654245' post='722376']
Hello all,

I hope everyone is well. I have an extractor fan in the bathroom but it hasnt worked since we moved in and the steam after a while is causing the lights to stop working for a short period of time. I had a look yesterday and the extractor is not connected to anything (that explains why it isnt working). I have been in the loft but there doesnt seem to be anything to connect it to and I think it has neve been done.

Can anyone (in simple terms) tell me how an extractor is supposed to be wired to the mains and the light switch. There are only two cables coming from the extractor which i'm assuming would be a live and a neutral.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Rik
[/quote]
I did this recently, do you know if it's the timer type (does it have an adjuster for how long to stay on) or just the normal on-off type?

Either way wire it in to the lights - if the timer type use the permanent live, if the on-off type used the switched live same as the lights.

if you are not sure dont touch

all works within a bathroom are notifiable under part p, and should be carried out by a qualified electrician


there are many aspects to the fan and the connection of it

is it an extra low voltage fan (12v) or mains voltage 230v
what zone is it positioned in
is there rcd protection to the circuit it may be connected to
is there supplementry bonding to the bathroom
how is the fan to be controlled, timed, manual operation, humidistat control, pir controlled

if its a timer type it will have three wires and maybe an earth conductor
any of the others it will have just two wires and maybe an earth conductor


and you thought electrics was simple !!!

Good advice from Bazza and well worth noting, any dabbling I do is always under the supervision of one of my uncles who is a qualified electrician so no risk of me electricuting myself......if in doubt get a qualified person to do it as it's generally a worthwhile expense

Cheers for the replies guys.

It is just a normal on/off fan, nothing special just bog standard. It only has two wires coming out of the fan. I would think it would just be controlled by an on off switch connected to the lights or a seperate switch if possible.

I have got an electrician friend but he is not about at the minute.

I have got a question connected to this though, currently when we have a hot shower or bath and alot of steam is made if we dont open the window wide and make sure the steam disappears quick it sometimes stops the light in the bathroom from working. Whats weird is that it doesnt short anything or trip anything. It just seems to stop it working and then after a bit of time it works again. Any ideas? We have a light on the ceiling which is a ball and then a light above the mirror which is also connected to the mains and both of these stop working. This makes me think it is something to do with the light switch but i just dont know why it would stop working and then start working without tripping anything.

Any ideas appreciated.

[quote name='Rikos' date='08 June 2010 - 12:41 PM' timestamp='1275997277' post='722740']
Cheers for the replies guys.

It is just a normal on/off fan, nothing special just bog standard. It only has two wires coming out of the fan. I would think it would just be controlled by an on off switch connected to the lights or a seperate switch if possible.

I have got an electrician friend but he is not about at the minute.

I have got a question connected to this though, currently when we have a hot shower or bath and alot of steam is made if we dont open the window wide and make sure the steam disappears quick it sometimes stops the light in the bathroom from working. Whats weird is that it doesnt short anything or trip anything. It just seems to stop it working and then after a bit of time it works again. Any ideas? We have a light on the ceiling which is a ball and then a light above the mirror which is also connected to the mains and both of these stop working. This makes me think it is something to do with the light switch but i just dont know why it would stop working and then start working without tripping anything.

Any ideas appreciated.
[/quote]

Ok then i am a spark so basically the extract fan sounds like it is 12v or 24v you should "check first" though. if it is either of those voltages you will need a transformer if there is not one already built in. If it is 230v you should just take a live and neutral from a light fitting and connect through in a joint box or a spur.
About the lights going off with the steam i would just check that all connections are tight firstly and if that dont do it, it could possibly be the switch but it sounds abit weird to me, is it just the bathroom lights that go off? where abouts are you by the way?

[quote name='BenIS' date='11 June 2010 - 10:28 PM' timestamp='1276291699' post='723084']
[quote name='Rikos' date='08 June 2010 - 12:41 PM' timestamp='1275997277' post='722740']
Cheers for the replies guys.

It is just a normal on/off fan, nothing special just bog standard. It only has two wires coming out of the fan. I would think it would just be controlled by an on off switch connected to the lights or a seperate switch if possible.

I have got an electrician friend but he is not about at the minute.

I have got a question connected to this though, currently when we have a hot shower or bath and alot of steam is made if we dont open the window wide and make sure the steam disappears quick it sometimes stops the light in the bathroom from working. Whats weird is that it doesnt short anything or trip anything. It just seems to stop it working and then after a bit of time it works again. Any ideas? We have a light on the ceiling which is a ball and then a light above the mirror which is also connected to the mains and both of these stop working. This makes me think it is something to do with the light switch but i just dont know why it would stop working and then start working without tripping anything.

Any ideas appreciated.
[/quote]

Ok then i am a spark so basically the extract fan sounds like it is 12v or 24v you should "check first" though. if it is either of those voltages you will need a transformer if there is not one already built in. If it is 230v you should just take a live and neutral from a light fitting and connect through in a joint box or a spur.
About the lights going off with the steam i would just check that all connections are tight firstly and if that dont do it, it could possibly be the switch but it sounds abit weird to me, is it just the bathroom lights that go off? where abouts are you by the way?
[/quote]

i have never come across a 24v fan for household use
nor a fan with the transformer built in, that would kind of defeat the object would it not ?

[quote name='Bazza' date='11 June 2010 - 10:46 PM' timestamp='1276292764' post='723086']
[quote name='BenIS' date='11 June 2010 - 10:28 PM' timestamp='1276291699' post='723084']
[quote name='Rikos' date='08 June 2010 - 12:41 PM' timestamp='1275997277' post='722740']
Cheers for the replies guys.

It is just a normal on/off fan, nothing special just bog standard. It only has two wires coming out of the fan. I would think it would just be controlled by an on off switch connected to the lights or a seperate switch if possible.

I have got an electrician friend but he is not about at the minute.

I have got a question connected to this though, currently when we have a hot shower or bath and alot of steam is made if we dont open the window wide and make sure the steam disappears quick it sometimes stops the light in the bathroom from working. Whats weird is that it doesnt short anything or trip anything. It just seems to stop it working and then after a bit of time it works again. Any ideas? We have a light on the ceiling which is a ball and then a light above the mirror which is also connected to the mains and both of these stop working. This makes me think it is something to do with the light switch but i just dont know why it would stop working and then start working without tripping anything.

Any ideas appreciated.
[/quote]

Ok then i am a spark so basically the extract fan sounds like it is 12v or 24v you should "check first" though. if it is either of those voltages you will need a transformer if there is not one already built in. If it is 230v you should just take a live and neutral from a light fitting and connect through in a joint box or a spur.
About the lights going off with the steam i would just check that all connections are tight firstly and if that dont do it, it could possibly be the switch but it sounds abit weird to me, is it just the bathroom lights that go off? where abouts are you by the way?
[/quote]

i have never come across a 24v fan for household use
nor a fan with the transformer built in, that would kind of defeat the object would it not ?
[/quote]
Bazza, you can get 24v dc fans for domestic they are just not commonly used. just thought it be best to suggest everything, and about the built in transformer, i believe you are right. it will need a separate transformer if it is low voltage. Also, idealy it should have a switch fused spur as a point of isolation.

BenIS - yeah it is just the bathroom lights that go off. I think it must be th switch to do that but not entirely sure why. I am near Grantham.

[quote name='Bazza' date='11 June 2010 - 09:46 PM' timestamp='1276292764' post='723086']
[quote name='BenIS' date='11 June 2010 - 10:28 PM' timestamp='1276291699' post='723084']
[quote name='Rikos' date='08 June 2010 - 12:41 PM' timestamp='1275997277' post='722740']
Cheers for the replies guys.

It is just a normal on/off fan, nothing special just bog standard. It only has two wires coming out of the fan. I would think it would just be controlled by an on off switch connected to the lights or a seperate switch if possible.

I have got an electrician friend but he is not about at the minute.

I have got a question connected to this though, currently when we have a hot shower or bath and alot of steam is made if we dont open the window wide and make sure the steam disappears quick it sometimes stops the light in the bathroom from working. Whats weird is that it doesnt short anything or trip anything. It just seems to stop it working and then after a bit of time it works again. Any ideas? We have a light on the ceiling which is a ball and then a light above the mirror which is also connected to the mains and both of these stop working. This makes me think it is something to do with the light switch but i just dont know why it would stop working and then start working without tripping anything.

Any ideas appreciated.
[/quote]

Ok then i am a spark so basically the extract fan sounds like it is 12v or 24v you should "check first" though. if it is either of those voltages you will need a transformer if there is not one already built in. If it is 230v you should just take a live and neutral from a light fitting and connect through in a joint box or a spur.
About the lights going off with the steam i would just check that all connections are tight firstly and if that dont do it, it could possibly be the switch but it sounds abit weird to me, is it just the bathroom lights that go off? where abouts are you by the way?
[/quote]

i have never come across a 24v fan for household use
nor a fan with the transformer built in, that would kind of defeat the object would it not ?
[/quote]


surely if anything this would be a smarter option considering the enviroment it will be in?? humid/ect low voltage and that .. but im sure it should be of a certain IP protection.... and ofcourse on a RCBO