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Electrical

Installing an Extractor Fan by only using a Fan Isolator Switch as the main switch?

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.49 PM

Hi Everyone, I hope you're all having a great weekend; I have an Xpelair DX150TS extractor fan and a 10A 1-Gang 3-Pole Fan Isolator Switch. When looking over the manual for the extractor fan and the wiring diagram shows it going into a light switch and then into a Fan Isolator Switch, as shown here: https://www.diynot.com/diy/attachments/0x92-jpg.164831/ I'm wording if I can bypass the light switch and use the Fan Isolator Switch as the main switch, something like this: http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/images/9/9e/Fan_with_no_timer.png But I can't find anything in the manual to say I can. I want to note that the Extractor Fan won't be installed in a bathroom, but in a computer, room to extract heat, hence me wanting to use a single switch and not two. Thank you! Note: the Extractor Fan has an overrun timer; I'm not sure if that will affect anything.

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4 Answers

Internal Repairs

Rating: 5 out of 5

Epsom

Yeah. Don't connect the permanent live connection for the fan. Only the switched live and neutral. Not really a DIY job though if your extending fixed wiring. I'd still get an electrician to do it but in theory it's no problem.

Answered19 October 2022

AS Electrical Services

Rating: 5 out of 5

Cradley Heath

A light switch is used for functional switching and a fan isolator is used for both functional switching and isolation. Your fan will require two lives a (a permanent and a switched live) in order for it to work. This can easily be overcome by a having two switched lives. The answer to your question is yes you can use a fan isolator however the best advice I can give you is get a electrician to do the job

Answered19 October 2022

Anonymous user

You are over thinking it. You could use the 3-pole fan isolator as the on/off switch but a better solution would be to wire the fan through a normal switched double pole fused spur fitted with a 3A fuse. This can be your on/off switch and a double pole spur will also be an isolator. To wire the fan you will need to link the permanent live and the switched live together in the fan terminals else it won't work. Just use a short length of wire.

Answered16 October 2022

meo electrical

Rating: 5 out of 5

Bordon

Hi. If i understand correctly, you want the fan to run continously to stop the computers overheating. There are fans that are designed to run continuosly (constant volume extractor fan). I would fit one of these and wire it from a Switched Fused Connection Unit.

Answered20 October 2022