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Shower Isolator Switch Problem

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  • 10-04-2011 12:22am
    #1
    MugenSi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭


    My bathroom shower has a ceiling isolator switch (on a pull string) Anyway yesterday the cord became very tight and the switch would not turn off, after gently forcing it, it switched off. I tried it a few times on and off and it seemed to work ok after that. Today when i went to have a shower, i pulled the cord and the red LED on the switch came on but the shower would not switch on when i pressed its button. When i press the power button for the shower the red LED on the ceiling switch goes off, and comes on again when i press the shower button again. The shower is 8 months old and does not get excessive use as there is just 2 of us in the house. I'm guessing (hoping) the problem is with the switch and not the shower unit itself?

    Also (and possibly not related) there is a ventilation fan in the ceiling, it has its own isolation switch (flat flip type) in the ceiling, however when the switch is in the on position the fan comes on with the light switch and not the shower switch. Its the main bathroom and has its own window and so i leave it off as its annoying having the fan come on every time someone turns on the bathroom light. The bathroom light and shower isolator switches are both on pull cords beside each other and i'm guessing the isolator switch for the fan was wired incorrectly to the light rather than the shower switch...would that be correct?


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    #2
    Diggerdunne
    Registered Users Posts: 431 ✭✭Diggerdunne


    Your shower isolation switch is most likely faulty. You could put a meter on the out going side of the switch when it's turned on and see if power is actually going to the shower. Only do it if u r comfortable with electricity, if not get a sparks to check 4 u. In terms of the fan it is wired correctly, that's the standard way that they are wired... Hope this helps....


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    #3
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    MugenSi wrote: »
    My bathroom shower has a ceiling isolator switch (on a pull string) Anyway yesterday the cord became very tight and the switch would not turn off, after gently forcing it, it switched off. I tried it a few times on and off and it seemed to work ok after that. Today when i went to have a shower, i pulled the cord and the red LED on the switch came on but the shower would not switch on when i pressed its button. When i press the power button for the shower the red LED on the ceiling switch goes off, and comes on again when i press the shower button again. The shower is 8 months old and does not get excessive use as there is just 2 of us in the house. I'm guessing (hoping) the problem is with the switch and not the shower unit itself?

    There is a problem in the switch by the sound of it, the neon light is coming on because the switch is making enough of a connection to bring on the indicator light on the pull chord, but then the shower load is put on when you press the shower button, and the connection the switch is making is not good enough and is failing, which also causes the neon to go off. Its either the switch itself being faulty with it jamming etc, or a bad or burnt connection where the cables connect to it which could also make the mechanism stick. A new switch should fix it.
    Also (and possibly not related) there is a ventilation fan in the ceiling, it has its own isolation switch (flat flip type) in the ceiling, however when the switch is in the on position the fan comes on with the light switch and not the shower switch. Its the main bathroom and has its own window and so i leave it off as its annoying having the fan come on every time someone turns on the bathroom light. The bathroom light and shower isolator switches are both on pull cords beside each other and i'm guessing the isolator switch for the fan was wired incorrectly to the light rather than the shower switch...would that be correct?

    A bathroom fan should have an isolating switch outside the bathroom, and the fan is brought on usually by the bathroom light switch. No connection from shower isolators is done to fans. The fan can have its own light switch outside the bathroom to have it independent of the light if preferred. The isolator is still required to allow the fan to be isolated for working on it.


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    #4
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    agree with above posters
    most likely you require a new shower isolation switch
    the fan seems to be wired correctly

    there are suggestions that the shower switch is not designed for multiple on/off switching and should be left on continuously(like your cooker switch)
    and only used to isolate your shower in an emergency or when working on it


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