Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Changed bathroom fan to bedroom light. Need help

Options
  • 27-08-2016 10:43pm
    #1
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭


    Folks. I wanted to put some lights over my bed and I did that and wired it to the cable that fed the bathroom fan. I then changed the bathroom fan to power from the bathroom lights.

    I now have an issue that when I turn on the bathroom light the fan comes on which is good ......but when I turn on the switch which used to power the fan now powers the over bed lights and the fan and bathroom lights.


    I thought I had completely disconnected the fan from that feed. What have I done wrong?? The wife of course is going spare!!!!


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    For a start you shouldn't be messing with electrics if you are not an electrician.
    You have a back feed coming from somewhere by the looks of it, I cannot make full sense of your problem, but I'm sure there as an easier way of doing what you are trying to do? Could you not tap off your feed for your bedroom light and put a switch up?


  • Options
    #3
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    There must be something that you have not changed over from the old fan switch onto the bathroom light switch. Or you took your feed for your new lights from the wrong side of the switch?


  • Options
    #4
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    If you don't know what is wrong then please call someone that does. This is not something to DIY unless you have experience. :D


  • Options
    #5
    Bscan86
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Bscan86


    Out of curiosity why did you connect into the fan?


  • Options
    #6
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    Bscan86 wrote: »
    Out of curiosity why did you connect into the fan?

    I suppose it was the nearest thing to him with a supply. I'd also love to see how u looped supply from the fan to your lights?
    Would you post a pic? Just so we can see what's going on?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    Bscan86 wrote: »
    Out of curiosity why did you connect into the fan?

    Closest switch to the bed. Its the ensuite.


  • Options
    #8
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    Steve wrote: »
    If you don't know what is wrong then please call someone that does. This is not something to DIY unless you have experience. :D

    I've changed lights and added sockets before but there seems to be something I've missed this time.


  • Options
    #9
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    TheBully wrote: »
    I suppose it was the nearest thing to him with a supply. I'd also love to see how u looped supply from the fan to your lights?
    Would you post a pic? Just so we can see what's going on?

    I disconnected the feed to the fan and fed a feed from lights directly to fan. Live and neutral.

    I then took the 2 live feeds (one permanent) and the neutral that were connected to the fan and fed them to the lights over the bed. Installing them in a ring from original feed.

    The switch for the fan (now the bed lights) is beside the bed and beside that is a 2 gang switch for bathroom lights and bathroom mirror light.


  • Options
    #10
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    OK, first do you realise and understand that a bathroom fan has both a switched and maintained supply and hoe to tell them apart? I'm not being smart, just want to understand how much you know as a start point. :)


  • Options
    #11
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    teflon wrote: »
    I disconnected the feed to the fan and fed a feed from lights directly to fan. Live and neutral.

    I then took the 2 live feeds (one permanent) and the neutral that were connected to the fan and fed them to the lights over the bed. Installing them in a ring from original feed.

    The switch for the fan (now the bed lights) is beside the bed and beside that is a 2 gang switch for bathroom lights and bathroom mirror light.

    I'm a spark but can't get my head around what you have done here


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    It's not inconceivable that someone before the OP botched the original fan install..


  • Options
    #13
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    Steve wrote: »
    OK, first do you realise and understand that a bathroom fan has both a switched and maintained supply and hoe to tell them apart? I'm not being smart, just want to understand how much you know as a start point. :)

    Yes but is the maintained supply not just if you have a timer on the fan?


  • Options
    #14
    Steve
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 22,584 CMod ✭✭✭✭Steve


    teflon wrote: »
    Yes but is the maintained supply not just if you have a timer on the fan?

    Normally the timer is built into the fan. The maintained supply is there to keep the fan running , the switch tells it to start timing.

    If you connected both the permanent and the original switch feed for the fan to your lights (which is what I think you said above) then strange things are gonna happen alright. The timer circuit in the fan will likely not be rated to backfeed whatever incandescent lights you have over your bed so you have an overload / fire risk to be wary of.

    Seriously, this needs to be looked at by someone who knows what they are doing. Your lovely wife giving out will be the least of your worries if the fan goes on fire. :)


  • Options
    #15
    aido79
    Registered Users Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭aido79


    teflon wrote: »
    Folks. I wanted to put some lights over my bed and I did that and wired it to the cable that fed the bathroom fan. I then changed the bathroom fan to power from the bathroom lights.

    I now have an issue that when I turn on the bathroom light the fan comes on which is good ......but when I turn on the switch which used to power the fan now powers the over bed lights and the fan and bathroom lights.


    I thought I had completely disconnected the fan from that feed. What have I done wrong?? The wife of course is going spare!!!!

    Sorry OP but this is one of these situations :


  • Options
    #16
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    aido79 wrote: »
    Sorry OP but this is one of these situations :

    Ha ha.

    How much would a sparks have charged me ? I did call 2 local guys but they never called me back so I got pissed off and did the above.


  • Options
    #17
    aido79
    Registered Users Posts: 5,374 ✭✭✭aido79


    teflon wrote: »
    Ha ha.

    How much would a sparks have charged me ? I did call 2 local guys but they never called me back so I got pissed off and did the above.

    I'm not sure how much a sparks would have cost you but I also have no idea how you managed to get it to "work" the way you have. It may be a simple fix or it may be something more difficult but I think you are going to end up paying a sparks to sort it out.


  • Options
    #18
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    Can u put everything back the way it was?


  • Options
    #19
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    TheBully wrote: »
    Can u put everything back the way it was?

    I can yeah with relative ease. Should i?


  • Options
    #20
    TheBully
    Registered Users Posts: 876 ✭✭✭TheBully


    teflon wrote: »
    I can yeah with relative ease. Should i?

    Yes I would if I was in your position. And I'd take a supply from elsewhere!
    I shud be saying get an electrician but I don't think you are going to do that.


  • Options
    #21
    teflon
    Registered Users Posts: 367 ✭✭teflon


    TheBully wrote: »
    Yes I would if I was in your position. And I'd take a supply from elsewhere!
    I shud be saying get an electrician but I don't think you are going to do that.

    I would but I'd only be able to give them €50 and I don't think that would cover it.

    Where and how do I get power to a light above the bed with its own independent switch?
    ...and thanks to all for the advice so far.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    Bscan86
    Registered Users Posts: 110 ✭✭Bscan86


    teflon wrote:
    I would but I'd only be able to give them €50 and I don't think that would cover it.

    teflon wrote:
    Where and how do I get power to a light above the bed with its own independent switch? ...and thanks to all for the advice so far.


    If the fan has its own switch then safely in a junction box join the L N and E of a 1.5mm twin and earth to what's presently switching the fan(switch live not the permanent live). Run this over to your position for the 1st recessed and loop to your 2nd light.

    Then take a L N and Earth from the main light in the bathroom to the fan which will act as the new switch supply to the fan. Hope that makes sense.


  • Options
    #23
    Stoner
    Registered Users Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    TheBully wrote:
    I should be saying get an electrician but I don't think you are going to do that.

    +1
    OP. This is something you need professional help on. From the photos provided it's unclear if this was ever correctly addressed.

    A REC would have this sorted in about one hour IMO. You'd have it correctly connected, safe and working


Advertisement