This would be ideal as there is no natural lighting in the room anyway but I am not quite sure how to go about this. If you are unable or don’t want the fan wired off of the lighting circuit and want independent control then an independent switch will need to be installed. As there are several different ways that a timed extractor fan is wired up, here we will cover the most common method; Taking a power feed from an existing bathroom light. For completeness we will also cover how a standard bathroom extractor fan is wired up to it’s own switch and not an existing light switch. Wiring a Timed Extractor Fan That’s Turned on by an Existing Light Switch

Finally, connect the pull-cord switch that wil be used to turn the fan on and off into the junction box using normal 2-core cabling as with any other light switch. From the fused connection unit the installation must then have a 3-pole isolation switch that provides at least 3mm of separation on ALL live conductors when the switch is off. Its not a smart a**ed reply. Some people on this forum (who dont get paid for it, mind) have taken a lot of care to put together guides to help with the more commonly asked questions. As we have stated above, if an extractor fan is being installed from scratch then this will need to be done by a qualified Part P registered electrician. However is you are simply replacing an existing broken unit then you are able to do this yourself. The other end is connected to the timed fan terminals as stated by the manufacturer in the instructions provided with the unit.

If it isn’t and there is no official evidence to prove it’s been done by a professional with the required qualifications then in the event of any issues it is likely that your home insurance won’t be valid and if you come to sell your home then this can again cause huge issues. The 3 pole switch ensures complete disconnection of supply to the fan so that maintenance can be carried out safely, without the need for a qualified electrician to disconnect the wiring (N.B. if you are in anyway unsure of how to carry out routine maintenance/cleaning on the fan, you should always seek the advice of a qualified electrician). If this is in a ground floor bathroom, you may need to pull up some floor boards to access and wire up. It must also be possible to isolate the fan by means of a pull cord switch inside the bathroom, or a fan isolation (3-pole) switch outside of the bathroom. Its at the top of the forum. it couldnt be clearer, its the first thing you see. It says FAQ, Read here first .

Despite this, if you are unfamiliar with working on and around electricity then you are better off getting the pros in to do it for you! Wiring a Timed Extractor Fan Switched on by its Own Switch When it comes to the cable that should be used, as extractor fans are low voltage it’s possible to use 1mm or 1.5mm cable. Also, for timed unit extractor fans, as there is an extra cable you can use 3 core and earth, however if wiring a standard fan with no timed switch, 2 core and earth is fine. However, I would probably still have asked the question as the diagram quite clearly states that the set up described is not for a bathroom and not wishing to breach some huge safety aspect I would have posted question anyway.

An extractor fan is an essential part of any bathroom as it helps to remove the excess moist and humid air produced by the shower and keep any condensation build up to a minimum.

There are other ways to achieve this where the junction box connections are housed within the 3-pole isolation switch, but that is more complicated to explain and increases the chances of something going wrong. The instructions state that it can be operated by connecting it to a light switch so that the fan will start when the light is switched on.This wiring diagram shows an easy to follow configuration for a bathroom extractor fan fitted with a timer, that’s not going to be turned on by the existing light switch. Instead, we are going to install a new switch that will turn the fan on and off.