Bathroom extractor fan problems

[stealthwolf]

The bathroom fan has never worked since we moved in a few months ago. Today I decided to have a look. I figured the fan was broken so bought a replacement. From my research, both are inadequate but I wanted something functioning and didn't want to make a larger hole. We are going to redo the bathroom at some point in the next couple of years.

Original - vent axia vimpt100
http://www.diy.com/departments/vent-axia-silver-bathroom-fan/190716_BQ.prd

Replacement -manrose vlp100stc
http://www.diy.com/departments/manrose-silver-plastic-extractor-fan-timer/34879_BQ.prd

First surprise was the wiring on the original

The live was to the permanent live feed, the neutral to neutral and the earth to switched live. I disconnected it and found there was only a live red and neutral black feed - the earth wasn't wired to anything.

Second surprise once I took the covers off both fans was this:

Both fans were the same underneath. I wired the live to switched live and neutral to neutral. Nothing happened. I changed the Live to permanent live and still nothing. In both situations, turning on/off the light, shower isolator and electric shower in all combinations result in nothing happening. Waving the neon power tracer pen shows the feed is live.

What can I do next to work out where the problem lies?
The feed in the wall comes from the loft so I'm going there to have a look.
Is there a way to test the fans themselves are working? Could I wire a three pin plug and test that way?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Both fans were the same underneath.

That's to be expected - they are ultimately the same company.

I wired the live to switched live and neutral to neutral. Nothing happened. I changed the Live to permanent live and still nothing. In both situations, turning on/off the light, shower isolator and electric shower in all combinations result in nothing happening.

So what did you do which led you to decide that a fan which had never worked must be broken?

Waving the neon power tracer pen shows the feed is live.

Those things are useless. But even if it is correctly indicating that you have a functioning live, how does that preclude there being no neutral?

What can I do next to work out where the problem lies?

You could test the cable with a proper 2-pole tester, not a magic wand.

The feed in the wall comes from the loft so I'm going there to have a look.

That is really confusing, because you said "The live was to the permanent live feed, the neutral to neutral and the earth to switched live. I disconnected it and found there was only a live red and neutral black feed - the earth wasn't wired to anything." How can you know what the conductors are being used for, and what is or is not connected, unless you'd already traced them?

Is there a way to test the fans themselves are working? Could I wire a three pin plug and test that way?

You could.

Don't be surprised if you find that the original fan works just fine.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Connect the Line(Live) to both Permanent live AND switched live and N-N.

It will work when the light is on but not have a timer function.

It would appear that the previous person has used the Earth as Switched live but this is poor practice.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It would appear that the previous person has used the Earth as Switched live but this is poor practice.

That's putting it rather mildly.

How about "this is dangerous and illegal"?