Fan Isolator switch

[swaring]

Hi guys,

I hope somebody could help. I’m going to be installing 3 soffit lights in the next few days. I’m wanting to get a feed from existing lighting circuit, but all my lights are actually looped at the switch rather than ceiling rose.

Rather than fish to a switch in the bedroom, could I take a feed from this fan switch as it’s quite close to the ceiling and would be a lot easier.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Rather than fish to a switch in the bedroom, could I take a feed from this fan switch as it’s quite close to the ceiling and would be a lot easier.

You could, but might be less disruption, breaking into a cable in the loft space. You would really need a separate means to turn the soffit lights on and off, as the cables and lights will be semi-outdoors, it would be a good idea to make the switch, a double pole. In fact the switch, and it's box, could be mounted up against the ceiling, thus avoiding cables running down walls.

 

[swaring]

I am taking the feed to a Quinetic WiFi box that I will screw to a truss in the loft, controlled all from the quinetic app then and a wireless switch by front door just incase app fails to work

 

[swaring]

If I break into a cable in the loft it would be a switched live and would only work with bedroom light on. I need a permanent live which will only be present at the switch.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If I break into a cable in the loft it would be a switched live and would only work with bedroom light on. I need a permanent live which will only be present at the switch.

Or possibly the fan cable.

 

[Murdochcat]

If the fan has an over run timer, there will be a permanent live at that switch

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I am taking the feed to a Quinetic WiFi box that I will screw to a truss in the loft, controlled all from the quinetic app then and a wireless switch by front door just incase app fails to work

That seems silly - two wireless switches in series. If one fails, they both fail, if your wifi fails.

The idea of a double pole switch, is to be able to isolate the entire circuit, should moisture get to it, and cause the RCD to trip. If it trips, all your lighting on the circuit are lost, until repaired.

If I break into a cable in the loft it would be a switched live and would only work with bedroom light on. I need a permanent live which will only be present at the switch.

Almost certainly, there will be a live and neutral in the loft.

 

[RandomGrinch]

That seems silly - two wireless switches in series. If one fails, they both fail, if your wifi fails.

It will probably be a quinetic WiFi receiver in the loft, rather than two wireless switches.
The receiver can be operated via the app, or by standard (independent of WiFi) quinetic switches.

The idea of a double pole switch, is to be able to isolate the entire circuit, should moisture get to it, and cause the RCD to trip. If it trips, all your lighting on the circuit are lost, until repaired.

Although a double pole switch in series with the receiver would be sensible.

 

[swaring]

Yea RandomGrinch is exactly correct. Not 2 wireless switches in series.

 

[swaring]

Just took the fan isolator plate off. Is it just a case of running a twin and earth 1.5mm wire from L1 and neutral, then dressing the earth cable into the existing block then run it into the loft and then into my quinetic receiver?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is it just a case of running a twin and earth 1.5mm wire from L1 and neutral, then dressing the earth cable into the existing block then run it into the loft and then into my quinetic receiver?

Yes. Its up to you if you want the receiver switched off by the isolator switch. But you'd need to find a way to get the new cable behind the plasterboard..... It looks like the fan cables go up anyway. I'd be finding my feed up in the loft rather than disrupting the existing.

 

[Murdochcat]

I would place a conventional switch before the receiver