Help with fitting in shower room

Buggins

Hi - I have a light bulb and expel air thing in the ceiling that works off a single pull in my shower/wc. It has just stopped functioning and am wondering what to do as it is obviously a two-way pull switch! Any advice gratefully received.

phill99

Get the switch changed.

Buggins

Thank you - is this expensive and what do you call this type of switch?

angel_of_dartford

Pull cord switch, budget for about £2.50

Buggins

Thanks Angel but I think it is more complicated than that as it must be a two way thing to operate light and vent together.

zax47

No, really (speaking as an electrician), it's not more complicated than that. I would budget a tad more though - for something decent, not some cheap tat from one of the DIY "sheds"... no more than £5 though.

Le_Kirk

It's not 2-way, it just switches both fan and light on at same time. A 2-way switch is where one switch turns it on and another switch turns it off, like upstairs and downstairs in a hall/balcony. You have diagnosed it to be the switch presumably because both fan and light fail to come on when pull cord is used??? If the light comes on, then it is likely to be the fan.

Buggins

Hi Le-Kirk - yes, neither light nor vent come on when the cord is pulled! So, buy a new pull cord and switch off electricity and fit new one....is that it?

Le_Kirk

Yes but BEFORE you start make sure that you make a note of EXACTLY where each cable in pull switch is connected. There was a thread a couple of days ago where someone removed a ceiling rose without noting connections and was left with 7 or 8 cables with no clue as to where they went! Often though with pull switches there are only 2 cables.
If you have any doubts about your ability or knowledge, call in an electrician on a non-emergency basis, then, if it is something more than a broken switch, you have someone on hand to find and fix the fault.