advice on disconnecting a bathroom extractor fan

emchoc

I have a bathroom extractor fan that comes on with the light and I want it to stop I'm not planning on removing it - just leaving it in-situ and disconnected until I decide if I need to replace it or not. I can see how to disconnect it (the three cables from the mains are connected to the fan - it's like this one www[dot]diynot.com/diy/media/bathroom-fan.69491/full) but then I'll have three loose mains wires floating around inside the housing. Do I need to put some kind on insulation on the end of these?

grumbler

Use a terminal block

ic

Stupid question - it doesn't have a nearby fan switch that will just turn it off?

emchoc

brilliant, thanks, just ordered some

emchoc

ic said:

Stupid question - it doesn't have a nearby fan switch that will just turn it off?

that would be nice, but no, definitely doesn't have one of those

grumbler

There must be one.

Mine is in the hot water cylinder cupboard, but it disconnects both the fan and the lights.

nofoollikeold

1. Be very, very, careful when disconnecting.  Many fans are designed to have a permanent live electrical feed as well as a switched feed, and many times the earth wire (circuit protective conductor) is used, against all regulations, to supply one of these.  
2. I don't think you are supposed to use those terminal strips unless they are themselves enclosed in an insulated box.  That said, their use is widespread.  

FreeBear

grumbler said: There must be one.

Depends on how long ago it was installed and by whom. If it is wired up to turn on/off with the light, it is quite likely the fan doesn't have a separate isolation switch. Or if it had been fitted by Mr Bodger, turning off the power at the consumer unit may be the only way to isolate the fan.

emchoc - Play it safe and turn the power off at the consumer unit just in case.

emchoc

FreeBear said:

grumbler said: There must be one.

Depends on how long ago it was installed and by whom. If it is wired up to turn on/off with the light, it is quite likely the fan doesn't have a separate isolation switch. Or if it had been fitted by Mr Bodger, turning off the power at the consumer unit may be the only way to isolate the fan.

emchoc - Play it safe and turn the power off at the consumer unit just in case.

Oh absolutely will be switching off at the consumer unit while I'm messing with it - already checked that out and it's on the lighting circuit as I expected.

grumbler

nofoollikeold said:

2. I don't think you are supposed to use those terminal strips unless they are themselves enclosed in an insulated box.  That said, their use is widespread.  

Most likely, very similar terminals are in the fan that the wires were connected to and where the wires remain as per the OP.

emchoc

grumbler said:

nofoollikeold said:

2. I don't think you are supposed to use those terminal strips unless they are themselves enclosed in an insulated box.  That said, their use is widespread.  

Most likely, very similar terminals are in the fan that the wires were connected to and where the wires remain as per the OP.

Yes, the terminals in the fan look very similar to the terminal blocks I've used before. @nofoollikeold is there a better / safer / more appropriate alternative I should be using?