Extractor fan stopped working

Daisy_84

Hi all,

My extractor fan has stopped working. I was wondering if anyone can advise on what I can check before calling an electrician?

The exact extractor fan in the downstairs loo is still working.

Thank you in advance.

Ebe_Scrooge

Is there power getting to it?  Has a fuse blown or a circuit-breaker tripped?  Is it actually switched on?  (I'm not being facetious - some of them, even though they're triggered when the bathroom light is switched on, also have their own isolator switch.  Any chance this could have been knocked into the "off" position?).

Something that's usually easy to do is to remove the cover and give it a really good clean.  The motors in those fans are very weak, and can easily be stopped by a build-up of dust and muck.  Or if something has got knocked a fraction, and the fan is fouling on the casing.

Daisy_84

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Is there power getting to it?  Has a fuse blown or a circuit-breaker tripped?  Is it actually switched on?  (I'm not being facetious - some of them, even though they're triggered when the bathroom light is switched on, also have their own isolator switch.  Any chance this could have been knocked into the "off" position?).

Something that's usually easy to do is to remove the cover and give it a really good clean.  The motors in those fans are very weak, and can easily be stopped by a build-up of dust and muck.  Or if something has got knocked a fraction, and the fan is fouling on the casing.

Thank you very much. I appreciate your help. The isolator switch is definitely on. 

The fan also has sensor which means that it opens when lights go on and closes up like a butterfly when the lights off. The opening and closing mechanism still works and was surprised to see it close, despite the fan itself being off. It opened again when I turned on the lights.

I will clean it tomorrow and see how it goes. 

fenwick458

If the shutters are opening but the fan is not coming on, you need a new fan. it's possible the timer module is faulty, but unlikely. how old is it? they have a 3 year warranty

Daisy_84

fenwick458 said:

If the shutters are opening but the fan is not coming on, you need a new fan. it's possible the timer module is faulty, but unlikely. how old is it? they have a 3 year warranty

It was installed in 2018 as part of a new build.

Ectophile

The chances are it can be dismantled for cleaning.

Turn the power off and see if it will come apart. If so, see if it's clogged with fluff or grease.

fenwick458

worth a try cleaning it I guess, if its new build property it will have a fan isolator switch outside the bathroom probably turn that off first.
there's a single screw at the 6 o'clock position that holds the front cover on, remove that, then turn the whole front cover anticlockwise about 5 degrees and it will come off. you'll be able to see more once the cover is off and if the blades spin freely, but if the back of the fan is clogged up with fluff or a birds nest you'll still need to un wire it and remove it from the wall to be able to clean it properly.
and to be honest if you are competent to get that far and it's still not working you may as well buy a replacement and fit it yourself, changing a fan like that when you know you can buy the exact same type is about as easy an electrical job gets you'll need 2-3 screwdrivers, just take a pic of the wiring before you start

Daisy_84

fenwick458 said:

worth a try cleaning it I guess, if its new build property it will have a fan isolator switch outside the bathroom probably turn that off first.
there's a single screw at the 6 o'clock position that holds the front cover on, remove that, then turn the whole front cover anticlockwise about 5 degrees and it will come off. you'll be able to see more once the cover is off and if the blades spin freely, but if the back of the fan is clogged up with fluff or a birds nest you'll still need to un wire it and remove it from the wall to be able to clean it properly.
and to be honest if you are competent to get that far and it's still not working you may as well buy a replacement and fit it yourself, changing a fan like that when you know you can buy the exact same type is about as easy an electrical job gets you'll need 2-3 screwdrivers, just take a pic of the wiring before you start

Thank you for the tips. I’m going to have to get an electrician. I usually like to have a go at these things myself but I managed to unscrew it last night, opened it. Didn’t know the hell where to start. I would have loved to replace it myself though, but it looks rather complicated. 

shiraz99

There's a couple of videos on YT showing you how to service this (or similar) fan. It depends on how confident you are with electrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gjmsNYt-g&t=366s

It could be that the motor has burnt out which should be apparent if you take it a part. If it is then you may as well get a new one.

Daisy_84

shiraz99 said:

There's a couple of videos on YT showing you how to service this (or similar) fan. It depends on how confident you are with electrics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gjmsNYt-g&t=366s

It could be that the motor has burnt out which should be apparent if you take it a part. If it is then you may as well get a new one.

I managed to take it apart and it turns out there are slight differences in model. However this video was very useful indeed. Picture of my one.

GDB2222

Before calling an electrician, vacuum the slots round the central round bit. You may remove some dirt, if that’s what is stopping it. Nothing to lose really.

Also, you can buy the replacement fan, which saves the electrician’s time, so should be cheaper for you.