Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 14:44:53

Title: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 14:44:53
Our bathroom has never had an extractor fan, we open the window before 1st shower, closing it as it gets dark.

Im looking to install an extractor fan, but am undecided on operation mode...

1, Fan you turn on, and off manually : Likely to be ignored by most the family.
2, Fan that goes on with light, off after set time : Possible, except the light tends to stay on all evening so probably running unneccessarily long.
3, Humidistat : Possible, I know in year gone by these came on far too often, esp on humid days, have things improved.
3, PIR fan, : didnt know these existed, and I like the idea am struggling for a downside.

Any comments or recommendations?

Cheers
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 14:50:24
Thinking something like this

http://www.extractorfanworld.co.uk/soler-palau-hi-power-silent-bathroom-fan-with-occupancy-sensor-sil100pir-3195-p.asp

or

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/ADAUE100PT.html
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 08 December 2013, 14:56:02
PIR seems like a good idea, but sounds like you need to rig one up to the light as well!  ;)

Turn that bloody light off!!  :D ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 14:57:17
Light is on all evening by design to act as kids night light etc  goes off as we go to bed. 
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 08 December 2013, 15:08:50
Aha I see, so yes the PIR type sounds like the way forward then.  :y
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: cleggy on 08 December 2013, 15:23:29
Both our light and extractor fan are on the same movement sensor, works a treat, except must remember to close the bathroom door, otherwise every time someone or the dogs walk past on comes the light and extractor fan.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 08 December 2013, 15:35:16
Both our light and extractor fan are on the same movement sensor, works a treat, except must remember to close the bathroom door, otherwise every time someone or the dogs walk past on comes the light and extractor fan.

What happens if you settle down on the loo for a while with a good book?  ???

Do you end up in the stinking dark??  :-\  ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Andy B on 08 December 2013, 16:24:42
We have two humidistats in our bathrooms, one has the option to vary the time it stops on for & the amount of humidity and also has a pull cord to start it if you wish (I'd expect that to be a good option for you Jim!  ;)) & the other is factory set.  Both have been in a good few years with no problems.
They were chosen because I knew that a manual pull cord fan would be switched on & left on forever more.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Shackeng on 08 December 2013, 16:30:25
Our bathroom has never had an extractor fan, we open the window before 1st shower, closing it as it gets dark.

Im looking to install an extractor fan, but am undecided on operation mode...

1, Fan you turn on, and off manually : Likely to be ignored by most the family.
2, Fan that goes on with light, off after set time : Possible, except the light tends to stay on all evening so probably running unneccessarily long.
3, Humidistat : Possible, I know in year gone by these came on far too often, esp on humid days, have things improved.
3, PIR fan, : didnt know these existed, and I like the idea am struggling for a downside.

Any comments or recommendations?

Cheers

I've done five bathrooms and 3 cloakrooms, and have always used this type. No complaints and there are good ones available. Nowadays they have to be supplied through a 3-pole isolation switch. IIRC newbuild must have timer extractor fans.:y
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: biggriffin on 08 December 2013, 16:39:22
BnQ do a complete kit fo about £45. Wire it into the shower pull cord switch,

shower on=extractor on
shower off=extractor off
simples
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 December 2013, 16:47:14
Nah, humidistat. If you've even a half decent shower it will expose a lot of hot water to the atmosphere so obviously you'll get a lot of steam and moisture in the room. There's no way in gods green earth a fan will extract all that steam and damp by the time the person in the room dries off and turns the light off. Light on or off and nobody in the room has zero baring on the level of humidity, so it needs to run according to humidity level alone.

It will need to run for a good twenty minutes in winter with the window shut. Opening the window keeps that time down but there's always the odd occasion when somebody forgets and leaves it open. So we rely on the fan alone in winter, summer the window is ajar anyway.

Plus, as option 2) they don't come on at all when somebody wants a pee at 2 am or any other reason that does not involve steam, obviously. Who tf needs a fan on just because the lights on? Lived with one of those for years, they are a pita, and eventually get turned off at the isolator switch due to noise at night.

Humidistat do however, need slight adjustment between summer and winter. Two second job as there's a dial on the side of the unit to suit, just reach up and tweak it. Plus two adjustable pots for on and off in the unit itself but we've not needed to fiddle with those.

If the fan is for steam alone, and it realise this is Jimbob we are talking about ::), then Humidistat. Simples.


There's also plastic replacement roof tiles with the external vent built in. Just swap the vent tile in connect the pipe work, job done.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: biggriffin on 08 December 2013, 16:50:36
When you've finished in the shower leave door open. Also what did we do before,?
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: cleggy on 08 December 2013, 16:55:20
Both our light and extractor fan are on the same movement sensor, works a treat, except must remember to close the bathroom door, otherwise every time someone or the dogs walk past on comes the light and extractor fan.

What happens if you settle down on the loo for a while with a good book?  ???

Do you end up in the stinking dark??  :-\  ;D

Separate room :y ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 December 2013, 16:57:07
When you've finished in the shower leave door open. Also what did we do before,?

We messed about with windows and doors, let the heat outside, let the steam into the rest of the house, then redecorated the bathroom anyway due to mildew. :)

Not to mention got woken up at night a lot more.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 08 December 2013, 16:58:16
Our bathroom has never had an extractor fan, we open the window before 1st shower, closing it as it gets dark.

Im looking to install an extractor fan, but am undecided on operation mode...

1, Fan you turn on, and off manually : Likely to be ignored by most the family.
2, Fan that goes on with light, off after set time : Possible, except the light tends to stay on all evening so probably running unneccessarily long.
3, Humidistat : Possible, I know in year gone by these came on far too often, esp on humid days, have things improved.
3, PIR fan, : didnt know these existed, and I like the idea am struggling for a downside.

Any comments or recommendations?

Cheers

Hmmm do you have a pull switch inside the bathroom or a wall switch outside the bathroom? as I have an idea for a cheaper alternative to the PIR or Humidistat fan
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 17:04:08
Pull switches for both  shower and light are in the bathroom.
Shower, ill be honest, doesnt normally get turned off, it lives on standby most of the time.
Light, on and off when needed, normally on all evening.

Solution needs to be as fool proof and automated as possible, as I know it wont get used/ left on otherwise.

Really erring towards the PIR, with overrun at the moment
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 08 December 2013, 17:18:14
Pull switches for both  shower and light are in the bathroom.
Shower, ill be honest, doesnt normally get turned off, it lives on standby most of the time.
Light, on and off when needed, normally on all evening.

Solution needs to be as fool proof and automated as possible, as I know it wont get used/ left on otherwise.

Really erring towards the PIR, with overrun at the moment

Ahh...ok....my idea probably wont be a good one then  ::)

In my bathroom, it has two ceiling lights, one operates with pullcord and the other with switch outside (separate wc and bathroom, knocked into one, to create space for shower cubicle )

Extractor fan is wired into light next to the shower.....so only when this light is turned on does the extractor come on.

I was thinking that if you had a light switch out the bathroom, you could change this to a double switch and just have the extractor (with delay timer) connected to it......but you dont and also involves having to remember to turn the switch off as you leave the bathroom   ::) ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 08 December 2013, 17:21:44
Nice plan...too much manual intervention ;)
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Auto Addict on 08 December 2013, 19:11:09
Years ago I saw one that worked off a heat sensor attached to the hot water pipe :- pipe hot = fan, pipe cold = no fan.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Shackeng on 08 December 2013, 19:18:47
Nah, humidistat. If you've even a half decent shower it will expose a lot of hot water to the atmosphere so obviously you'll get a lot of steam and moisture in the room. There's no way in gods green earth a fan will extract all that steam and damp by the time the person in the room dries off and turns the light off. Light on or off and nobody in the room has zero baring on the level of humidity, so it needs to run according to humidity level alone.

It will need to run for a good twenty minutes in winter with the window shut. Opening the window keeps that time down but there's always the odd occasion when somebody forgets and leaves it open. So we rely on the fan alone in winter, summer the window is ajar anyway.

Plus, as option 2) they don't come on at all when somebody wants a pee at 2 am or any other reason that does not involve steam, obviously. Who tf needs a fan on just because the lights on? Lived with one of those for years, they are a pita, and eventually get turned off at the isolator switch due to noise at night.

Humidistat do however, need slight adjustment between summer and winter. Two second job as there's a dial on the side of the unit to suit, just reach up and tweak it. Plus two adjustable pots for on and off in the unit itself but we've not needed to fiddle with those.

If the fan is for steam alone, and it realise this is Jimbob we are talking about ::), then Humidistat. Simples.


There's also plastic replacement roof tiles with the external vent built in. Just swap the vent tile in connect the pipe work, job done.

Blimey, how long are you in the shower? :o Our bathrooms are both heated, and with the extractor fan on (with the light) we get no steam left after the approx 5 min shower. ???
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: tunnie on 08 December 2013, 19:20:40
In my old flat, after a shower the bathroom looked like a steam room  ;D

Heated, but solid 1936 walls did not help  :)

"Temp" flat has an extractor fan, on a timer, linked to light switch. Zero steam after a shower, fan works very well.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Radar on 08 December 2013, 19:54:57
I put in one of the humidistat ones from sp from tlc -direct - it works well you just need to tinker with the humidity level dial until it gets to the level you are happy with. After that it is totally automatic. Also get the biggest/most powerful one you can.
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 December 2013, 20:00:18
Nah, humidistat. If you've even a half decent shower it will expose a lot of hot water to the atmosphere so obviously you'll get a lot of steam and moisture in the room. There's no way in gods green earth a fan will extract all that steam and damp by the time the person in the room dries off and turns the light off. Light on or off and nobody in the room has zero baring on the level of humidity, so it needs to run according to humidity level alone.

It will need to run for a good twenty minutes in winter with the window shut. Opening the window keeps that time down but there's always the odd occasion when somebody forgets and leaves it open. So we rely on the fan alone in winter, summer the window is ajar anyway.

Plus, as option 2) they don't come on at all when somebody wants a pee at 2 am or any other reason that does not involve steam, obviously. Who tf needs a fan on just because the lights on? Lived with one of those for years, they are a pita, and eventually get turned off at the isolator switch due to noise at night.

Humidistat do however, need slight adjustment between summer and winter. Two second job as there's a dial on the side of the unit to suit, just reach up and tweak it. Plus two adjustable pots for on and off in the unit itself but we've not needed to fiddle with those.

If the fan is for steam alone, and it realise this is Jimbob we are talking about ::), then Humidistat. Simples.


There's also plastic replacement roof tiles with the external vent built in. Just swap the vent tile in connect the pipe work, job done.

Blimey, how long are you in the shower? :o Our bathrooms are both heated, and with the extractor fan on (with the light) we get no steam left after the approx 5 min shower. ???

Our shower is pumped remember, and from previous posts, Jimbob has a new power shower, or was thinking along those lines anyway...?

But I really don't see what that has to do with it tbh. IMO the fan should only run when humidity/steam dictate. What has turning a light on, got to do with condensation ? ???

Nout!
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: tunnie on 08 December 2013, 20:28:22
If no window or limited ventilation, remember these extractor fans also need to remove bad smells, so not always condensation. Flat I'm currently in, it's linked to light switch, turn that on and the fan comes on. (although there are isolation switches above the door)
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 December 2013, 20:29:47
If no window or limited ventilation, remember these extractor fans also need to remove bad smells, so not always condensation. Flat I'm currently in, it's linked to light switch, turn that on and the fan comes on. (although there are isolation switches above the door)

Yeah, but our poo don't smell. ;) ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: tunnie on 08 December 2013, 20:45:55
If no window or limited ventilation, remember these extractor fans also need to remove bad smells, so not always condensation. Flat I'm currently in, it's linked to light switch, turn that on and the fan comes on. (although there are isolation switches above the door)

Yeah, but our poo don't smell. ;) ;D

After a tiffins i find that very unlikely!  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Andy B on 08 December 2013, 21:12:09
Nice plan...too much manual intervention ;)

Humidistat then ...... one with a pull cord too for smells!  :y
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 08 December 2013, 21:43:36
If no window or limited ventilation, remember these extractor fans also need to remove bad smells, so not always condensation. Flat I'm currently in, it's linked to light switch, turn that on and the fan comes on. (although there are isolation switches above the door)

Yeah, but our poo don't smell. ;) ;D

After a tiffins i find that very unlikely!  ;D ;D

Yeah its fine otherwise. ;)
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Jimbob on 10 December 2013, 10:36:37
Ok...

So anyone not happy with their humidistat fans?

And has Anyone tried a PIR one?
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 10 December 2013, 11:23:28
Have fitted a few humidistat ones and they work very well, ideal setup in reality as they run for as long as they need to.

My advice, get the quietest one you cna with as big an air volume shifting capability as you can (many of the cheapo 100mm ones are pretty rubbish).

Its also worth considering a ceiling mount version as that makes the wiringa dn ducting a lot easier (e.g. ducting and wiring is then in the loft space)
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Andy B on 10 December 2013, 13:20:00
....

Its also worth considering a ceiling mount version as  ....

That was the draw back with mine, it specifically said not for mounting on/in a ceiling ...... as you say, it would've been far easier to fit & wire up
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: chrisgixer on 10 December 2013, 13:28:42
Ceiling mounted here, hence the roof tile post. ;)
Title: Re: Bathroom extractor fan ideas
Post by: Andy B on 10 December 2013, 15:08:43
Ceiling mounted here, hence the roof tile post. ;)

So I gathered ...... I drilled/cut a big hole in the wall  ;)