Bathroom overhead shower extractor fan

Destination · 17 Jan 2016 at 13:33

Hmm, i was thinking the same, this isn't my house but my parents house, this bathroom hasn't been in much use until relatively recently, so althought the house is built maybe twelve years, this wasn't discovered until now?

NickK · 14 Feb 2016 at 18:42

Participant said:
We've got a Manrose MF100T in our loft, which replaced an awful ceiling mounted thing. Recommended.

I have one of these on order to replace our old Manrose kit fan that snuffed it.. Should be a straight swap. Given the 86m3/hr vs the new 180/258m3/hr low/fast rates - there should be a greater flow making the bathroom less steamy to start with and with the new boiler etc mean the residual should be extracted even better throughout the day (each time the bathroom is in use it will be 10-20mins of extraction). Will use the slower setting I think.

NickK · 14 Feb 2016 at 18:49

Hikari Kisugi said:
Hmm, i was thinking the same, this isn't my house but my parents house, this bathroom hasn't been in much use until relatively recently, so althought the house is built maybe twelve years, this wasn't discovered until now?

One option is to install a condensation trap in the vertical riser - that way any condensation that occurs and runs down the sides of the pipe is caught and then needs to be plumbed into or vented. That way the water from the trap flows under gravity down the 2-5deg down angle and out of the roof into a waste pipe or out of a pipe under the eaves so it's expelled clear of the walls.

Like this: http://www.vent-axia.com/range/condensation-trap.html

You then put the fan below the condensation trap so the water flows out before hitting it.

If the condensation is dripping inside without touching the walls that trap isn't going to help. The problem of why the condensation drips can be rectified by a small angle so that the condensation is forced to hit the side of the pipe..

chaparral · 14 Feb 2016 at 23:33

Hikari Kisugi said:
Which model would people recommend for quietness,, and for simplicity of a straight swap?

Some bathroom fans are only 12volt which use a 240v to 12volt transformer mounted somewhere outside the bathroom/shower room...

This one below is one of the safe low voltage 12volt fans..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vent-Axia-2...d_cp_60_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FGA1QP5NG1W1PYP1Y9A

Product Description
Designed for areas where a fan has to be fitted over or within Zone 1 in a room containing a fixed bath or shower according to IEE wiring regulations (BS 7671), the VA100 SELV fan can be safely installed within the spray area. The fan is rated IPX7. Control is by mains safety isolating transformer unit with SELV output, which is sited away from any source of spray and out of reach of a person using a fixed bath or shower. IPX7 rated fan with thermo-electric shutter and indication light which operates on override only. Complete with remote mounted transformer with integral adjustable overrun timer.

Box Contains

VA100 SVXT12 fan & transformer

Destination · 15 Feb 2016 at 08:05

NickK said:
One option is to install a condensation trap in the vertical riser - that way any condensation that occurs and runs down the sides of the pipe is caught and then needs to be plumbed into or vented. That way the water from the trap flows under gravity down the 2-5deg down angle and out of the roof into a waste pipe or out of a pipe under the eaves so it's expelled clear of the walls.

Like this: http://www.vent-axia.com/range/condensation-trap.html

You then put the fan below the condensation trap so the water flows out before hitting it.

If the condensation is dripping inside without touching the walls that trap isn't going to help. The problem of why the condensation drips can be rectified by a small angle so that the condensation is forced to hit the side of the pipe..

Ah-ha this is an idea, but it states not to be used with flexible ducting. Unfortunately there is flexible ducting in place.
So it is either replace the ducting, or move the exiting ducting so it vents out under the eve, and insulate it.

NickK · 15 Feb 2016 at 09:58

Lol the Manrose 100T is like a jet engine in size...

Haze · 15 Feb 2016 at 10:02

I hate fans that are wired into the light, fan does not need to be on everytime you are in there

NickK · 15 Feb 2016 at 10:14

Haze said:
I hate fans that are wired into the light, fan does not need to be on everytime you are in there

With a towel rail + two towels + the shower (think hot power shower) then the fan above the shower best rid of a lot of immediate vapour, then for 10 minutes means it clears the bathroom. Then each time after it removes the vapour that has evaporated from the walls and from the towels over time.

Participant · 15 Feb 2016 at 19:48

Haze said:
I hate fans that are wired into the light, fan does not need to be on everytime you are in there

That's why you have a ceiling switch to allow you to isolate the fan.

Hikari Kisugi said:
Now that it is very cold, i am aware of what seems to be condensation building up within the venting ducting.
I am very concerned that this will drip or indeed run back down into the electronics of the fan itself, and on inspection, there seems to be the start of this happening.

Is there a way to avoid this, to syphon condensation away from the ducting?

Also lag / insulate pipes in unheated areas. This will stop the condensation.

NoNameNoNumber · 15 Feb 2016 at 20:42

I have one of the Manrose units mentioned above above the shower head, wired into a 2 gang switch so you can just put the lights on with out having the fan running for a mid night wee. Also an isolator is fitted outside the bathroom.

Haven't moved into the house yet so cannot comment on the condensation issue although I have lagged all of the flex pipe up to the slate vent in an attempt to ensure it condenses after leaving the vent...