Bathroom Fan Fused at 3Amps

[ianphilip007]

Hello Guys

Just a quick question re Bathroom Fans and that some manufacturers state that they are to be supplied from a 3 Amp FCU

i have two Quries really that i just need clarification on if anybody can help.

1/ when the bathroom lighting is on a loop circuit ( and is supplying another room from the rose) Does the loop out from the bathroom rose have to be fitted to the supply side of the fcu and then onto the next light

2/or is it acceptable to leave it in the rose loop in even though the lights that it will supply will now be fused at 3A instead of 6A

 

[Guitarist]

The way I look at this issue is if the customer wants or needs a fan and the fan needs fusing down, then its longer to install and more parts to mark up.

In one word more "money"

Totally agree. That said, I recently lost a job fitting a new fan because the "other" electrician quoted to do the job without fusing down. (yes, it was for a fan unit which stated quite clearly that it had to be).
Oh well, his backside on the line I suppose...

 

[ackbarthestar]

A 3-pole isolator with an in line fuse would do it.

If 'local' isolation and 3A cartridge fuses are required because of a weak design then some clever person could design the isolator to incorporate one.

 

[Engineer54]

Agree with the above. However, when we are being told that to comply with regs we HAVE to supply via 3 amp fuse, and an electrician even went to prison when he didn't do so (regardless of whether a 3 amp fuse would have prevented the fire), it puts us between a rock and a hard place.

Went to prison?? On what grounds, not providing a 3A fuse, i don't believe that for a second!! Not unless the law in the UK has become even more of an --- than it already was, or had a complete plonker of a solicitor/barrister!! lol!!

 

[Badfish]

Like this.

 

[Megavolt]

View attachment 19970Like this.

Who Makes that

 

[gazzamikes]

Does this break both l & sw l?

 

[telectrix]

Went to prison?? On what grounds, not providing a 3A fuse, i don't believe that for a second!! Not unless the law in the UK has become even more of an --- than it already was, or had a complete plonker of a solicitor/barrister!! lol!!

the story as i heard, was that the fan caused a fire in which someone died, and the spark was done for manslaughter. how true this is, i'm not sure.

 

[Guitarist]

Went to prison?? On what grounds, not providing a 3A fuse, i don't believe that for a second!! Not unless the law in the UK has become even more of an --- than it already was, or had a complete plonker of a solicitor/barrister!! lol!!

As I've always said, nobody cares what you do until things go wrong, then it all hits the fan (no pun intended).

 

[Guitarist]

the story as i heard, was that the fan caused a fire in which someone died, and the spark was done for manslaughter. how true this is, i'm not sure.

Same. We can all argue that a 3 amp fuse is less useful than a 6 amp MCB, but the fact was he didn't follow manufacturers instructions, and as such, the prosecution had something to use against him.

 

[Engineer54]

Same. We can all argue that a 3 amp fuse is less useful than a 6 amp MCB, but the fact was he didn't follow manufacturers instructions, and as such, the prosecution had something to use against him.

So the actual cause of the fire was the fan burning out, but because the manufacturer stated a 3A fuse should be installed in the circuit, they become exonerated for marketing a fan that sounds as if it's so weakly constructed it NEEDS local protection?? A good barrister would have gone after this manufacturer like a dog on heat. ...lol!! Expert witnesses would have been asking all sorts of revealing questions.....

 

[Guitarist]

We are coming across this more and more here in the UK my friend. Manufacturers are putting stipulations on the installation of equipment which is often quite ludicrous, just to avoid designing the stuff properly. Also, I have no doubt that many manufacturers don't have a clue about common installation practices.

 

[Engineer54]

Re: Bathroom Fan Fused at 3 Amps

We are coming across this more and more here in the UK my friend. Manufacturers are putting stipulations on the installation of equipment which is often quite ludicrous, just to avoid designing the stuff properly. Also, I have no doubt that many manufacturers don't have a clue about common installation practices.

The point is, the fuse used in UK wall accessories and plug tops are not designed to provide protection to appliances and equipment, they are their only to provide a means of protection to cables/flex's that are connected to them. We have a British standard in the form of BS7671 that confirms this fact too!! I have some problems opening some web pages, so all i have been able to find so far, is this statement in Wikipedia : Because typical British ring circuits can deliver more current than appliance flexible power cords can handle, BS 1363 plugs are required to carry a cartridge fuse,[SUP][34][/SUP] which must conform to BS 1362. The role of the plug fuse is to protect the appliance flexible cord .

 

[ackbarthestar]

Re: Bathroom Fan Fused at 3 Amps

The point is, the fuse used in UK wall accessories and plug tops are not designed to provide protection to appliances and equipment, they are their only to provide a means of protection to cables/flex's that are connected to them. We have a British standard in the form of BS7671 that confirms this fact too!! I have some problems opening some web pages, so all i have been able to find so far, is this statement in Wikipedia : Because typical British ring circuits can deliver more current than appliance flexible power cords can handle, BS 1363 plugs are required to carry a cartridge fuse,[SUP][34][/SUP] which must conform to BS 1362. The role of the plug fuse is to protect the appliance flexible cord .

The bathroom fan is usually connected to the lighting circuit (6-10A) so that when the lights are activated it also turns the extractor fan on, most have a run on time so requiring a permenant feed. That is why there is need for a 3-pole isolator for 'maintenance'.-lol - more like regular replacement, but that's something else.

Its really a complete nonsense but for some reason is the acceptable method.

Fans should be manufactured with an internal in line fuse so that regular replacement can take place......

 

[Engineer54]

I know we are talking about lighting circuits here, i only included the whole paragraph from Wikipedia to put the all important last sentence into a meaningful perspective!! lol!!


Agree, i've always stated if an appliance needs a protective device, then that protection should be provided/incorporated by the manufacturer, not an installation electrician...

 

[Guitarist]

Easier to just let the electrician deal with the problem, than actually manufacture things properly.