Extractor fan in mushroom vent

[Don't tell him Pike!]

I'm currently refurbishing the bathroom, at the moment it has a steam problem. this was previously vented via a gap on the back wall, but I've closed that off because of the...noise and smell that escapes from it (a friend of mine craps like a racehorse). This means you need to open the window when showering or you'll choke in steam, but this is a dawncraft with sliding windows and even an inch means potentially flashing passers by.

 

So...my proposed solution is to stick a mushroom vent on the roof and fit a waterproof 12v fan concealed behind the inner grill.

 

Is there any reason this might be a bad idea?

 

Also, been looking for a suitable on/off switch, without any success. A full size pull cord switch would look daft in that tiny room with three inches of cord on it and I can't find any mini ones. Anyone got any ideas?

Edited March 18, 2013 by Don't tell him Pike!

[Jeanie920]

We have an extractor fan in our mushroom vent in the bathroom and it switches on and off with a normal rocker switch like the rest of our lights do.

[IainW]

We have one of these in the bathroom mushroom vent. Wired it in straight to the bathroom light switch. It is a bit louder than i would like for a night-time pee. A separate switch may be an idea if you get a loud one.

[Guest]

We have an extractor fan in our mushroom vent in the bathroom and it switches on and off with a normal rocker switch like the rest of our lights do.

 

Similar to us - we have one in the mushroom vent in the bathroom which works in conjunction with the cord pull light switch and one in the galley which has it's own rocker switch.

[keble]

We have one of these in the bathroom mushroom vent. Wired it in straight to the bathroom light switch. It is a bit louder than i would like for a night-time pee. A separate switch may be an idea if you get a loud one.

Another vote for this. Ours has a separate rocker switch. You don't need a pull cord for 12v (I think that's just for AC mains stuff in a bathroom).

[lydfordcastle]

 

 

So...my proposed solution is to stick a mushroom vent on the roof and fit a waterproof 12v fan concealed behind the inner grill.

 

 

 

You might find that just the mushroom vent without the fan could solve the problem.

[jenlyn]

I'm currently refurbishing the bathroom, at the moment it has a steam problem. this was previously vented via a gap on the back wall, but I've closed that off because of the...noise and smell that escapes from it (a friend of mine craps like a racehorse). This means you need to open the window when showering or you'll choke in steam, but this is a dawncraft with sliding windows and even an inch means potentially flashing passers by.

 

So...my proposed solution is to stick a mushroom vent on the roof and fit a waterproof 12v fan concealed behind the inner grill.

 

Is there any reason this might be a bad idea?

 

Also, been looking for a suitable on/off switch, without any success. A full size pull cord switch would look daft in that tiny room with three inches of cord on it and I can't find any mini ones. Anyone got any ideas?

Computer fan from maplins (very quiet) £9.99. A large soft drink bottle above the fan to guide the steam out through the mushroom. Wired to your lights so it comes on with them.

[Keeping Up]

We have a 12v computer fan in the mushroom vent of our bathroom, worked by the light switch. It too is a bit noisy but it definitely does the job.

[john6767]

Similar to us - we have one in the mushroom vent in the bathroom which works in conjunction with the cord pull light switch and one in the galley which has it's own rocker switch.

 

Snap, that is exactly what we have. We don't really use the one in the galley though, and not sure how much difference the one in the bathroom makes. The motor is getting a bit noisy on it, so will need to do something about it soon.

 

 

 

[Chris Pink]

 

 

Also, been looking for a suitable on/off switch, without any success. A full size pull cord switch would look daft in that tiny room with three inches of cord on it and I can't find any mini ones. Anyone got any ideas?

 

Why not run it off the light switch? 70-80mm fans - ebay - silent computer fans fit a treat up 'em.

[john6767]

Also, been looking for a suitable on/off switch, without any success. A full size pull cord switch would look daft in that tiny room with three inches of cord on it and I can't find any mini ones. Anyone got any ideas?

 

I agree you don't actually need a pull cord with 12V, but that is what ours has, with about afoot of cord on it and it looks fine.

 

 

 

[rgreg]

We have an extractor fan in our mushroom vent in the bathroom and it switches on and off with a normal rocker switch like the rest of our lights do.

Likewise. Works a treat.

[Guest]

I agree you don't actually need a pull cord with 12V, but that is what ours has, with about afoot of cord on it and it looks fine.

 

ditto - and our cord is longer and it still looks fine.

 

Given our boat bathroom is about the same size as a small en-suite shower room in a lot of small modern houses and flats many of which have cord pull switches I don't see the issue personally.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Have I got the most sophisticated shower room fan control? It has 5 positions: extract slow - extract fast - off - inward fast - inward slow. No, I didn't fit it, and use only two of them, but it is absolutely essential on a small boat when using the loo.

[ditchcrawler]

B&Q use to sell micro pull switches to mount inside wall lights, you may be able to mount one above the grill

 

Edited March 18, 2013 by ditchcrawler

[nicknorman]

Have I got the most sophisticated shower room fan control?

 

No, ours has a run-on timer so it continues to run for 5 mins after you put the shower light off. Fine as long as you don't put the wrong light on for a nightime pee, then it runs for the next 5 mins regardless!

[Mac of Cygnet]

No, ours has a run-on timer so it continues to run for 5 mins after you put the shower light off. Fine as long as you don't put the wrong light on for a nightime pee, then it runs for the next 5 mins regardless!

 

Sometimes 5 minutes is not enough.........

[keble]

ditto - and our cord is longer and it still looks fine.

 

Given our boat bathroom is about the same size as a small en-suite shower room in a lot of small modern houses and flats many of which have cord pull switches I don't see the issue personally.

Injury is one issue. Seriously, my father injured his eye when a cord pull sprung back at him!

 

I think that cord pulls are used on mains switches in bathrooms so that you can't get a shock from the condensation giving rise to a low resistance path to 240 V AC. There are "zones" in a bath/shower room where there are different rules for AC mains. With 12 V supplies you don't have this problem.

[Rebotco]

Injury is one issue. Seriously, my father injured his eye when a cord pull sprung back at him!

 

I think that cord pulls are used on mains switches in bathrooms so that you can't get a shock from the condensation giving rise to a low resistance path to 240 V AC. There are "zones" in a bath/shower room where there are different rules for AC mains. With 12 V supplies you don't have this problem.

 

 

I thought the main reason (for mains electricity) was that you you must not operate a light switch with wet hands, so the usual rocker type is not permitted for 240V.

[nicknorman]

Sometimes 5 minutes is not enough.........

Yes, I need a curry sensor to adjust the time! (actually now I think about it, its 8 minutes but your point is still valid!)

[nb Innisfree]

Our pullcord switches a 230v transformer which supplies 12AC to the bathroon fan.

[Don't tell him Pike!]

Sometimes 5 minutes is not enough.........

 

That's what she said.

 

Seriously though, hadn't thought of connecting it to the light switch, I shall look into doing that.

 

Cheers guys!

[Slim]

I have a mushroom vent in the shower compartment and another in the bathroom proper. Each has an ordinary 12v computer fan mounted in the sleeved void between the brass grill and the mushroom vent They are wired in parallel via a 3 way toggle switch in the roof lining to both a separate 12v supply and a small dedicated solar panel. It's worked perfectly for the last 10 years+.

 

 

 

Frank

[Odana]

I used a computer fan wired to light. Got really annoying when i just wanted light, so wired it in separately which was MUCH better.

[eightacre]

Ours is via a separate switch. Clears condensation from mirrors surprisingly quickly.

Independent control means:

1. No need to make a noise at night.

2. Wife no longer has to say "I'd give it ten minutes..."