Hi All,
In one of my bathrooms there is a fan/light combo installed. When I turn the switch on the light comes on, but the fan does not. I took them apart and plugged the fan into a regular plug and it worked. I looked at the way the wiring is in the box and everything looks good. Why doesn't the fan work when installed, but works in a regular plug?
Any help would be greatly appreciated... John
To state the obvious, you have an open somewhere between the fan and power source. Check wire nut connections. Or a wire can be broken inside the insulation. Did you test continuity with a meter? Does it have a separate wire from the switch to the fan? If so, the contact for the light may be good and the contact for the fan is bad.
Bob
Thanks for the info. I went back and checked a few things out and I forgot to mention that the light switch has three switches. One switch turns on a totally separate set of lights and works fine. The second switch operates the fan only and on this switch the fan works great. The third switch operates the light and fan at the same time and the light comes on, but the fan does not. The light is a florescent type and while the light flickers to come on there is a noise coming from inside the unit and it sort of hums. Is there a part of the unit that completes the circuit that would cause the fan not to work if trying to be used at the same time as the light? There is another piece up there I do not know what it is, but if I were to guess I would guess it to be a relay of some sort for the use of a florescent bulb.
Thanks John
have you checked the switch? sorry to state the obvious!
A higher voltage is used for starting a florescent light. The hum is normal, the other part is called a "starter". Replace the switch.
Bob
comes on, but the
This isn't a normal set up. What makes you think the third switch "operates the fan" if it doesnt come on and otherwise works well (in another outlet) and the light does work ok?
I think what he means is that it is one switch with 3 positions. One position light, one position fan, one position light and fan. I'm guessing the fan and light operate separately but in the position for both on, the fan doesn't come on. If there really are three separate switches running off of a master switch, then I'd need a schematic to see what he has, but I don't he knows himself what he has or how it is wired. Guessing at what he probably has, I still think it's a bad switch.
Bob
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