6 inch humidistat fan

[Martin Pentreath]

I want a humidistat fan, but all I can find is 4 inch ones. These never seem to actually make much difference to me. Anyone know where I can get a

6 inch one (ideally nice and quiet)?

And while I'm here, any general views on humidistat fans? I remember reading here that they can get triggered by atmospheric humidity when there is a storm brewing etc. Are they actually any good?

[ARWadsworth]

Both Manrose and Greenwood do 6 inch humidistat fans.

will now be several people about post "open a window" but I have never regretted putting fans in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen as opening a window was not then an option.

Adam

[Owain]

"Martin Pentreath" wrote | And while I'm here, any general views on humidistat fans?

They are fine for showers, but not for toilets unless there is some other way of triggering them. I haven't seen a pongistat fan and although you could use a methane detector if levels get that high the toilet fan is the least of your owrries.

Owain

[Ian Middleton]

Get one with a temperature compensated humidistat (not cheap, VentAxia ?) or else you will come home in the winter and find the fan on every day.

I also wired a pull switch up, after removing/modifying the internal latching mechanism to make it a momentary action switch (pull to close contacts, release to open contacts) so that you could trigger the fans timer (normally connected to lights so that it carries on for a couple of minutes after you turn the lights off) so that if you dropped a "non humid" stinker in the bog you could get the fan on to clear the air.

[Martin Pentreath]

"Ian Middleton" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Are you saying Vent-Axia do have temperature compensation or that they don't? I was looking at their Silhouette range which does have a 6" (150mm) humidistat fan (Silhouette 150XH):

like it because it has a fairly unobtrusive profile. It's not cheap (about £100) so I would hope they haven't skimped on the humidistat but you never know. The website doesn't specify temperature compensation.

Good idea. I'm not sure if the 150XH would be capable of this. I get the impression it's not designed to be wired into the light at all and that the overrun just means that the fan continues to run a bit after the humidistat has stopped telling it to. Or am I wrong?

[Ian Middleton]

It was an expensive VentAxia one we finally fitted after trying two other other (4") humidistat fans that come on all by themselves in the winter during the day. In fact I was round a mates house recently an noticed that there was no fan fitted, just the 4" hole in their recently (this summer) installed new bathroom. "Why no fan I asked ?". "As recently, in last month" he replied "the humidity controlled fan we had fitted (£50 worth) has started coming on by by itself during the day and as there is no off switch I have removed the fan until I have traced the problem". Hmmmm know the answer to this problem, heat the bathroom during the day or fit a compensated fan.

The one I fitted did look like the 150XH, we fitted it ceiling mounted. It had a two adjustements humidity set point and run on time. The run on time could also be triggered by an external connection (not known be me at time of purchase from Jayhards) really designed so when you switch the bathroom light on the fan comes on, but we found it a pain, go to loo in the night and suffer the fan running for 10mins when back in bed (next to bathroom). So this is why I did the fiddle with the pull switch.

Anyway the fan worked great and did not come on by itself in the winter (at over £100 I would have expected this !!!!). Drop a stinker, pull the cord to switch the fan on. We found out the hard way £30 a go(x2) before buying the expensive fan.

Current house has extractor fans controlled by "normal light style" switches outside the bathroom/shower areas, so that is another option to consider rather than getting an expensive humidity controlled fan.

[Martin Pentreath]

"Ian Middleton" wrote in news:w [e-mail]:

[Snipped useful tales of experiences of humidistat fan.]

Thanks Ian, very helpful. I don't mind forking out £100 just so long as the damn thing works as it should. I do like the DIY pullcord modification, so I'll be looking into that further.

I can never really understand the point of wiring fans into the light switch (unless maybe the room has no window). When you put on the light you often don't need the fan, and when you do need the fan it will often be broad daylight and the light won't be on.

[Rolyata]

I think that you need a motion detector switch :-)

[Martin Pentreath]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You would still get the fan whirring and rattling for half an hour in the middle of the night when you just got up to have a pee! Sorry, but I lived in a flat with a very irritating fan for a while, and have been permanently mentally scarred.

[Ian Middleton]

snip

Or you were very still doing a long motion, where you would need the fan and it was off !!!

[Ian Middleton]

My point exactly.

I think if I was doing it again, I would put both the light switch and fan switches outside the bathroom (like in my current house) on a 2 gang standard light switch and KISS (keep it simple stupid), after having all the faffing around with fans, humidistats, switches etc etc in last house. You generally know when you are going to need fan on before you enter the bathroom ie shower, drop a stinker etc and just turn on light and/or fan as you enter. A much cheaper solution and can use a considerably cheaper fan.

[AndyP]

Hi,

How did you go about doing this? I'm putting a fan in which I don't want connected to the lights (I only really want it on when a) the bath/shower is in use, or b) the air needs clearing :-) ). However I'd also like to use a timer one because if I have a shower first thing in the morning and then leave to go to work I don't want to leave the window open/fan on all day. But it has struck me that using a timer one with a normal pull cord switch could be a bit confusing.

I did have a look on t'internet but I couldn't find anything like you've described so at the moment I've just got a standard one... Cheers, Andy

[Pete C]

Hi,

Would have thought a pipe stat on the HW supply for the shower would be a good way of triggering a fan.

The pipe will take a little while to cool down so giving a 'run on' effect for the fan. Some insulation would extend the time that this takes.

If 'jam tarts' are really a problem, maybe a dietary solution is called for :)

cheers, Pete.

[Ian Middleton]

Do you mean a normal fan, rather than humidistat one ? I would change any pull-switch in bathroom to a 2 gang switch outside the bathroom, one for light one for fan. The timer bit on the fan can be used for run-on after it has been siwtched off, though I suspect this could be confusing, turn off switch and fan still running ?

3 of the bathroom/shower fans in my current house are all controlled by a switch outside the bathroom/shower room. Just switch on before you go in maybe leave on a bit whilst getting dressed and turn off after a while. Occasionally left on all day, but very rarely. Also have quite good trickle vents on windows, which well leave open and that reduces the condensation very nicely.

In fact the friend who had removed his always on humidistat fan also retro fitted trickle vents to his wooden framed double glazing in the bathroom, by just drilling a row of 10mm holes in the frame and attaching vents and covers (from a double glazing supplier ?). This has made a more of a difference to the condensation in his bathroom than the fan every did. I suspect part of his problem is the bathroom is tiled over all the walls which condenses the moisture and is thus harder to remove from the room quickly using a fan.

[ARWadsworth]

Not that confusing if you know what standard position for on and off on a switch

The vents will aid the fan as there is a way in for the fresh air.

Adam