Alternative to wall switch for ceiling fan

[Al Reynolds]

Ok, here's the situation ... I replaced a normal ceiling light fitting with a fan/light combo. The fan is excellent and starting to get more use now, but the light bulb can only be 60W and through the white glass cover it doesn't light the room enough.

As a result I would like to add additional ceiling lighting in the room. I can't have the one wall switch controlling the new lighting *and* the fan because sometimes I would like to have the fan on, but no light. As a result, I will probably go back to having the wall switch control the lights, and make separate arrangements for the fan.

Now here is the problem - because this room has already been decorated, I don't want to run an extra cable to the light switch so that I can fit a double wall switch. So, what are the alternatives?

Initially I wondered whether I needed a separate switch for the fan as it has cords to turn the light/fan on and off. Even if this option were within regs, I can see that in an emergency I might want to be able to isolate the fan quickly without having to go near it! I could fit a pull switch for the fan on the ceiling, which would look slightly odd in a bedroom. Another option is to wire up an FCU for the fan high on the wall outside the bedroom door, which hasn't been decorated yet, so I don't mind disturbing the plaster.

So, what would you do? Are there any other options I haven't thought of?

TIA, Al

[Christian McArdle]

Have you considered a low energy bulb? If there's enough space in the fitting, you can get these up to around 25W, which is brighter than a 100W bulb. The fitting's limit will be based on actual energy usage, not equivalent light output, unless it gives a separate guide for inductive (i.e. low energy) loads.

Christian.

[Al Reynolds]

I'll give it a try. From memory the CF bulbs I have in the house are equivalent to 100W (25W) but I think they might be too long to fit in the fan light fitting. Good idea though - thanks!

Al

[Christian McArdle]

Some brands are smaller than others. For compact unseen applications such as these, you may be able to find a "spiral" format bulb, which would be shorter than the traditional types.

Christian.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Does the fan have separate supply feeds for the motor and the light?

Could you fit a separate infra-red remote operated switch for the fan somewhere else in the room? One possibility would be on the ceiling next to the fan where it could draw on the permanent supply for the loop-in wiring. Might not look to pretty there though, and you should also have a separate 2-pole isolator switch there I guess (although reaching through the fan blades to get the the fan isolator is probably a bit of a no-no;-) If you can get more hidden wires from the fan to the top of a wall, that would be a better location both from point of view of less wall chasing and for receiving the remote signal when you're laying in bed.

You probably don't need to consider emergency switching. Isolation for maintenance probably should be considered for such fans, but never is.

Over the last 15 years or so, I have gradually rewired a house lighting circuit. I put triple and earth in to all the ceiling roses and light switches, and this has since proved quite useful. Probably half of the circuits are now using the extra conductor for some additional lighting control which was added later. (In this installation, all cables run back to a central lighting control box, which serves the function of a mains patch panel, and was later very easy to convert to home-automation control.)