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Bathroom exhaust fan doesn’t work… but fan and outlet both do? Login/Join 
Ignored facts
still exist
posted Hide Post
if it were me, I'd try a lamp with a 60 watt incandescent (not LED or CFL) in the fan outlet.

Is it off, dimly lit or fully on?

The fan outlets are in a somewhat harsh environment so I'd look there first for corrosion or something loose, and then the switch after that.

I assume there are other things in that same circuit that work properly?


.
 
Posts: 11159 | Location: 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean | Registered: February 28, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Team Apathy
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quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
quote:
Originally posted by cheeze:
Check the connections at the switch


I'd definitely do this before altering the fans wiring.


I’ll pull the switch and ensure everything seems tight at the very least, if not just put in a new switch.
 
Posts: 6479 | Location: Modesto, CA | Registered: January 27, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Team Apathy
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by radioman:
if it were me, I'd try a lamp with a 60 watt incandescent (not LED or CFL) in the fan outlet.

Is it off, dimly lit or fully on?

The fan outlets are in a somewhat harsh environment so I'd look there first for corrosion or something loose, and then the switch after that.

I assume there are other things in that same circuit that work properly?


The problem with plugging something else into the receptacle that is integral on the fan housing is it is kinda recessed and I can’t find anything else with a compact enough plug to get down to it. I tried already.

I’m starting to thing the contacts within the female receptacle are the problem as a careful inspection revealed that I could see the metal contact in one side but not the other.

I’ll still check the switch real quick and ensure no obvious issues there. As far as other things one the circuit I’m sure it shares a breaker, of course. The bathroom light is on a different switch in the same wall box and I always assumed they might share a breaker, but I don’t know for sure… never had need to verify and I don’t know what “typical” would entail. The plug in the bathroom is on a gfi circuit (gfi located in the garage) but I don’t know for sure if the fan is also tied into that circuit. I could test that, though. I know for certain the plugs in the back patio are tied onto that gfi because a while back the waterproof cover failed and my wife managed to knock out the circuit while spraying down the patio.
 
Posts: 6479 | Location: Modesto, CA | Registered: January 27, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Thank you
Very little
Picture of HRK
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by cheeze:
Check the connections at the switch


Would be worth it to check, might as well eliminate it from the issue before cutting things up.

Since the fans work elsewhere those are good and the connector on the fan is good.

Look at the connector and see if the wires inside have slide back, could be they are not fully seated and making a good connection internally, turn off the switch first...
 
Posts: 24499 | Location: Gunshine State | Registered: November 07, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Vote the
BASTIDS OUT!
Picture of yanici
posted Hide Post
If the jaws on the receptacle are bad I'd just figure a way to splice the fan motor leads to the leads that feed the receptacle and say goodnight. That is unless the part is available from the manufacturer.


John

"Building a wall will violate the rights of millions of illegals." [Nancy Pelosi]
 
Posts: 2439 | Location: N.E. Massachusetts | Registered: June 05, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Partial dichotomy
posted Hide Post
Checking tightness of the wires connected to the switch is fine, but doesn't eliminate the switch itself. They are so inexpensive, I'd change it. See what happens.




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Posts: 39399 | Location: SC Lowcountry/Cape Cod | Registered: November 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Team Apathy
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Final update:

Problem solved. I found I had a new switch in the garage so I changed it out even though everything looked and felt good and it passed a basic continuity test with my DMM. This did not solve the problem, though.

Snipped off the male plug on the fan and wired it directly to the romex. The fan is now operational again.

After I had unwired the female receptacle I poked it a bit with the leads on my multimeter and some of the brass contact fell out without much persuasion on my part. It was surely causing the problem.

Thanks all!
 
Posts: 6479 | Location: Modesto, CA | Registered: January 27, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Unflappable Enginerd
Picture of stoic-one
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by thumperfbc:
Bathroom A shows voltage at the receptacle, but doesn’t work still. What am I missing?


Did I mention? Razz
quote:
Originally posted by stoic-one:
The neutral?


Glad you got it fixed.


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Posts: 6383 | Location: Headland, AL | Registered: April 19, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Partial dichotomy
posted Hide Post
Happy ending!




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Posts: 39399 | Location: SC Lowcountry/Cape Cod | Registered: November 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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