I am about to replace an Xpelair DX100T extractor fan in my bathroom which was fitted by an electrician in 2007 but has just died (as far as I can tell!).

The fan has a timer and is switched from an externally mounted light-switch which then passes through a hefty switch (3-pole?) that can be used to isolate the fan from the lighting circuit if required.

The wiring into the fan unit itself comprises a 3-core + earth. I am a bit confused though by the wiring convention used: there is one brown wire, one black wire with a blue sleeve and one grey wire with a brown sleeve (the earth is terminated in a choc-block).

I appreciate that it should be a simple matter of disconnecting and then connecting the wiring to the new fan in precisely the same order, but I would like to check the wiring with a multimeter if possible before shelling out for a new unit.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

Tony, March 2010

I want to change my mains lights(LEDs to work on a driver) for safety reasons in the bath room and above the shower. I have bought a 12w fan with timer and a40wat driver. There are 8 3.4 w LEDs plus the fan.Can I just disconnect the fan and fit the new one,and then will all be OK

Dave P, April 2017

The xpelair in my downstairs toilet was starting to get louder, now it goes, pauses then goes again continually.
Can anyone tell me what the problem might be..

Gratefully
Brian

Brian, October 2014

Update: Checked the wiring with the multimeter and it is clear that the problem is with the actual fan motor itself: supplies to the fan are fine and by checking the outputs from the fan timer circuit pcb I can see that it is working correctly. The motor still would not work, even when bypassing the pcb and connecting directly to the two motor wires. A quick continuity check confirms that there is an open-circuit across the windings.

The replacement fan from Screwfix (best price I could find) is working a treat.

Thanks again Adam for your help with the wiring colour codes - spot-on!

Tony, March 2010

Many thanks for the speedy reply Adam.

I shall indeed be careful, I have a very healthy respect for the sea, fire and mains 'lec!

Hope I've got this right but, at the most basic level, my plan is to set the multimeter to AC (750v) and with the fan isolator switch ON, connect the black (Com) probe of the 'meter to the blue-sleeved N, then probe each of the brown and brown-sleeved terminals with the red probe, repeating the exercise with the separate lighting switch on and off to determine which live is switched and which permanent?

Tony, March 2010

When the isolator is switched on, either the brown wire or the wire with the brown sleeve should be live all the time, and the other should be live only when the light is switched on.
The wire with the blue sleeve is the neutral.

Personally I would have used the black wire (sleeved) as the permanent live (A) the brown as switched live and the grey as the neutral.

Be careful if you're testing live.

Adam, March 2010