Can a wireless switch be used to control flow to an isolator switch?

[d____q]

Hi there,

(noob DIYer here!) Recently moved in and I have an inline extractor fan in my bathroom, which goes up into a crawl space in the loft then out the back of the house.

For some reason, whoever installed the isolator thought it would be a good idea to have the isolator switch up in the tiny crawl space in the loft and not put a timer mechanism in. So the extractor fan is either always on or always off, it's always off and I just crack the window.

Ideally, everything will remain as is and I'm wondering if I can use a wireless light switch (quinitec, or similar) to control flow of electricity to the isolator switch? And then I can have the isolator switched turned on all the time (but only really on when I press the light switch)

Something like this (but that controls flow to isolator instead of a light): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinkbee-Wireless-Required-Waterproof-Receiver/dp/B07QQ4KPBJ

Not sure if this is a viable option, any ideas?

Thanks, Dan

 

[littlespark]

An isolator is just that…. An isolator. It’s not meant to be used as an operating switch.

It’s meant to be normally on, unless someone is working on the fan and they turn it off… and have control over it. (Local isolation)

A switch is normally off…. Until someone wants it to control a light, fan etc.

How is your fan wired? Does it only come on with the light? No timer?
Wall switch? Pull cord?

If power to fan comes from a wall switch, it might be possible to make it a 2 gang… with a separate switch for fan.

Your remote switch idea would work of course, but I’m just wondering if there’s a straightforward wired solution.

 

[brianmoooore]

Wrote a reply to this one this morning, but when I came to 'post', the thread had somehow disappeared.
The isolator needs to be adjacent to the fan or be of a type that can be locked in the off position, but there's no reason why you can't fit a second isolator or switch in a more convenient position, bathroom zone regs permitting.
The devices you've found look like they will do the job, but the receiver should ideally be fitted after the isolator, so that the receiver can be isolated as well.
If the isolator in the loft has a sufficiently large pattress box (47mm deep available) it should be possible to fit it in there.

 

[d____q]

An isolator is just that…. An isolator. It’s not meant to be used as an operating switch.

It’s meant to be normally on, unless someone is working on the fan and they turn it off… and have control over it. (Local isolation)

A switch is normally off…. Until someone wants it to control a light, fan etc.

How is your fan wired? Does it only come on with the light? No timer?
Wall switch? Pull cord?

If power to fan comes from a wall switch, it might be possible to make it a 2 gang… with a separate switch for fan.

Your remote switch idea would work of course, but I’m just wondering if there’s a straightforward wired solution.

Unsure how the fan is wired, it's either always on or always off.

Not linked to the bathroom light switch or anything, don't think the extractor fan itself has a timer function within it, hence the need for a remote solution

Would prefer the fan to be operated independently of the light switch, so I think my idea could work for this problem, now just to find someone to do it

 

[d____q]

Wrote a reply to this one this morning, but when I came to 'post', the thread had somehow disappeared.
The isolator needs to be adjacent to the fan or be of a type that can be locked in the off position, but there's no reason why you can't fit a second isolator or switch in a more convenient position, bathroom zone regs permitting.
The devices you've found look like they will do the job, but the receiver should ideally be fitted after the isolator, so that the receiver can be isolated as well.
If the isolator in the loft has a sufficiently large pattress box (47mm deep available) it should be possible to fit it in there.

Thanks for the tips, I did think about getting a second isolator installed, but would be more work for a sparky to drill/fit/run cables up the stud wall etc. so looked for a wireless solution - which sounds like it can work

The isolator switch looks like a bog standard one and is just affixed to one of the wooden beams in the loft