My bathroom extrator fan keeps cutting itself out

I thought of that, yep its just a motor. I am going to rebuild it tomorrow basicialy just take it apart and get all the dust out. I wonder if motors do overheat?

Thanks, I thought usualy when they overheat they just fail for good just never experienced this before. Could this be some kind of thermal protection? Its very odd, if its left on it turns itself off then suddenly comes back on again a few minutes/hours later.

well once the metal expands, it shrinks again usally, this is probably why it comes on after a few mins/hours later. definitely sounds like overheating issues, erm it wouldn't be anything to do with power surges would it? i highly doubt i, but just a thought.

Nope, the extractor fan has its own dedicated circuit, its not wired into the ring main so its almost certainly not a power surge. The motor overheating does sound like the most likely cuase.

can you decrease the amount of electricity being supplied to the extractor fan? e.g. by using a step down transformer?

Erm nice idea, they are usualy fairly complex to wire though aren't they? I don't want to start soldering transformers into my parents mains. Its full of dust at the moment so I am hoping the overhual might help solve the problem. Its is very loud though so a reduced voltage might well be a lot better.

Yeah that kind of transformer is easy to wire, I wired one up for the lights in the batrhoom as they are 12v halogens.

This extractor fan is 240v though, so the voltage cannot be reduced too much. I reckon 180v would be about right.

oh right i didn't know that much voltage was going through it, know of any electricians that you could ask for some advice?

My uncle used to wire fighter gets for the British Aeorospace but I don't want to put him out. I've just hoovered it all out for now, it seems to be working if it happens again I will do the oil trick, if it still does it its time to reduce the voltage.

oh right cool so your uncle is a knowlegable guy.

ermm surely it wouldn't hurt, if you just give him a bell?

Its just not the right time with my grandad dying and everything, my uncles done most of the funeral arangements, he has only just gone back to work this week. I will ask him when I next see him though.

oh in that case, thats a fair point, i would give it a while then. Yeah, when you think it is a good time just ask him, im sure he wont mind and he will be happy to help you. ermmm i wonder if my physics teacher would know?

Possibly, if it is the motor we are talking about here rather than wiring then it certainly is a physics issue, i.e how heat can cause a motor to cut out.

I am surprised Virign Trains have not used this excuse, sorry you cannot come out of the toilet right now becuase the motors jam when it gets above 22c. The motors should work again in 6 hours time.