I live in a split foyer that was built in '68. It was remodeled in 2004 before we moved in.

We have a bathroom downstairs which also houses a washer/dryer unit. There is only one switch which turns on the light for the room and the side vented exhaust vent. Recently the vent stop working. I checked the breakers to make sure everything was one. I open up the vent and pulled the fan unit out and plugged it into another socket in the house and it runs fine. I tested the socket which the vent was plugged into and there's no power.

Any clues why this happen? Bad wire connection somewhere? And how would this be wired to the light unit and switch?

Are you UK or US based???

It's a tad difficult without knowing exactly how the circuit is wired - the plug on the fan makes me think you're in the US and also makes me assume there is no run on timer (ie. fan runs for so long after light turned off)...

It could be a switch fed outlet or the outlet could have a switch-leg run to it.

TURN THE BREAKER OFF.

Open the plates on the switch and the outlet. If you just have two wires and a copper ground or just two wires to the switch it's a switch leg (hot/line  is run through the switch and back to the outlet..).  If you have 2 sets of wires coming into the switch  (black to each side of the switch- white wire nutted- grounds nutted and attached to the switch ground)- it's switch fed.

First thing is look for the simple stuff- Possibly a screw has worked loose over time and you've lost a connection.
It's an old house- it was rehabbed- you don't know what was done to what most likely. They were still using aluminum wiring then-aluminum expands with heat more-which can work screws loose. Could be BX or MC ( Metal clad..) with a house that old (mine has a ton of it..)...BX uses the metal casing as it's ground...MC has a ground... (instead of a plastic/cloth outer insulation it's metal.. think industrial..)

Switches can fail- outlets can on occasion too- it's a damp area- could be corrosion.

Do you have a test meter? Continuity test from one side of the switch to the other and see if the switch is good. Check the outlet as well --big slot is your neutral/white wire- smaller slot is the hot/black wire-brass screw--check  continuity from the terminals on the side to the slots...and check from your outlet to your switch.

PM me... if you want to give me a call maybe I can help you figure it out over the phone.

The exhaust fan could also be connected to the light fixture...older houses didn't have exhaust fans in the bathrooms, so that is probably an "upgrade"...it also may have been done by the home owner, so watch yourself...I have seen many scabby jobs done by someone that thought they knew what they were doing.

I think Jared has you taken care of, but if you need more info let me know.

Later.

Listen to the madjak he knows what he's doing.

BTW my friend one time owned this old house, and in the many years he lived there, he never went in the attic.
So he sells ti and on the day he's supposed to move out he says maybe there is buried treasure there, and he goes up there. Its all dark, and a train passes by on the tracks close to the house, and he says he saw sparks come from everywhere. He sold it at the right time he said.

Cool.
buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on February 24, 2011, 07:25:42 AM
Listen to the madjak he knows what he's doing.

BTW my friend one time owned this old house, and in the many years he lived there, he never went in the attic.
So he sells ti and on the day he's supposed to move out he says maybe there is buried treasure there, and he goes up there. Its all dark, and a train passes by on the tracks close to the house, and he says he saw sparks come from everywhere. He sold it at the right time he said.

Cool.
buddha.

WTF. uhhh. scary.


Anyways I'm in the US. I will takes some pics this weekend when I open some things up. I'm thinking the fan outlet is wired to the bathroom light fixture since I think it was added on later when the previous homeowner remodeled.

Quote from: The Buddha on February 24, 2011, 07:25:42 AM
Listen to the madjak he knows what he's doing.

BTW my friend one time owned this old house, and in the many years he lived there, he never went in the attic.
So he sells ti and on the day he's supposed to move out he says maybe there is buried treasure there, and he goes up there. Its all dark, and a train passes by on the tracks close to the house, and he says he saw sparks come from everywhere. He sold it at the right time he said.

Cool.
buddha.

Thanks for the vote of confidence...your friends house was probably old "knob & tube" wiring...pretty scary really, bare wires running through the walls with insulators to go through the wood...you used to find lots of dead rodents in the walls due to electrocution...really dangerous in the basement, wires were just run bare through the joists...watch yourself...

Later.

Quote from: madjak30 on February 24, 2011, 08:38:57 AM

Quote from: The Buddha on February 24, 2011, 07:25:42 AM
Listen to the madjak he knows what he's doing.

BTW my friend one time owned this old house, and in the many years he lived there, he never went in the attic.
So he sells ti and on the day he's supposed to move out he says maybe there is buried treasure there, and he goes up there. Its all dark, and a train passes by on the tracks close to the house, and he says he saw sparks come from everywhere. He sold it at the right time he said.

Cool.
buddha.

Thanks for the vote of confidence...your friends house was probably old "knob & tube" wiring...pretty scary really, bare wires running through the walls with insulators to go through the wood...you used to find lots of dead rodents in the walls due to electrocution...really dangerous in the basement, wires were just run bare through the joists...watch yourself...

Later.

Jeebus! As a UK based 'trician that's quite scary...
Under UK Regs the description of how your fan is wired breaks most rules!

christ. now im paranoid. i have the old burlap covered romex, in some circuits. main scary oen to me is the circuit going from house to workshop, and other one going from house to electric fence. both knob and tube/glass fuse type thing. ill have to upgrade it to 200amp service if i want a decent price out of it. might pull hte 200 amp panel from the guest house before its razed

I'm thinking your outlet is corroded and/or worn, giving you an open circuit.  Your washer/dryer unit should not be on the same circuit, but it might be.  I'll bet that's what is freaking-out our English electrician!  American electrical codes became what I consider safe in 1978, but there's a lot of old construction out there.

It's not the old construction that is the scary part...it's the home owner renos that get some pretty creative wiring...

There could be any number of things wrong with the wiring...loose wiring/bad connection is the normal culprit, but who knows...best thing to do is to check the whole cct from connection to final termination point...MAKE SURE YOU TURN OFF THE BREAKER FIRST!!

The wiring for the fan should originate in the switch, but could be wired through the light or even the razor plug (if there is one)...just check the original connection to make sure it is tight, then move to the plug...make sure the wires are connected to the screws on the side and not the quick connects in the back (prone to poor connections and arcing...fire hazard)  If that isn't the problem, call an electrician...the plug for the fan may have a humidity switch built into it that is pooched, but I don't want to tell you to replace a fan when that may not be the problem...the electrician will be able to let you know...always better to pay an electrician a call out charge (usually an hours labour) than to take the chance of burning down your house, or worse...

Good Luck!!

Later.

Sounds like you Have a Wire that's Slipped out of a Wire nut to me.Happens sometimes if the Wires Aren't Twisted together Tight.
Actually Some of the Licensed Electrician Jobs New or Remodel Scare me more than Home Owner remodels.For two Years I worked full time straightening out Mistakes that Local Electricians made around here.I'm not Even a Licensed Electrician.