Toilet fan stopped

[Scotty Ian]

My thetford C263 toilet fan has stopped working. The fan blades aren't seized. All the lights on the control board are fine. There is between 5 and 6 volts at the fan connector at the back of the control panel and I suspect it's a 12V fan so 6V may not be enough to turn it. I have yet to con check the wires to the fan but I think they will be ok. Before I spend out on a new control board, has anyone else seen the same problem? Thanks.

 

[Reallyretired]

I cant help with a solution but had the same problem. Replaced the fan which didn't help and have just given up at the moment. I have managed to motorhome without a SOG for 40 years so I reckon I can manage for a few more.

 

[Two on Tour]

My thetford C263 toilet fan has stopped working. The fan blades aren't seized. All the lights on the control board are fine. There is between 5 and 6 volts at the fan connector at the back of the control panel and I suspect it's a 12V fan so 6V may not be enough to turn it. I have yet to con check the wires to the fan but I think they will be ok. Before I spend out on a new control board, has anyone else seen the same problem? Thanks.

It sounds like the small NPN surface mount transistor had gone on the control panel PCB, this transistor is marked up with 6CW and it drives the fan.
You can get the transistor from Aliexpress, but it will be a fiddley and pain in the bum job to do if you wanted a bit of a challenge.

Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Yay a toilet thread

Can't help with the fault but upside, if it's as noisy as mine, the neighbours don't know you are on the throne. I suspect that's far worse than the whoosh bang.

 

[peterc10]

Same happened to me except that the voltage was only 1 or 2 volts when connected. On open circuit it was 12v but dropped as soon as I connected the fan.

The standard fix is a new pc board. However I just rewired the fan to the permanent live on the toilet and fitted a small switch next to the toilet consol. That way I can choose if and when to switch it on and off. The only problem is that I have to remember to press the flush button twice for a flush.

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[Scotty Ian]

Same happened to me except that the voltage was only 1 or 2 volts when connected. On open circuit it was 12v but dropped as soon as I connected the fan.

The standard fix is a new pc board. However I just rewired the fan to the permanent live on the toilet and fitted a small switch next to the toilet consol. That way I can choose if and when to switch it on and off. The only problem is that I have to remember to press the flush button twice for a flush.

That's a great idea ! but I'd rather do a proper fix as the grandkids won't remember to switch the switch

 

[Scotty Ian]

It sounds like the small NPN surface mount transistor had gone on the control panel PCB, this transistor is marked up with 6CW and it drives the fan.
You can get the transistor from Aliexpress, but it will be a fiddley and pain in the bum job to do if you wanted a bit of a challenge.

Page Not Found - Aliexpress.com

I had seen that solution before but had forgotten so thank you. Just ordered 2 from ebay. Fingers crossed it fixes it, makes perfect sense too.

 

[Two on Tour]

I had seen that solution before but had forgotten so thank you. Just ordered 2 from ebay. Fingers crossed it fixes it, makes perfect sense too.

Please come back and let us know if it solves your problem Scotty Ian as it may well help others in the future.

 

[Imala615]

Maybe not relevant but i have an Autotrail Tribute and had a fan fail due to getting water in it .Sourced the same fan from Germany and got a good deal on a pack of 8 filters but then on further investigation found that Autotrail had not put a vent hole in so the fan and filter were doing nothing. Sold the filters on here so didnt loose out

 

[Scotty Ian]

Please come back and let us know if it solves your problem Scotty Ian as it may well help others in the future.

Yes will do

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[Scotty Ian]

Maybe not relevant but i have an Autotrail Tribute and had a fan fail due to getting water in it .Sourced the same fan from Germany and got a good deal on a pack of 8 filters but then on further investigation found that Autotrail had not put a vent hole in so the fan and filter were doing nothing. Sold the filters on here so didnt loose out

Interesting, I haven't looked yet but is this vent under the fan ?

 

[Scotty Ian]

I had seen that solution before but had forgotten so thank you. Just ordered 2 from ebay. Fingers crossed it fixes it, makes perfect sense too.

I've removed the board but can't identify the transistor. See pictures attached, which one is it. I imagine it's one of the four in a line on the first photo?

 

[Two on Tour]

I've removed the board but can't identify the transistor. See pictures attached, which one is it. I imagine it's one of the four in a line on the first photo?

Can you follow the tracks from the fan connector on the PCB or measure the transistor outputs when the fan is triggered?

 

[Imala615]

Interesting, I haven't looked yet but is this vent under the fan ?

it is , if you take the fan out you should find a vent but there's no vent on mine so in effect the fan was doing nothing , wouldn't have known if i hadn't got water in the fan .

 

[jockaneezer]

I'm guessing the transistor is this component ?

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[Scotty Ian]

I'm guessing the transistor is this component ?
View attachment 677895

Why did you select that particular one ?

 

[jockaneezer]

Why did you select that particular one ?

Coincidentally, I'd just been watching "Big Clive" an electrical guru on YouTube, who had dissected a circuit which contained a surface mount transistor just like that, plus the image ToT posted for you earlier is the only component on that board that looks the same ?

 

[Scotty Ian]

Maybe not relevant but i have an Autotrail Tribute and had a fan fail due to getting water in it .Sourced the same fan from Germany and got a good deal on a pack of 8 filters but then on further investigation found that Autotrail had not put a vent hole in so the fan and filter were doing nothing. Sold the filters on here so didnt loose out

Well rebbyvid, turns out mine is the same, no hole for the vent fan. I was watching a youtube video and came to the conclusion that there didn't need to be hole to the outside world as the smelly air went through the filter to get de-smellied ? Maybe others here can confirm my theory or otherwise. I've got the toilet out at the moment still trying to get the fan working... see further explanation later on.

 

[Scotty Ian]

OK.... Still not fixed. Replaced the transistor, transistor now giving 11v output at its collector leg about 4v before, looking good but fan not turning. About 4v at the fan edge connector on the board with fan connected. Removed fan connector from board, supplied 12V from car battery to the fan, fan worked. Took toilet out to get to the fan and broke off the red wire to the fan !!. Fan soldering was dodgy & corroded so suspected a dry joint to the fan. Resoldered black & red wires to fan, still not working when connected up. So ... I'm trying to find a wiring diagram for the board and/or going to look for a board from a caravan/motorhome scrap merchant if such a thing exists.

Further installments to follow !!

 

[Zakattak]

Board looks a bit ott just to switch a fan on. Everything appears to need a microprocessor on it now. Did mine with switch, capacitor resistor and fet.