I've actually done exactly that—timer plus humidity sensor combo. Here's how it went: I set the timer to kick in automatically for short showers, but if someone decides to take a steam marathon (looking at my teenage son here...), the humidity sensor takes over and keeps things running till the moisture drops. Works surprisingly well, though I still get occasional lag from the sensor. But overall, covers most scenarios nicely without much fuss. Worth a shot if you're curious.
Good call with the timer/humidity combo—seen that setup work well plenty of times. A few quick tips from experience:
- Lag is pretty common with humidity sensors, especially cheaper models. If it bugs you, upgrading to a higher-quality sensor usually helps.
- Placement matters a ton. Keep the sensor away from direct water spray or it'll trigger late or erratically.
- Every couple months, clean off any dust buildup—it messes with readings more than you'd think.
Overall though, sounds like you've got a solid system going.
Had a similar setup at my place, worked great until the sensor got dusty and started acting weird. Took me forever to figure out why the fan kept kicking in randomly... quick clean fixed it right up.
Yeah, those sensors can be sneaky... had mine randomly turning on at night, drove me nuts until I realized it was picking up steam from the shower next door. Adjusted the sensitivity a bit and it's been smooth sailing since.
Haha, sensors can definitely be tricky. Did you find adjusting the sensitivity affected how quickly it kicks in when someone actually uses the bathroom? I've had similar issues in a rental property—tenants complained the fan would randomly start humming at odd hours. Turned out it was picking up drafts from an open window nearby. Took me forever to figure that one out... I ended up repositioning the sensor slightly away from the airflow, and that seemed to do the trick.
Makes me wonder though, is there a sweet spot for sensor placement or sensitivity settings? Or is it always just trial and error depending on room layout and airflow? Seems like every bathroom has its own quirks.