PULL CORDS IN BEDROOM - WHY?

[Paul35]

I live in a 1940's house and have 3 pull corded switches ......but why?

I have a pull cord switch in the downstairs bathroom; this is because of water being present and for safety reasons this has to be there!

However, I have another 2 pull cord switches in the middle of the upstairs bedrooms ......but why? If this house was modern, it would have normal 1 gang switch instead.

Does anyone know why this is? One room seems like any other room, so a pull corded switch seems strange BUT in the other bedroom, it has a hot water cylinder.

What I would like to know is, can I change the 2 upstairs bedroom pull corded switches into a normal 1 gang switch? - is this safe to do or would it be unsafe as there is no water around and a switch would be better (for me!)

Thank you.

 

[footprints]

So you can switch off lying in bed, often had one directly over the head of the bed.

 

[clifford1]

My first lesson in electricity as a child was not to chew the flex dangling over my bed.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have a pull cord switch in the downstairs bathroom; this is because of water being present and for safety reasons this has to be there!

Actually you don't necessarily have to have a pull cord switch.

What I would like to know is, can I change the 2 upstairs bedroom pull corded switches into a normal 1 gang switch? - is this safe to do or would it be unsafe as there is no water around and a switch would be better

So they are the only light switches in the rooms?

Anyway - if the lighting circuit has an earth you can replace them with normal switches. I would suggest 2-way, or 2-way & intermediate switching so that you can still switch the light when in bed.

Also, assuming that you'll want the new cables buried in the walls, if the lighting circuit isn't RCD protected it will need that adding. And please be aware of here you may and may not run concealed cables: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls.

Lastly, please spend a bit of time learning how lighting circuits work, how switches and ceiling roses etc are wired, and make careful notes of existing wiring, mark cables properly etc - try not to end up being one of the people with lights not working/not working properly/switches doing weird things/circuit breakers tripping/etc.

• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:Lighting
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:books
  
  
• //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:index
  
  

 

[Paul35]

I only have 1 pull cord switch in the room, nothing else.

It is in the middle of the wall in the room so you have to walk in the dark to turn it on! - this is why I wanted to have a switch and near the door!

I never thought of a 2 way system, so this will be what I will be going for!

I wanted the cables buried into the wall.

I have some knowledge in electrics BUT WON'T BE CONNECTING! - I wanted to do most of the work myself and then get an electrician to spend 10 mins checking the wires and then connect it all! - I just want to do MOST of the work myself to save time and money!

My fuse box is so old, was probably the first ones ever made!! This will be replaced so with a new one with RCD's.

This will be my pet project for next year and WON'T be connecting until I get my new Fuse Box!

Thank you.

 

[footprints]

And I bet your ceiling light is in front of the window not the center of the room too!

Can you work out why?

 

[Paul35]

Yes it is near the window!

This is known as 'modest lighting' (is that is the correct spelling!)

So anyone that gets dressed in there room, the light would reflect into the room and not cast a shadow onto the window!

 

[footprints]

Full marks give the man a cigar!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

He's got one - you can see from his garden at night.

Q is, is it a Gran Corona or a cigarillo?

 

[peterseventy]

As a child I took apart the pear switch over my bed to see what was inside, and discovered a 240v surprise.

 

[flyingsparks]

Yes it is near the window!

This is known as 'modest lighting' (is that is the correct spelling!)

So anyone that gets dressed in there room, the light would reflect into the room and not cast a shadow onto the window!

I've always wondered what the reason behind it was!

 

[333rocky333]

has the house been rewired, it may have been the owners decision maybe not wanting the walls chased out and unneccesary mess and to keep the cost down, maybe look in the loft see if the old pipe for the original switchdrops is there

 

[ekmdgrf]

As a child I took apart the pear switch over my bed to see what was inside, and discovered a 240v surprise.

Ahh, so you're the reason that BGB keeps talking about live conductors only being accessible by means of a key or tool?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Curious children are one thing, but if an adult dismantles an electrical item whilst it's powered, he would be a tool, wouldn't he?

 

[ekmdgrf]

Curious children are one thing, but if an adult dismantles an electrical item whilst it's powered, he would be a tool, wouldn't he?

Well, funnily enough, I did nearly add "and in this case, it seems that it was opened by a tool" to my post but on reflection I thought that I didn't know peterseventy well enough to get away with suck a quip.