Metal light switch’s with no earth

[ebee]

Ehh I miss bakerlite , wooden pattress and porcelain domes, looked like pepper pots with fusewire inside, both lives fused on the lighting. a wooden pattress and 2 x 2 domed and toggle switches, you`d expect Boris Karloff to come walking around and jacobs ladders all over the place with that electric arc travelling up and down, those were the days, everybody knew to keep away from electric cos it bites, not as many bad accidents as you might suppose because everybody took more care and did not try to blame everyone else for their own carelessness, it was your own responsibility not to be daft enough to kill yerself.

Do not forget those knife switches either !

 

[SUNRAY]

I remember there being toggle switches, porcelain base, then a metal dome cover, which screwed onto a thread, around the toggle - no earth. I also remember, switches sunk into the wall, wooden back box, single and multi-way, metal toggle switch, metal faceplate, fixed to the toggle switch by a threaded metal ring - again, no earth.

Also available in 2 gang which couls often be linked to create a 2 pole 2 way AKA reversing switch AKA intermediate. These happen to be fitted with a bakelite cover available in brown or white but still very much brass construction. Dimmer switches are not a new invention.

Smidges of brass and bronze too

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

white but still very much brass construction. Dimmer switches are not a new invention.

and not an earth in sight. There were two simple dimmer schemes - One where a fitting had multiple lamps, and two switches to control it, 2 lit, 3 lit, or all 5, then series parallel schemes, using at least two lamps.

 

[Chris_909]

Why Doesn’t it seem to be a thing where metal face plate switch’s are double insulated? Feel like you could easily line the inside of the switch with a non conductive material (toggle switch on one I’ve brought has a plastic toggle on it anyway)

 

[SUNRAY]

Why Doesn’t it seem to be a thing where metal face plate switch’s are double insulated? Feel like you could easily line the inside of the switch with a non conductive material (toggle switch on one I’ve brought has a plastic toggle on it anyway)

They were made for a while but the public decided they wanted the 'real thing'. The big problem is trying to maintain the requirements for class 2 when there are so many variables with site implementation.

 

[SUNRAY]

and not an earth in sight. There were two simple dimmer schemes - One where a fitting had multiple lamps, and two switches to control it, 2 lit, 3 lit, or all 5, then series parallel schemes, using at least two lamps.

That one in the pic is a rheostat, hence the slots for ventilation. And yes they did get ******* hot, hot enough for Gordon Ramsey to cook on. We had a couple on lumps of wood with a socket (originally a 15A) which were used for ad-hock purposes, such as trying to control the speed of a pond pump, electric drill, even a light or three and as you say not an earth anywhere near them. One was operated by the dolly but being only half inch or so of travel didn't exactly have a good dimming curve, the other was dimmed by turning a knob behind the switch about ¼ to ½ turn.

 

[Chris_909]

They were made for a while but the public decided they wanted the 'real thing'. The big problem is trying to maintain the requirements for class 2 when there are so many variables with site implementation.

Ah right! Feel like there’s a bit of a gap in the market there though,
I was speaking to someone down the pub who had the exact same problem as me but instead of switching back to plastic he basically lined the inside of the metal switch with insulating tape and switched to plastic screws

 

[trojanhawrs]

That's a bodge though and not a very good one. It's probably already peeled off the back, insulating tape doesn't really stand the test of time unless it's wrapped tightly around itself

 

[EFLImpudence]

He should have lined it a bit better than basically and as well as switching to plastic screws he should have switched to plastic switches.

 

[ebee]

I was speaking to someone down the pub

Hmm. a comment like that is not uncommon, as we know

 

[Chris_909]

Yeah hell of a bodge, but just goes to show there is demand for double insulated switch’s

Ah yeah there’s definatky better bodging methods then the tape haha

 

[ebee]

well I am in the stick with plastic group or, better still, put an earthwire in where it should be

 

[EFLImpudence]

t just goes to show there is demand for double insulated switch’s

There are plastic ones

 

[Chris_909]

There are plastic ones

No I meant with the aesthetic look of a real metal face plate switch

 

[RandomGrinch]

No I meant with the aesthetic look of a real metal face plate switch

Why not forget about wiring to the switches completely?
I've got a couple of Lightwave RF switches with real metal faceplates, you only occasionally have to change the CR2032!

Edit: new models are powered by a couple of AAA.