Does anyone know what this is?

[J_N30]

Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

EDIT,

On second thoughts, it looks like a dimmer for a light, but the dimmer knob has broken off.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Looks like a very old dimmer with the control shaft broken off.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

That's cheating!

 

[AndyPRK]

what was his first guess ?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I had thought it was some sort of power supply, then i looked again…..

I hadn't seen your post when I edited my first one, honest!

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Yes, I believe you.

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's a dimmer with a broken knob.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Looks like a very old dimmer with the control shaft broken off.

Old it may be, but I have some like that and none of them have ever been taken out by a failed lamp.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Does anyone know what this is?

Looks like Matt white!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Looks like Matt white!

Nah, he's a plumber

 

[333rocky333]

Old it may be, but I have some like that and none of them have ever been taken out by a failed lamp.

Used to use them lots and as you say lasted ages unlike modern ones.
I think We even used them to speed control ceiling fans

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I had 4 which I mounted on a 2G blanking plate because I wanted them in a 2x2 grid, not in 1 row.

Some years later, because the plate had developed a small crack I replaced the whole thing with a sooper-dooper varlight soft-start intelligent jobbie.

Jobbie it turns out was apt - first time a lamp went it took out the dimmer. The next time one went the module itself actually "blew up".

Fortunately I hadn't thrown away the old ones.....