Move light and shower switches to outside bathroom

[LianneB1]

I want to move the standard pull switches for my shower and bathroom light, to a double socket outside the bathroom. The main reason for this is my little one keeps swinging them and chipping the tiles!! We are re-tiling the bathroom and I don't want the new tiles chipping.

Any advice on how to go about this?

Thanks

 

[gman76]

Why not just remove the "miniature wrecking balls" from the cords?

 

[dannyboi2003]

Bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut solution don't you think?

What have you got on the end of the pull cord strings? The standard white plastic things are only strong enough to make a mark in soft butter, i've never seen them make any marks on tiles.

 

[ColJack]

how freaking heavy are your pull cords??

the little plastic cones that come as standard don't have enough weight to chip tiles..


you will need to replace the cable from the light itself to the switch as it will invariably be too short to reach the new location..
chase the box into the wall and chase the cable in vertically from the switch..

alternatively you could try discipline and shout at the little rug rats next time you see them swinging the things.. a good loud, really angry shout that they are not expecting will shock the message into them...

 

[LianneB1]

ColJack>> I am assuming I do exactly the same for the shower switch, is that correct?

All seems a little extreme I know!! The standard white ends wouldn't cause this problem, but, they don't look so great - although, better than chipped tiles!! The ones I have are (obviously very heavy) chrome spirals, they match everything else. Tried the shouting approach and it only usually lasts a week before they forget and swing them again!! Other than supervising every bathroom visit, this is my best solution.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

ColJack>> I am assuming I do exactly the same for the shower switch, is that correct?

Yup, but there you'll have the problem of replacing the cable from the CU to the switch and the switch to the shower...

Tried the shouting approach and it only usually lasts a week before they forget and swing them again!!

They are not "forgetting"....

 

[IJWS15]

ColJack>> ..........
All seems a little extreme I know!! The ones I have are (obviously very heavy) chrome spirals, they match everything else. Tried the shouting approach and it only usually lasts a week before they forget and swing them again!! Other than supervising every bathroom visit, this is my best solution.

Thanks for your comments.

They will be a much more trouble when they are bigger - and I am not talking about the chromed spirals. . . . . . . the secret is to take control when they are small and never relinquish it. Too many don't do this and the results are seen on the streets every day!

 

[LianneB1]

This seems to be the only area I have trouble - everything else my word is 'law' so to speak. I think they are so busy rushing that they are still walking as they pull the cord - hence it swings back and hits the tiles!!

So this is the best way to ensure 100% that it can't happen again!!

 

[THRIPSTER]

(a) Why not replace the pull chord switch with a motion detector switch?

(b) Remove chord and issue them with torches?

(c) Tell them that if they chip the tiles again they are grounded for a month - and then implement it if it comes to pass?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You may not be able to get chrome spirals, but you can get heavy metal ends in chrome or polished/brushed ss etc which have a rubber ring around the widest part to stop them breaking the tiles.

 

[NamelessRob]

or thread the string through a bracket about 4" above the pull to stop it swinging about as much?

 

[daytona]

two good ideas there,thats saved a few quid hasnt it?

 

[ColJack]

I would just leave the shower switch and shorten the cord out of reach of the kids..

there's no need to switch it on and off everytime anyway..

PIR sensor removes the need for a light switch, and helps when drunk / half asleep in the middle of the night..

 

[Steve]

I would just leave the shower switch and shorten the cord out of reach of the kids..

I was going to say . . . . everyone has scissors, dont they?

If you cant shorten the strings, the eyelet idea is good. Screw an eyelet into the wall where the string hangs, and thread the string through it - leaving only an inch or so below the eyelet.

And those plastic cones can do some damage when they want. Theres pull switches in the bogs at work. The plastic cones keep getting caught in the door and theres a big dent in the woodwork where it always gets trapped. And the cone is bent too