Replacing lightswitches.

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If only double insulated light switches were more common…
Are there any?

Yes, I believe other countries use them, but I don’t recall every seeing them for UK back boxes. However I have never made much effort to find them.

Plastic back boxes, or the metal boxes with a plastic screw holder goes a long way with plastic light switches and were considered safe in the 70s, the laws of physics have not change since then. (And we now have RCDs for a 2nd level of defense.)

It would not be that hard for someone to design a switch plate that was double insulated, it could come with plastic screws, or have a cover over the screws that needed a tool to remove.

I would rather have NOTHING that exposed an earth on a system given a choose…. How often do earth fault go undetected for years….
 
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A plastic light switch does not require an earth. If a metal back box is used you will require to earth the box.

In short- the plastic switch is double insulated until you put the exposed fixing screws into a metal back box.

KA
 
ALL plastic ones, ye quite a few.
Yes, but that is not double insulated.

The requirement with double insulated accessories (again, are there any?) would be that they must NOT be earthed so I cannot see the point of bothering to make such items.
 
Please read the definition of Double Insulated.
A plastic light switch has no earth terminal provided as it is not required.
Unless, as I have already said it is fitting into a metal back box.


Regards,

KA
 
But the point of mentioning double insulated switches was/would be to have a metal faceplate which did not require earthing (and therefore MUST not be earthed) for a system with no CPC.

What would be the point and what about the back box?
 
When you say Must NOT BE EARTHED you mean cannot be earthed ?

They are plastic, you can earth it if you want, it is pointless.


KA
 
"Double insulated or class 2 electrical appliances are products that have been designed in a way so as not to require a safety connection to electrical earth (These products must NOT have a safety connection to Earth)."
 
Find me a light switch with the double insulated symbol on it, and I'll stick £50 in the post to you.
 

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