Noisy Ceiling Cord Pull Switches

[Frank Erskine]

Well; it's inside a glass tube, you know.

[F]

We used to float pennies on it when pennies were substantial lumps of metal...

[Ian Jackson]

In message , Frank Erskine writes

Have you tried to buy a good old-fashioned mercury thermometer lately?

[dave]

Replaced our bathroom one a few years ago becuase "it was old". Then had same problem as you have - the damn CLICK NOISE. The (30+) year old one was much quieter - ah they knew how to make 'em in those days :-)

Ended up fitting a LED light above loo and on landing. It's amazing how little light one needs to see by when... wandering about at night.

Seriously though, I bet there's a market for 'no-noise' light pullcords.

[Andy Burns]

So that annoying brother(s) can turn bathroom light off when sister is locked inside?

[Frank Erskine]

No, but I have several already.

RS stock a range of mercury tilt switches though.

[Jonathan]

My children are too old for that and we have no grandchildren.

Jonathan

[MuddyMike]

We have three lights on pull cords one is very noisy the other two almost silent so it certainly varies between brands.

One hotel I use regularly has motion sensors for the bathroom lights and they are a PITA! Firstly the lights are VERY BRIGHT and come on unexpectedly during the night, I always remember to close the bathroom door now. Secondly if sat and not moving for a few mins they go off and the sensor is by the door not the pan so you have to wave frantically to get them to come back on again, what mental picture does that drum up :-)

Mike

[Skipweasel]

Georg Solti?

[MuddyMike]

With a loo roll instead of a baton...

Mike

[Skipweasel]

In case, like Beecham, he steps in some Stockhausen?

[Tabby]

If possible, physically disconnect the switch mechanism from its mountings in the switch enclosure and put tap washers around it, under it. If not, you could rip the innards all out and fit a 1A tablelamp pullcord switch in there, mounted on tap washers - but these arent as robust.

Also mounting the switch enclosure to the ceiling with tapwashers helps.

also sometimes possible to mount the swirch to timber above the ceiling, and run the pullcord through a very small hole with a drilled disc on the PB to tidy it up.

etc etc

NT

[The Medway Handyman]

LOL!

Reminds me of a large & busy bar I work in. Regularly change toilets seats & the PIR does exactly what you describe. Halfway through the job the lights go out & you have to resort to frantically waving your leg out of the cubicle door :-)

[Arfa Daily]

I've just recently fitted a replacement in my bathroom, and it came from Wickes. By no means 'silent', but quite a 'soft' click compared to the one that came out, which was a really loud 'crack' with an underlying 'twang', certainly loud enough to wake the household in the middle of the night.

Arfa

[PeterC]

Is it 2-way? I've a loud one that operates the light near the bed. It doesn't bother me of course, as I tend to be awake when operating it, but it's very near the party wall so I'm reluctant to use it at night!

[Arfa Daily]

Indeed it was, because I remember thinking (as you do!), "I wonder if there is any preference between using the 'one way' and the 'two way' terminal in a one way installation"? Obviously, there's no electrical difference, and in the case of a pull-pull switch, no physical issue of getting it the right way up, either. I guess it's just one of those little mysteries of life ... :-)

But yes. Wickes. 2 way. Quieter than 'normal', but by no means silent.

Arfa

[PeterC]

Thanks Arfa. I'll be Aldi-way tomorrow so Wickes isn't far from there.

I can't see any good reason for making 1-way switches: for a single plate there is about 20p difference.