QUIET ceiling switch?

[Mike Barnard]

The ceiling switch in my bathroom is as noisy as hell. Pull the cord to turn on the light and it makes a very loud "kerching" noise. No, you can't have a better description! :)

During the day it's not so bad, you get used to it, but at night it can wake up my son who sleeps in the room next to the bathroom.

So, who makes a switch thats quiet? I've been in to my local branch of CEF and tried thiers and I've been to the sheds. They all seem noisy. (The current one is a Wikes own brand and nearly new). Is it inherent in the design of the switchgear?

Thanks for any pointers.

[John Borrman]

[Lurch]

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 16:21:36 +0000, Mike Barnard strung together this:

The Legrand ceiling switches are fairly quiet. There is the dimmable pull switch available from that is silent but isn't just a on\off switch.

[John Rumm]

Depends on how quiet you want it...

I used on of these recently:

it is much quieter than many, it gives a single click when pulled rather than the more common "click clack" type of action.

If you want silent, then you may need to look at one of the pull cord dimmers.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I hate the b***dy things and would replace it with a wall one outside the bathroom - if necessary.

However, IIRC, TLC do a dimmer version which is silent in operation - and suitable for loads up to 250 watts of mains or LV, but not obviously any type of low energy or fluorescent.

Its part number is TL PCD51 and costs 17.99 + vat.

[Tony Eva]

A kindred spirit! My builder looked at me very oddly when I said I wanted the bathroom light switches outside on the wall, but I was paying, so he shrugged and did it.

I can live with the remote possibility of somebody accidentally (or deliberately) turning off the lights while I'm in there, if it means avoiding those horrible dangly bits of string :-)

[Rob Nicholson]

On a similar vein, anyone recommend a source of quiet ceiling fans for bathroom. The one I've got fitted sounds like a jumbo jet when it turns on (automatically) with the light. Wakes everyone up and isn't conducive to a relaxing bath.

Thanks, Rob.

[Frank Erskine]

Sheltered homes for the elderly frequently have emergency "pull-cord" alarm switches. I don't know whether these are "momentary" action or "latching", but they are silent. I should imagine any wholesaler or proper retail outlet would be able to source these "no problem".

If they are "momentary" you may be able to buy or build yourself a switching box to toggle the light on or off.

[Lurch]

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 22:12:26 GMT, "Rob Nicholson" strung together this:

Inline fan somewhere else is much better than one in the bathroom. Try a Vent-Axia.

[Lurch]

On Sun, 6 Feb 2005 23:20:30 +0000 (UTC), Frank Erskine strung together this:

They are 12V momentary usually, most definitely are if the ones you have seen are silent.

[Mike Barnard]

Just a quick follow up before I go to bed. Thanks to all and I just may consider moving the switch outside.

[brugnospamsia]

But can you live with the admittedly lowish risk that someone with really wet hands (or the person who follows them) gets a belt from the switch ?

Maybe it's because I have childhood memories of getting a shock from a light switch in my parents' kitchen.

[brugnospamsia]

But can you live with the admittedly lowish risk that someone with really wet hands (or the person who follows them) gets a belt from the switch ?

Maybe it's because I have childhood memories of getting a shock from a light switch in my parents' kitchen.

[Tony Eva]

Well, to be honest, yes I can. First of all, that's true of any switch in a room with a basin or sink (like a kitchen, or a utility room), but mainly I don't subscribe to the "remove every tiny weeny bit of risk from life" view - IMHO, it's what has allowed Part P into our lives.

Everyone is entitled to their own view. I'm not wishing to criticise you at all - but if you bought my house, I'm afraid you'd have to move the bathroom light switches :-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Where IMHO it is more likely. But no regs about cord switches.

I also wonder about the health aspects of those cord thingies.

[Christian McArdle]

I'm the same way and did exactly that in my last house.,

However, in some cases, it may now even be permissible to put them on the wall inside the bathroom. Unfortunately, this isn't the case on my new house (too proximate to the bath), so it will gain an outside switch at some point...

Christian.

[Tim S]

Would it be permissable to use a water proof wall switch (the sort with a membrane over the rocker) in a bathroom (I forget the definition of zone

1,2 etc, but on the wall by the door within 1m of the bath and basin but 2m from the shower)? Not as pretty though...

Tim

[Tim S]

Though I just thought that perhaps such a switch isn't actually totally waterproof, or at least the metal clad box it fits isn't. I've only seen them fitted outside but protected from direct rain, in for example, a porch and under a car port.

A full monty waterproof switch would be fairly ugly (unless you like the bathroom looking like the inside of a submarine).

Question still stands though with provisos.

Tim

[bigcat]

Since that probably means rewiring, there is what would likely be a simpler solution.

1. Remove the noisy spring, replace it with something weaker so it operates, but no noisiness.
2. The switch is now no longer 240v rated, so add a miniature 1.1w transformer and a relay. The mains switch only switches 9v etc, the relay switches the mains. Mount relay in place with silicone.

There might be another way as well, de[pensing on how its put together:

1. remove the switch inside the case and glue it back with silicone, which is flexible, non noise tranmitting, and noise absorbing.
2. Remove fitting from ceiling and replace again using silicone rather than screws - same deal.

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you were really concerned, a low voltage coil stepping relay would be one answer. Or perhaps an isolating transformer in the lighting feed to that room.