Bakelite switches

[bruceiow]

Hi all,

I've got two unsightly white light switches in my beautiful 1920s entrance hall. I also happen to have two bakelite switches and a nice wooden patress. Question is, how do I mount the patress? Do I need to fill in the modern metal boxes and screw directly in to the wall or is there so kind of adapter plate to fit to a modern back box?

 

[Craig89]

Hello

Im assuming the wooden patresses are larger than the metal back box? I would look at drilling the patresses so that they mount to the back box in the same way that a modern switch would. If thats possible of course

 

[Flyfisher]

I agree with Craig89.

Something like this: https://www.broughtons.com/store/product/171425/wooden-blank-plate-oak-unfinished/

 

[88v8]

Hello and welcome.

Bakelite switches, good.
Check they're two-way if so required.

I just finished making an oak patress to replace two modern switches. Made it the necessary size.
But yes, as FF pointed out you could just use long screws - BA or metric depending on the age of your back box - and fix to the back box.

However, this may leave the fixings visible. Normally with Bakelite switches the fixing screws are hidden under the switches. Not the end of the world though.

Ivor

 

[noj]

You just need a little plastic adaptor plate
http://www.periodpattresses.com/epa...s/es108574_es120039009115/Categories/Adapters

Then no fixings are visible.

It wouldn't be difficult to make your own, but these make it painless.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I've put in metal back boxes behind pattresses in my house. My approach was to mount the pattress to the wall using screws that will be hidden by the switch when that is mounted. The screws go through the pattress and through the back box into the wall. I've done this as it gives a lot more space for the wiring to bunch up behind the pattress when the switch is mounted. In olden days I believe the patresses had greater depth to them with a void within so they were more of a box than a plate, which gave room for the wiring to bunch up inside then when the switch is mounted.

P. S. I realise the way I have done it could allow the screws to damage the wiring as they are being installed, but one can put a sheath on the screw or use an adaptor plate.

 

[88v8]

Yes, old patresses had a recess. I routed one in mine, it's about 1.125" thick.

You just need a little plastic adaptor plate
http://www.periodpattresses.com/epa...s/es108574_es120039009115/Categories/Adapters
Then no fixings are visible.

Excellent !
And they have jelly moulds with proper ceramic bodies.
http://www.periodpattresses.com/epages/es108574.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es108574_es120039009115/Products/RBBC/SubProducts/RBBC-0001

I feel a Grump coming on;
First I store hundreds of proper incandescent light bulbs, then they bring out LEDs which look exactly the same.
Now, I have my stock of original but daaaaangerous light switches, then they start making these.
It's a capitalist conspiracy :?

Ivor

 

[Flyfisher]

I feel a Grump coming on;
First I store hundreds of proper incandescent light bulbs, then they bring out LEDs which look exactly the same.

That's definitely a worthy grump and one I've grumped about myself as I also have a stock of CFLs :evil:

If only the LED industry had been about 5 years ahead of itself then I doubt that CFLs would ever have seen the light of day (excuse the pun). Oh well.

 

[Feltwell]

Necessity is the mother of invention. If CFLs hadn't been so monumentally hopeless then LEDs would not have developed at the pace they have.

Mind you I do have some CFLs in our bedroom that warm up relatively quickly, from turning light on to near full brightness in about 5 seconds. It's quite a good thing there, stops you being blinded as soon as you turn the light on!

 

[a twig]

If only the LED industry had been about 5 years ahead of itself then I doubt that CFLs would ever have seen the light of day (excuse the pun). Oh well.

Well you can console yourself that if it wasn't for massive Chinese government state aid, you'd still be stuck with CFLs as LED lamps/bulbs would still be £25 upwards...

It's only in the last couple of years that the capital cost of LED has decreased enough and the lifetime and efficacy increased enough to make choosing LED over fluorescent worthwhile.

All thanks to the Chinese governments 2020 plan to have LED product price equivalent to incandescent

 

[Flyfisher]

The future’s bright, the future’s . . . , er, Chinese. :lol:

However, I’m having some doubts about LEDs. A couple of months ago two of our outdoor LED flood lamps failed. They are both wired to the same PIV sensor and failed at the same time. They are less than two years old. Then last week another two LED flood lamps, possibly bought at the same time though I’m not entirely sure, failed. Again, both at the same time. Although they are outdoor types they were actually installed indoors above my workshop bench, so unlikely to be weather related. I’m wondering if it’s the LED itself or the internal power regulator that has failed. I’m suspicious of both instances failing in pairs.

 

[Flyfisher]

I don’t believe it!!

Just switched on the four LED flood lights outside our kitchen and two of them have blown! :twisted:

These are 2-3 years old. What is going on?

 

[Feltwell]

What is going on?

It's Norfolk resisting the influx of new-fangledness. Thar's only just got used to that elastic-trickery stuff boi. :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[a twig]

It'll be the driver (the power regulator you referred to) that fails, 100%. Unless you are after specialist lighting, high CRI for example, the LED chips are all much of a much these days, it's the quality of the power electronics and heat management that drive the cost and performance.

Top tip, if your LED light or bulb buzzes or hums slightly (like the majority of Tesco own brand for e.g.) don't expect it to last.

Buy decent brands, they all come out of the same factory in China, but the branded ones have higher spec components and more rigorous QA

 

[Flyfisher]

I reckon you’re right. In fact one of the lights that blew last night was very dim and flickering for a short while before failing altogether, which didn’t seem light LED failure to me since they are basically a semiconductor device and generally fail like a fuse. But what is strange is that the three failures I’ve had recently have all been in pairs, and I’m wondering if the PSU failure causes some sort of power spike that also affects any nearby ones.

The failed units are not ‘bulbs’ but those integrated outdoor ones (like security lights but without the PIR sensor), so I’ve now got to consign six of them to landfill and buy six more at a cost of around £75 after only a few years. Very eco-friendly. :roll:

 

[Feltwell]

I so I’ve now got to consign six of them to landfill and buy six more at a cost of around £75 after only a few years. Very eco-friendly. :roll:

I've just spent nearly that on *one* LED floodlight. This one had better last!

 

[Flyfisher]

But I'm guessing yours is probably more than 20W

 

[Feltwell]

No! 14.8w - But I needed one which swivelled from side to side, which is fairly unusual. At this price it had better last! The £70 one without the PIR.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Steine...ated,+14.8+W,+4000+k&i=outdoor&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

[Flyfisher]

I can't remember where I bought mine.

Could have been Screwfix: https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-led-floodlight-10w-black-daylight/604cc

I notice CPC have these for peanuts: https://cpc.farnell.com/v-tac/vt-4011b-5942/floodlight-led-10w-6500k-black/dp/LA07153