Replacing a single pole switch

[Slim]

Live dangerously, buy 2, fit 1 and store the second one for the day you never need it. Go on to worry about the really important things in life...........like will you remember where you put it. ?

[Chewbacka]

52 minutes ago, BlueStringPudding said:

Thanks. Although I'm not changing it for aesthetic reasons. I'm changing it because I want thicker cables to the switch because there's some voltage drop through it, which has only become evident since installing a water pump that draws more oomph than its predecessor did. The old switch can't accommodate thicker cables and the ones currently fitted to it are very thin. It's not a huge amount of voltage drop and I don't know how much of it is attributable to the thin wires or the switch itself, but I might as well improve it while I've got things already dismantled in there.

The old switch (which still works) appears to have been installed by a previous owner, and I've had this boat nearly 14 years. So it's at least that old, possibly older, so it's lasted well. 

How I ended up with a metallic switch was simply down to the limitations of suppliers that offer click and collect from my local town, combined with a single pole switch so I don't have to try and cut a bigger recess in the wall, combined with a high enough amp rating plus a front plate that was about the same size as the one already in place - coz the wood around it has faded. So I've ended up with a cosmetic change because there was little to choose from!  But I don't mind that, the brushed steel effect will look fine in the kitchen. ?

Just to explain - The switch is designed for 240v use.  If the live wire comes loose and touches the metal face plate which is not earthed you could be killed when you touch the switch.  Hence the strict instructions to Earth the plate.  However at 12v there is no danger of electrocution so you don’t need the Earth wire.

[GUMPY]

10 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

My shower pump is switched  under electrical load, i.e. the full current flows on switching, likewise when I switch the pump off it is under load. This is done every day we are on board 3 times a day for the past 18 years so probably some 6000+ switches on and off and no sign of problems yet. When it does I will bin it and fit another that will see me out.

You shower 3 times a day? ? 

The switch on mine is possibly 27 years old but then it only gets used once a week ?

Edited December 9, 2020 by Loddon

[nb Innisfree]

To be awkward: Many years ago I used to own a 1984 Audi 100 Turbodiesel, after doing an oil change and then giving the engine bay a pressure wash I got hold of the still wet battery terminals to give them a twist to check for tightness and got an unpleasant tingle, went up to my wrist. Engine was running at the time, I checked with a multimeter which said 13/14 ish volts (can't remember exact figure, very odd, never did fugure that one out. 

[pearley]

11 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Yes the switch on my water pump and shower pump has only done 18 years so far

You beat me. Ours have only done 14 years.

[Bee]

12volt 25 amp DC single pole switches, Fed up with building boats with proper boat stuff then using caravan switches on boats or AC switches that I never felt at ease with so decided to make some, not ready for sale yet as the varnish is still sticky and I want to try them out first, Comimg to a gentlemans edwardian launch near you soon.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, nb Innisfree said:

To be awkward: Many years ago I used to own a 1984 Audi 100 Turbodiesel, after doing an oil change and then giving the engine bay a pressure wash I got hold of the still wet battery terminals to give them a twist to check for tightness and got an unpleasant tingle, went up to my wrist. Engine was running at the time, I checked with a multimeter which said 13/14 ish volts (can't remember exact figure, very odd, never did fugure that one out. 

As kids, we would put our tongue across the terminals of a PP9 (9-volt) battery it did tickle.

 

Just as an aside, you can light a fire using a PP9 (or even smaller battery) by putting wire wool across the terminals, it glows red and will set paper, bark, shavings etc smouldering, a bit of a 'blow' and you have fire.

Never go into the wilds without a battery and a bit of wire wool.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Loddon said:

You shower 3 times a day? ? 

The switch on mine is possibly 27 years old but then it only gets used once a week ?

No, I shower once, the wife also showers once and then the shower gets cleaned..

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, Bee said:

12volt 25 amp DC single pole switches, Fed up with building boats with proper boat stuff then using caravan switches on boats or AC switches that I never felt at ease with so decided to make some, not ready for sale yet as the varnish is still sticky and I want to try them out first, Comimg to a gentlemans edwardian launch near you soon.

But can you still get dc toggle switches with brass toggles to match the brass domes?

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But can you still get dc toggle switches with brass toggles to match the brass domes?

Could you plate them

[Bee]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

But can you still get dc toggle switches with brass toggles to match the brass domes?

Not that I have found. All the ones I have seen are silver, might be available in the classic car world but it all gets a bit expensive when you start digging around in there and then I get sidetracked by thinking of restoring some heap of rust.

[system 4-50]

8 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

No, I shower once, the wife also showers once and then the shower gets cleaned..

You have a Hudson?

[nb Innisfree]

9 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

As kids, we would put our tongue across the terminals of a PP9 (9-volt) battery it did tickle.

 

Just as an aside, you can light a fire using a PP9 (or even smaller battery) by putting wire wool across the terminals, it glows red and will set paper, bark, shavings etc smouldering, a bit of a 'blow' and you have fire.

Never go into the wilds without a battery and a bit of wire wool.

First saw that demo at fire brigade training school. 

[BlueStringPudding]

9 hours ago, Bee said:

12volt 25 amp DC single pole switches, Fed up with building boats with proper boat stuff then using caravan switches on boats or AC switches that I never felt at ease with so decided to make some, not ready for sale yet as the varnish is still sticky and I want to try them out first, Comimg to a gentlemans edwardian launch near you soon.

*swoon*

Those are just beautiful! ? If the brass ones mounted on square wood were the right size to hide the faded wood from my old switch, I would MUCH prefer one of those beautiful things to my modern one. But characterful beauties like that don't appear when you search online and need to use click and collect, coz the postman don't come to your boat. ?

[Bee]

6 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Could you plate them

Probably, but they were put together by the nimble fingers of child workers in China an if I take my cold chisel and lumphammer to them to get the toggle out I might not get them back together again.

[ditchcrawler]

32 minutes ago, Bee said:

Probably, but they were put together by the nimble fingers of child workers in China an if I take my cold chisel and lumphammer to them to get the toggle out I might not get them back together again.

Invert them so just the toggle is in the (I don't know what you call) the liquid 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by ditchcrawler

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Invert them so just the toggle is in the (I don't know what you call) the liquid 

 

Molten brass ?

[davidg]

Of course you could use switches which swing both ways like these.

 

 I might know someone who has a stock of  brand new (in about 1950) old stock?

[Tracy D'arth]

3 hours ago, davidg said:

Of course you could use switches which swing both ways like these.

 

 I might know someone who has a stock of  brand new (in about 1950) old stock?

Worth their weight in copper.  Real switches. You need the hardwood pattresses and cable buckles to go with them.

[davewally]

My shower pump switch is also a domestic light switch. It was over ten years old when it failed. I bought a 2 way switch as its replacement, so that when it fails at ten years I can move one wire and use the other contacts. Inverting it of course so that it still works as down for on. Tha should get me about 20 years from a £1.50 switch. ?

[Tracy D'arth]

5 minutes ago, davewally said:

My shower pump switch is also a domestic light switch. It was over ten years old when it failed. I bought a 2 way switch as its replacement, so that when it fails at ten years I can move one wire and use the other contacts. Inverting it of course so that it still works as down for on. Tha should get me about 20 years from a £1.50 switch. ?

Ah, but it will be the moving contact that fails!

[ditchcrawler]

7 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Ah, but it will be the moving contact that fails!

 

13 minutes ago, davewally said:

My shower pump switch is also a domestic light switch. It was over ten years old when it failed. I bought a 2 way switch as its replacement, so that when it fails at ten years I can move one wire and use the other contacts. Inverting it of course so that it still works as down for on. Tha should get me about 20 years from a £1.50 switch. ?

Yes should have bought a double pole one

 

[davewally]

But in most switches the moving spring usually has a contact on both sides so that contact on one side stays unused until the wire is moved over.

[Ex Brummie]

On 09/12/2020 at 08:43, pearley said:

You beat me. Ours have only done 14 years.

31 years...... and counting.

[Paul Gwilliams]

https://www.procastnotts.com/product.php/chrome_switches/?k=:::5481531:

 

Has anyone used this company?