When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

Recently I bought a box of assorted electrical parts from an auction and
it had several of those antique push button switches including the brass
plates. I'd like to install a few of them in my house just for the heck
of it. Nostalgia I guess!

They do still work, in fact they seem to be built to last forever out of
heavy porcelain, with a thick brass contact, and viewable spring.

Are they legal to use (by the electrical code) in a newer home that did
not originally have them? I'm not likely to get inspected, but I wanted
to ask.

On 10/22/2013 10:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents
crazy pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have
them, and I thought they were really cool.

Recently I bought a box of assorted electrical parts from an auction
and it had several of those antique push button switches including
the brass plates. I'd like to install a few of them in my house just
for the heck of it. Nostalgia I guess!

They do still work, in fact they seem to be built to last forever out
of heavy porcelain, with a thick brass contact, and viewable spring.

Are they legal to use (by the electrical code) in a newer home that
did not originally have them? I'm not likely to get inspected, but I
wanted to ask.


There shouldn't be a problem with them as long as the contacts are clean
and no fingers could get to the open part of the switch. The switches
probably went out of fashion because I believe the flip switches are
less expensive to manufacture. Of course with a modern sealed switch,
insects can't get into it which would turn into a fire hazard after the
critters die, dry out and burn when an open switch arcs. ^_^

TDD

On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y

On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 04:24:57 -0400, morty wrote:

On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y


I think this line answers the question:
Replace your old push button light switches with these to bring your
electrical up to code.

On 10/23/2013 05:46 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 04:24:57 -0400, morty wrote:

On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y


I think this line answers the question:
Replace your old push button light switches with these to bring your
electrical up to code.


I would probably feel more comfortable were the yoke of the switch
grounded since you'll obviously be using antique metal covers. Granted
we all managed to survive without that for ages, but still.

I remember those switches in my grandparents' house as well. And
exposed K&T wiring in the attic and basement...

nate

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http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:51:59 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:
On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 04:24:57 -0400, morty wrote:

On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y

Toggle switches are easier to turn on and off, even while walking out
of the room. One can turn the light off even when one has left the
room, if his arm is still in it. I think that's the reason they
faded from popularity. That's the reason they were not popular with
me. But i can stil see using some now because they are cool.


I would probably feel more comfortable were the yoke of the switch
grounded since you'll obviously be using antique metal covers. Granted
we all managed to survive without that for ages, but still.

When he uses metal wall plates, he can wrap the ground wire around
where the wall plate screw will go, and sandwich it between the plate
and the yoke. He can put the screw through the plate and wrap the
wire tightely enough around it to stay there until the plate is
screwed down. Or if not enough thickness available, he can cut out
a thin sheet metal yoke, like a big wide Y, and clip or solder the
ground wire to that.

I remember those switches in my grandparents' house as well. And
exposed K&T wiring in the attic and basement...

nate

On Wednesday, October 23, 2013 12:33:23 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:51:59 -0400, Nate Nagel

wrote:

On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 04:24:57 -0400, morty wrote:



On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:

When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.



http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y



Toggle switches are easier to turn on and off, even while walking out

of the room. One can turn the light off even when one has left the

room, if his arm is still in it. I think that's the reason they

faded from popularity. That's the reason they were not popular with

me. But i can stil see using some now because they are cool.





I would probably feel more comfortable were the yoke of the switch

grounded since you'll obviously be using antique metal covers. Granted

we all managed to survive without that for ages, but still.



When he uses metal wall plates, he can wrap the ground wire around

where the wall plate screw will go, and sandwich it between the plate

and the yoke. He can put the screw through the plate and wrap the

wire tightely enough around it to stay there until the plate is

screwed down. Or if not enough thickness available, he can cut out

a thin sheet metal yoke, like a big wide Y, and clip or solder the

ground wire to that.



And you're saying that meets code? That was the question.

On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:51:59 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

I would probably feel more comfortable were the yoke of the switch
grounded since you'll obviously be using antique metal covers. Granted
we all managed to survive without that for ages, but still.

I remember those switches in my grandparents' house as well. And
exposed K&T wiring in the attic and basement...

nate

Considering that I always use metal boxes and ground them to the bare
wire, my cover plate IS grounded. I dont care for those plastic boxes,
and for a small price difference, I'd rather have the metal ones.

On 10/23/2013 02:44 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:51:59 -0400, Nate Nagel
wrote:

I would probably feel more comfortable were the yoke of the switch
grounded since you'll obviously be using antique metal covers. Granted
we all managed to survive without that for ages, but still.

I remember those switches in my grandparents' house as well. And
exposed K&T wiring in the attic and basement...

nate

Considering that I always use metal boxes and ground them to the bare
wire, my cover plate IS grounded. I dont care for those plastic boxes,
and for a small price difference, I'd rather have the metal ones.


That's a good practice, but those switches pre-date the self-grounding
clips used on better devices so you don't have to run a pigtail from the
box to the yoke.

'nother thing - only older flat head screws will work with the old cover
plates. Newer pan head combo screws will make the plate hit the screw
heads before the plaster.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Wed, 23 Oct 2013 04:24:57 -0400, morty wrote:

On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y


I think this line answers the question:
Replace your old push button light switches with these to bring your
electrical up to code.

If it were me, I'd make sure that that line wasn't just advertising. What
makes the "Classic Accents" switch code compliant as compared to what they
are replacing?

On Wednesday, October 23, 2013 4:24:57 AM UTC-4, morty wrote:
On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:

When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.



http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y

That sounds like the right alterative. The originals have
no ground connection, right? And who knows how they are
constructed, meaning I don't think there is a guarantee
all the metal parts are connected together, so even if
you did try to ground it yourself, who knows. And
they aren't listed for use. IMO, no way it would pass
an electrical inspection.

On 10/23/2013 09:00 AM, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 23, 2013 4:24:57 AM UTC-4, morty wrote:
On 10/22/2013 11:31 PM, wrote:

When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.



http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Accent.../dp/B0002EVT5Y

That sounds like the right alterative. The originals have
no ground connection, right? And who knows how they are
constructed, meaning I don't think there is a guarantee
all the metal parts are connected together, so even if
you did try to ground it yourself, who knows. And
they aren't listed for use. IMO, no way it would pass
an electrical inspection.


Only a concern with a metal cover plate. But as I said in my previous
post, these were typically used with thick pressed brass plates. Not
sure if plastic pushbutton plates were ever made? I don't remember
seeing any.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On 10/23/2013 8:09 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
....

sure if plastic pushbutton plates were ever made? I don't remember
seeing any.
....

Were Bakelite covers on at least some I recall in grandparents' farm
house ca 1915-6. Dad rewired it all; the switches are still around but
I've not uncovered the stash of wall plates that must be somewhere
unless sold them, perhaps...

They predate the UL listings so they don't meet Code simply because
there was no way to have them listed; whether they would meet today
(other than the ground) is indeterminate.

Other than ground I'd not be terribly concerned; they operated for 50-60
yr w/o being a problem, it's unlikely they'll be a problem now from a
practical viewpoint.

I've debated going back for the period look and if were to find the
original covers somewhere at some point probably would in at least the
dining and living rooms...

But, replacement listed ones is clearly the more certain alternative.

PS. For those still on an old Delco windcharger system, I've enough
DC-rated ones for a 2-story house...

--

On 10/23/2013 09:20 AM, dpb wrote:
On 10/23/2013 8:09 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
...

sure if plastic pushbutton plates were ever made? I don't remember
seeing any.
...

Were Bakelite covers on at least some I recall in grandparents' farm
house ca 1915-6. Dad rewired it all; the switches are still around but
I've not uncovered the stash of wall plates that must be somewhere
unless sold them, perhaps...

Interesting, learn something new every day.


They predate the UL listings so they don't meet Code simply because
there was no way to have them listed; whether they would meet today
(other than the ground) is indeterminate.

Pedantry time - my NEC is packed away in a very safe place so I can't
refer to it at the moment, but I believe the wording is/was "Nationally
Recognized Testing Laboratory" not UL specifically. Now UL has been
around since the late 1800s so it is possible that the devices might
have been tested/listed at the time. I used to have a couple old
switches as well as a curiosity but I haven't a clue where they've got
off to.


Other than ground I'd not be terribly concerned; they operated for 50-60
yr w/o being a problem, it's unlikely they'll be a problem now from a
practical viewpoint.

I've debated going back for the period look and if were to find the
original covers somewhere at some point probably would in at least the
dining and living rooms...

I do have one or two pressed brass ones (and I know right where those
are) that came with lots that I bought off eBay because when I rewired
the 2nd floor in my last house I wanted a vintage look. Repros are
ludicrously expensive (at least the ones with the nice crisp bevels like
the old ones, not the sloppy looking things that you find available in
Home Depot) but searching eBay for painted over/scruffy looking ones
sold in reasonably priced lots yielded me enough to do the job without
breaking the budget. I didn't mind a little patina, quite the opposite,
so unless they looked really bad I only lifted the paint off by soaking
in hot water and only polished the ones that looked really blotchy or
otherwise unattractive. I didn't use pushbutton switches because the
house was too new, I used new spec-grade brown toggles that I found for
cheap at a ReStore and 3-wire receps that I actually had to pay list for
at the supply house :/ (historical accuracy did not extend in my mind
to installing two wire receps...)

nate


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On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:31:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.

We had them in a house when I was about 8.

The landlord had a severe intention tremor. Parkinson's maybe? I was too young to be told.

It was quite disturbing to a young child to watch him try, and try, and try to turn a light on or off. He'd miss in all possible directions.

TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:31:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.

We had them in a house when I was about 8.

The landlord had a severe intention tremor. Parkinson's maybe? I was
too young to be told.

It was quite disturbing to a young child to watch him try, and try, and
try to turn a light on or off. He'd miss in all possible directions.

When I was in the service in Alaska one of the bush pilots we flew with had
some kind of tremor related disease. His hands would be steady on the yoke
but whenever he would reach out to adjust any of the controls his hand
would shake, and I mean a lot!

You think it was disturbing to watch a guy with a shaky hand try to turn on
a light? How about sitting next to a shaky pilot while flying over the
frozen tundra or worse yet an almost frozen bay?

On 10/23/2013 7:37 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:31:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.

We had them in a house when I was about 8.

The landlord had a severe intention tremor. Parkinson's maybe? I was
too young to be told.

It was quite disturbing to a young child to watch him try, and try, and
try to turn a light on or off. He'd miss in all possible directions.

When I was in the service in Alaska one of the bush pilots we flew with had
some kind of tremor related disease. His hands would be steady on the yoke
but whenever he would reach out to adjust any of the controls his hand
would shake, and I mean a lot!

You think it was disturbing to watch a guy with a shaky hand try to turn on
a light? How about sitting next to a shaky pilot while flying over the
frozen tundra or worse yet an almost frozen bay?


I'm sure you remember Mel Tillis the stuttering country singer who is
now 81. He stutters when talking but not when he sings. I imagine he
wouldn't work out as an emergency dispatcher because he would have to
sing to get an emergency message across. ^_^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aweaoakyK8

TDD

The Daring Dufas posted for all of us...

And I know how to SNIP


On 10/23/2013 7:37 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
TimR wrote:
On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:31:20 PM UTC-4, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light

switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy

pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and

I thought they were really cool.

We had them in a house when I was about 8.

The landlord had a severe intention tremor. Parkinson's maybe? I was
too young to be told.

It was quite disturbing to a young child to watch him try, and try, and
try to turn a light on or off. He'd miss in all possible directions.

When I was in the service in Alaska one of the bush pilots we flew with had
some kind of tremor related disease. His hands would be steady on the yoke
but whenever he would reach out to adjust any of the controls his hand
would shake, and I mean a lot!

You think it was disturbing to watch a guy with a shaky hand try to turn on
a light? How about sitting next to a shaky pilot while flying over the
frozen tundra or worse yet an almost frozen bay?


I'm sure you remember Mel Tillis the stuttering country singer who is
now 81. He stutters when talking but not when he sings. I imagine he
wouldn't work out as an emergency dispatcher because he would have to
sing to get an emergency message across. ^_^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aweaoakyK8

TDD

Suicide hotline I won't cut you off.

Incontinence hotline please hold.

******* Police, sorry we are closed.

--
Tekkie

wrote in message
news
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

Recently I bought a box of assorted electrical parts from an auction and
it had several of those antique push button switches including the brass
plates. I'd like to install a few of them in my house just for the heck
of it. Nostalgia I guess!

They do still work, in fact they seem to be built to last forever out of
heavy porcelain, with a thick brass contact, and viewable spring.

Are they legal to use (by the electrical code) in a newer home that did
not originally have them? I'm not likely to get inspected, but I wanted
to ask.


Bad bad boy

On 10/22/2013 20:31, wrote:

... I'd like to install a few of them in my house just for the heck
of it. Nostalgia I guess!

One thing that might not be so nostalgic is the snapping noise the
switch makes. The sound resonates differently with modern drywall than
it does with the more solid lath and plaster.

A newer version is still produced-they can be ordered from antique hardware suppliers.

On Saturday, June 20, 2015 at 1:53:37 PM UTC-5, wrote:
A newer version is still produced-they can be ordered from antique hardware suppliers.

There goes the Way-back Machine again. Heck, there's a post from my brother! ^_^

[8~{} Uncle Brother Monster

On Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 9:31:20 PM UTC-6, wrote:
When I was a kid, my grandparents had those old push button light
switches all around their house. I used to drive my grandparents crazy
pushing them on and off, because my parents house did not have them, and
I thought they were really cool.

Recently I bought a box of assorted electrical parts from an auction and
it had several of those antique push button switches including the brass
plates. I'd like to install a few of them in my house just for the heck
of it. Nostalgia I guess!

They do still work, in fact they seem to be built to last forever out of
heavy porcelain, with a thick brass contact, and viewable spring.

Are they legal to use (by the electrical code) in a newer home that did
not originally have them? I'm not likely to get inspected, but I wanted
to ask.

These are still produced--order from an antique hardware supply company.