Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

--
Cheers, Rob

"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are turned
on or off. When we had some building work done and a new bathroom made, the
electrician replaced an old and rather battered (but fairly quiet) pull
switch with one with a power-assisted clonk. I know some of the noise is
exacerbated by the switch being on a wooden batten in the ceiling rather
than attached to a masonry or plasterboard wall. But a lot of it can be
heard even with a "loose" switch before it's been mounted anywhere.

Is the noise "accidental" or is there some new building regulation that new
switches must make a noise to prevent them being turned on/off
surreptitiously?


It's the same with computer keyboards and mice. I have a new "silent"
keyboard, but there's a loud drumming as the keys hit what I presume is a
rubber noise-deadening pad, and the buttons on the mouse still make an
audible click - not as bad as many, but still very irritating.

"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are turned
on or off. When we had some building work done and a new bathroom made, the
electrician replaced an old and rather battered (but fairly quiet) pull
switch with one with a power-assisted clonk. I know some of the noise is
exacerbated by the switch being on a wooden batten in the ceiling rather
than attached to a masonry or plasterboard wall. But a lot of it can be
heard even with a "loose" switch before it's been mounted anywhere.

Is the noise "accidental" or is there some new building regulation that new
switches must make a noise to prevent them being turned on/off
surreptitiously?


It's the same with computer keyboards and mice. I have a new "silent"
keyboard and mouse. It's a lot better than many, but there's still a loud
drumming as the keys hit what I presume is a rubber noise-deadening pad, and
the buttons on the mouse still make an audible click - not as bad as many,
but still very irritating.

On 18/02/2021 09:47, NY wrote:
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are turned
on or off. When we had some building work done and a new bathroom made, the
electrician replaced an old and rather battered (but fairly quiet) pull
switch with one with a power-assisted clonk. I know some of the noise is
exacerbated by the switch being on a wooden batten in the ceiling rather
than attached to a masonry or plasterboard wall. But a lot of it can be
heard even with a "loose" switch before it's been mounted anywhere.

Is the noise "accidental" or is there some new building regulation that new
switches must make a noise to prevent them being turned on/off
surreptitiously?

Well, when there is a heavy current involved (such as an instant heat
shower), you've got a switch which will have to take 40 amps or more, so
that will require some heavy-duty contacts and a pretty powerful spring
to make sure make/break occur cleanly.

It's much less important with a light switch. I was looking at the same
problem 20 years ago! In the end I decided that the easiest thing to do
was get some wire-cutters rated for spring steel and cut a length off
the light-switch spring. I think I might also have had to stretch what
was left a bit so that it still operated correctly. It was many years
ago, and I can't remember, but it's possible I tried to use the old
switch's spring in the new switch, but it didn't fit.

--

Jeff

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Well, when there is a heavy current involved (such as an instant heat
shower), you've got a switch which will have to take 40 amps or more, so
that will require some heavy-duty contacts and a pretty powerful spring to
make sure make/break occur cleanly.

Agreed: you want to move the contacts from fully separated to fully in
contact (or vice versa) as fast as possible. But for a light switch,
especially with modern low-current LED bulbs, there's not much current so
much less chance of sparking at the changeover point.

I wonder if modern switches are rated for much higher currents (a rating
which is almost never needed) whereas older switches were rated for lower
current for lighting circuits and didn't need such a strong (and noisy)
spring.

On 18/02/2021 09:15, RJH wrote:
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?



There was quite a long discussion about this on MSE, recently. Amazingly
enough, it actually reached quite a helpful conclusion!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com...cord-switch/p1

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

Is this for a light or for an electric shower?

If it's for a shower then it will be rated for high current and will
generally make a bit of noise.

If it's for a light, then you may find that one with a low current
rating like 5A will be fairly quiet. When I last changed mine the
replacement one was rated at 16A and made quite a noise.

On 18 Feb 2021 at 10:51:59 GMT, "GB" wrote:

On 18/02/2021 09:15, RJH wrote:
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?



There was quite a long discussion about this on MSE, recently. Amazingly
enough, it actually reached quite a helpful conclusion!


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com...cord-switch/p1

Thanks - looks like a wireless switch - about £50 I think, I'll take a proper
look. Seems daft someone hasn't come up with a quiet option pull switch, but
hey.

--
Cheers, Rob

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

We have those same (h/d - noisy) pull switches in a few places and I
have 'replaced' them with smart switches / PIR sensors via a d-i-y
Home Automation solution.

For the kitchen, hall and landing they are all on PIR's and so very
handy when carrying stuff up / down the stairs (laundry etc) or
entering / leaving the kitchen whilst carrying plates etc.

With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.

If you want to retain the existing bathroom lighting (it won't take
'smart' lamps etc) you can do so with a suitable (~£10) switch (that
can be overridden with the existing switch).

Mines currently running on a Raspberry Pi with a £5 (ZigBee) dongle
and the basics were very easy to set up.

My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

In message , Caecilius
writes
On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

Is this for a light or for an electric shower?

If it's for a shower then it will be rated for high current and will
generally make a bit of noise.

If it's for a light, then you may find that one with a low current
rating like 5A will be fairly quiet. When I last changed mine the
replacement one was rated at 16A and made quite a noise.

Not just showers.
Not so long ago, bathroom lights were combined with radiant heaters.

--
Tim Lamb

RJH wrote:
Thanks - looks like a wireless switch - about £50 I think, I'll take a proper
look. Seems daft someone hasn't come up with a quiet option pull switch, but
hey.

I have fitted one of these:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tradfri...-kit-10435926/

and mounted the wireless button in a more convenient place than the pull
switch (which is located purely for ease of wiring, not ease of use). The
pull switch is left permanently on, and I tied up the cord to prevent people
using it out of habit. Being wireless there's no problem using the button
within the zones. It comes with a magnetic mount that can be screwed to the
wall with an optional sticky pad (the button itself is very lightweight).

If you buy the bulb and button separately they have ES, SES and GU10 bulbs,
but no BC. You can pair multiple bulbs to the one button.

(for bonus points the bulb is enrolled in my Zigbee setup and acts as a
powered repeater for other devices)

Theo

T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

Theo

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:25:04 +0000, Theo wrote:

T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

Theo

LOL!



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

On Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 9:47:11 AM UTC, NY wrote:
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?
I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are turned
on or off. When we had some building work done and a new bathroom made, the
electrician replaced an old and rather battered (but fairly quiet) pull
switch with one with a power-assisted clonk. I know some of the noise is
exacerbated by the switch being on a wooden batten in the ceiling rather
than attached to a masonry or plasterboard wall. But a lot of it can be
heard even with a "loose" switch before it's been mounted anywhere.

Is the noise "accidental" or is there some new building regulation that new
switches must make a noise to prevent them being turned on/off
surreptitiously?


It's the same with computer keyboards and mice. I have a new "silent"
keyboard, but there's a loud drumming as the keys hit what I presume is a
rubber noise-deadening pad, and the buttons on the mouse still make an
audible click - not as bad as many, but still very irritating.

When we re-wired we put normal light switches out side the bathroom doors to avoid this problem

Jonathan

NY wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Well, when there is a heavy current involved (such as an instant heat
shower), you've got a switch which will have to take 40 amps or more, so
that will require some heavy-duty contacts and a pretty powerful spring to
make sure make/break occur cleanly.

Agreed: you want to move the contacts from fully separated to fully in
contact (or vice versa) as fast as possible. But for a light switch,
especially with modern low-current LED bulbs, there's not much current so
much less chance of sparking at the changeover point.

I wonder if modern switches are rated for much higher currents (a rating
which is almost never needed) whereas older switches were rated for lower
current for lighting circuits and didn't need such a strong (and noisy)
spring.

However in some (many?) cases the click has nothing to do with the
switching. Our fairly new bathroom light switch does a load click
when you pull it and only switches when you release the switch which
you can do as gently and slowly as you like.

--
Chris Green
·

Chris Green wrote:
NY wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Well, when there is a heavy current involved (such as an instant heat
shower), you've got a switch which will have to take 40 amps or more, so
that will require some heavy-duty contacts and a pretty powerful spring to
make sure make/break occur cleanly.

Agreed: you want to move the contacts from fully separated to fully in
contact (or vice versa) as fast as possible. But for a light switch,
especially with modern low-current LED bulbs, there's not much current so
much less chance of sparking at the changeover point.

I wonder if modern switches are rated for much higher currents (a rating
which is almost never needed) whereas older switches were rated for lower
current for lighting circuits and didn't need such a strong (and noisy)
spring.

However in some (many?) cases the click has nothing to do with the
switching. Our fairly new bathroom light switch does a load click

'loud', typical typo that *could* be misinterpreted. :-)

when you pull it and only switches when you release the switch which
you can do as gently and slowly as you like.

--
Chris Green
·

--
Chris Green
·

On 18 Feb 2021 11:23:42 +0000 (GMT), Theo
wrote:

RJH wrote:
Thanks - looks like a wireless switch - about £50 I think, I'll take a proper
look. Seems daft someone hasn't come up with a quiet option pull switch, but
hey.

I have fitted one of these:
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tradfri...-kit-10435926/

and mounted the wireless button in a more convenient place than the pull
switch (which is located purely for ease of wiring, not ease of use). The
pull switch is left permanently on, and I tied up the cord to prevent people
using it out of habit.

That's what we have done for the same reason. ;-)

Being wireless there's no problem using the button
within the zones. It comes with a magnetic mount that can be screwed to the
wall with an optional sticky pad (the button itself is very lightweight).

I put ours where the bottom of the pull cord was and it comes very
naturally to hand. It also means you can operate the switch with your
elbow. ;-)

If you buy the bulb and button separately they have ES, SES and GU10 bulbs,
but no BC. You can pair multiple bulbs to the one button.

I bought 5 off the lamp and remote (E27) for £10 each pair.

(for bonus points the bulb is enrolled in my Zigbee setup and acts as a
powered repeater for other devices)

And if you had their / a hub and / or app could also control them
remotely and / or automate them. 'Turn off after one hour' or to go on
/ off when away are potential benefits / uses.

Cheers, T i m

On 18 Feb 2021 11:25:04 +0000 (GMT), Theo
wrote:

T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

Hehe.

Actually, I had considered the use of strain gauges for use under the
doorstep as a proximity detector (and I've already made some scales
with the beam type gauge), similar to my mates solution where the step
'rocks' slightly so he can hear someone stepping on it though the
house. ;-)

Joking aside, having to turn the lights on / off as you use any place
temporary soon becomes a right PITA, something that goes though my
mind as I enter any room now that isn't 'automated'. I walk into a
room and pause, wondering why the light hasn't already come on and
then have to do it manually. How very last centaury! ;-)

One thing I'm trying to help a mate with is a remote sensor that
replicates his electric meter LED flashes and transmits them inside
his flat. He had one of the battery powered clamp-on gadgets but it
failed but the transmitter part used to run for a very long time on
batteries. I have an ESP32 node that uses WiFi to send pulse counts to
Home Assistant but I can fit a power socket near the meter, he can't,
and they aren't suitable for battery power.

So something that detects the optical pulses and relays them (legally)
via RF and then he could use several solutions from there .

Back to the toilet light ... once everything is 'smart' it's so easy
to make things do things with other things.

I wonder if you could set up a trigger that turned on the downstairs
toilet light as a result of passing by the hall then kitchen PIR's
quickly. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 18 Feb 2021 11:29:03 GMT, Bob Eager wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:25:04 +0000, Theo wrote:

T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

Theo

LOL!

And it would actually be pretty easy to do, especially if you could
get a hollow seat with room to run the two sensor feed wires though.
;-)

You could also detect the settled weight and play personalised music.
;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 18/02/2021 13:46, T i m wrote:
On 18 Feb 2021 11:29:03 GMT, Bob Eager wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:25:04 +0000, Theo wrote:

T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

Theo

LOL!

And it would actually be pretty easy to do, especially if you could
get a hollow seat with room to run the two sensor feed wires though.
;-)

You could also detect the settled weight and play personalised music.
;-)

Cheers, T i m

sounds like it's likely to get bogged-down in complexity

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 13:49:37 +0000, wrote:

snip
You could also detect the settled weight and play personalised music.
;-)


sounds like it's likely to get bogged-down in complexity

;-)

But that's part of the fun eh?

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2718598

Cheers, T i m

"NY" wrote in message
...
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or
a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are
turned on or off. When we had some building work done and a new bathroom
made, the electrician replaced an old and rather battered (but fairly
quiet) pull switch with one with a power-assisted clonk. I know some of
the noise is exacerbated by the switch being on a wooden batten in the
ceiling rather than attached to a masonry or plasterboard wall. But a lot
of it can be heard even with a "loose" switch before it's been mounted
anywhere.

Is the noise "accidental" or is there some new building regulation that
new switches must make a noise to prevent them being turned on/off
surreptitiously?

Unlikely given that kinetic switches arent noisy.

It's the same with computer keyboards and mice. I have a new "silent"
keyboard, but there's a loud drumming as the keys hit what I presume is a
rubber noise-deadening pad, and the buttons on the mouse still make an
audible click - not as bad as many, but still very irritating.

I dont find it irritating but discovered that now that I use the iphone
for all incoming and outgoing calls, people can hear me playing
FreeCell pro when talking on the phone using the mouse.

On 18 Feb 2021 at 10:53:17 GMT, "Caecilius" wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

Is this for a light or for an electric shower?

Yes, sorry, light.

If it's for a shower then it will be rated for high current and will
generally make a bit of noise.

If it's for a light, then you may find that one with a low current
rating like 5A will be fairly quiet. When I last changed mine the
replacement one was rated at 16A and made quite a noise.

Yes, I'm looking for a quiet 6A switch - or whatever for the LED ceiling
array.
--
Cheers, Rob

"T i m" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

We have those same (h/d - noisy) pull switches in a few places and I
have 'replaced' them with smart switches / PIR sensors via a d-i-y
Home Automation solution.

I don't have any physical switches I use at
all now, they are all movement sensors.

Not cheap but very convenient and completely silent.

For the kitchen, hall and landing they are all on PIR's and so very
handy when carrying stuff up / down the stairs (laundry etc) or
entering / leaving the kitchen whilst carrying plates etc.

With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.

If you want to retain the existing bathroom lighting (it won't take
'smart' lamps etc) you can do so with a suitable (~£10) switch (that
can be overridden with the existing switch).

Mines currently running on a Raspberry Pi with a £5 (ZigBee) dongle
and the basics were very easy to set up.

The Philips Hue system is much easier to set up.

My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

The Philips Hue sensor does.

On 18 Feb 2021 at 11:14:10 GMT, "T i m" wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

We have those same (h/d - noisy) pull switches in a few places and I
have 'replaced' them with smart switches / PIR sensors via a d-i-y
Home Automation solution.

For the kitchen, hall and landing they are all on PIR's and so very
handy when carrying stuff up / down the stairs (laundry etc) or
entering / leaving the kitchen whilst carrying plates etc.

With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.

If you want to retain the existing bathroom lighting (it won't take
'smart' lamps etc) you can do so with a suitable (~£10) switch (that
can be overridden with the existing switch).

Mines currently running on a Raspberry Pi with a £5 (ZigBee) dongle
and the basics were very easy to set up.

Not yet convinced by a PIR - it'd all be a bit bright should anyone need a
middle of night visit. I've got a few battery powered PIRs in there that do
nicely for that. But it's an idea, thanks.


My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)


Then there's that :-)

--
Cheers, Rob

On 18/02/2021 09:15, RJH wrote:
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?


Legrand 6A pull cords were the quietest a few years ago. I have not
fitted one for a while but I presume they have not altered their design.

--
Adam

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:40:29 +0000, Chris Green wrote:

NY wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Well, when there is a heavy current involved (such as an instant heat
shower), you've got a switch which will have to take 40 amps or more, so
that will require some heavy-duty contacts and a pretty powerful spring to
make sure make/break occur cleanly.

Agreed: you want to move the contacts from fully separated to fully in
contact (or vice versa) as fast as possible. But for a light switch,
especially with modern low-current LED bulbs, there's not much current so
much less chance of sparking at the changeover point.

I wonder if modern switches are rated for much higher currents (a rating
which is almost never needed) whereas older switches were rated for lower
current for lighting circuits and didn't need such a strong (and noisy)
spring.

However in some (many?) cases the click has nothing to do with the
switching. Our fairly new bathroom light switch does a load click
when you pull it and only switches when you release the switch which
you can do as gently and slowly as you like.

Also on breaking: slightest pull and the load goes off then there's a CLONK
that does noting for the switching.
I replaced a CLONK-CLONK DP switch with a Crabtree illuminated one as the
new fan has 3 lights, only one illuminated but shines through the others so
no way to tell if it's on timer, on or the switch is off. The irony is that
the Crabtree goes Clon-click on and click-click off, so I can tell which way
it's switching. Rather a waste of about 3 - 4x the price of an unilluminated
one.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On Fri, 19 Feb 2021 03:36:16 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

FLUSH the trolling senile asshole's latest troll**** unread

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:39:13 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

snip
With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.


Not yet convinced by a PIR - it'd all be a bit bright should anyone need a
middle of night visit.

New Automation Ignore kitchen PIR between 01:00 and 06:00. ;-)

You can still use the switches if you do actually want light between
those times.

I've got a few battery powered PIRs in there that do
nicely for that.

But it's an idea, thanks.

Encouraged by a few here, I gave it a go (the whole Home Automation
thing), mainly 'because' but also to deal with a few things that
needed another solution. Since then, I have pulled all sorts of things
into the system and now take what they do for granted.

Ok, in many cases it's nothing that you couldn't do with timers and
thermo/humidi- stats but you can't tell how long they were on, or when
say the dehumidifier is full (or washing machine / dishwasher
finished).

Or pop the kettle on before you go to the kitchen (assuming you
remember to keep sufficient water in it etc). ;-)

My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)


Then there's that :-)

Plus if 'electrics / building' are your job, I think it's going to be
part of the future for more people and it might be handy to be ready
for it (assuming you aren't etc).

I was lucky to 'be there' with data comms (when people were going
online with dial-up), then home computers in general, laptops, WiFi
and Smartphones / Tablets etc.

Cheers, T i m

How about some kind of infra red beam which you interrupt and it toggles
the light on and off? Many years ago there was a project for something like
this in practical electronics. Bit of an issue in a bathroom though, due to
steam..
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

--
Cheers, Rob

"Theo" wrote in message
...
T i m wrote:
My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)

You just need to add a weight sensor to the seat ('strain gauge')...

You don’t need to with the best ones.

I could never get the alarm sensor in my dads house to not see me sitting in
my chair all day.

"RJH" wrote in message
...
On 18 Feb 2021 at 11:14:10 GMT, "T i m" wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 09:15:05 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless
type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or
a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

We have those same (h/d - noisy) pull switches in a few places and I
have 'replaced' them with smart switches / PIR sensors via a d-i-y
Home Automation solution.

For the kitchen, hall and landing they are all on PIR's and so very
handy when carrying stuff up / down the stairs (laundry etc) or
entering / leaving the kitchen whilst carrying plates etc.

With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.

If you want to retain the existing bathroom lighting (it won't take
'smart' lamps etc) you can do so with a suitable (~£10) switch (that
can be overridden with the existing switch).

Mines currently running on a Raspberry Pi with a £5 (ZigBee) dongle
and the basics were very easy to set up.

Not yet convinced by a PIR - it'd all be a bit bright should anyone need a
middle of night visit.

Thats the big advantage of the Philips Hue system,
you are free to set the brightness by time of day and
even have it turn on more than just the dunny light
by time of day too.

I've got a few battery powered PIRs in there that do
nicely for that. But it's an idea, thanks.


My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)


Then there's that :-)

--
Cheers, Rob

On 18 Feb 2021 at 16:48:32 GMT, "ARW" wrote:

On 18/02/2021 09:15, RJH wrote:
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?


Legrand 6A pull cords were the quietest a few years ago. I have not
fitted one for a while but I presume they have not altered their design.

Thanks - I'll give that a go first, and do some background thinking on the
automation idea (I have some of the kit anyway).
--
Cheers, Rob

On 18 Feb 2021 at 18:28:01 GMT, "T i m" wrote:

On Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:39:13 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

snip
With the kitchen PIR I have it set up as 'occupancy' and as yet, it's
not gone off whilst anyone has been out there but they go off after 5
mins of no movement.


Not yet convinced by a PIR - it'd all be a bit bright should anyone need a
middle of night visit.

New Automation Ignore kitchen PIR between 01:00 and 06:00. ;-)

You can still use the switches if you do actually want light between
those times.

I've got a few battery powered PIRs in there that do
nicely for that.

But it's an idea, thanks.

Encouraged by a few here, I gave it a go (the whole Home Automation
thing), mainly 'because' but also to deal with a few things that
needed another solution. Since then, I have pulled all sorts of things
into the system and now take what they do for granted.

Ok, in many cases it's nothing that you couldn't do with timers and
thermo/humidi- stats but you can't tell how long they were on, or when
say the dehumidifier is full (or washing machine / dishwasher
finished).

Or pop the kettle on before you go to the kitchen (assuming you
remember to keep sufficient water in it etc). ;-)

My BIL had an occupancy sensor in the wet room they built when the MIL
became less mobile and lived with them and I was always envious /
fascinated with how 'efficient it was.However, I think if you sat on
the loo it would switch off so I'm going to try putting a PIR in ours
to see how 'good' it could be (see if it maintains the 'occupied'
status when I'm in there reading). ;-)


Then there's that :-)

Plus if 'electrics / building' are your job, I think it's going to be
part of the future for more people and it might be handy to be ready
for it (assuming you aren't etc).

I was lucky to 'be there' with data comms (when people were going
online with dial-up), then home computers in general, laptops, WiFi
and Smartphones / Tablets etc.

Cheers, T i m

Interesting, thanks. I've got a number of automation things - remote sockets,
temperature/humidity/motion sensors, bulbs and c/h thermostat. Predictably
(for me) from various makers. The Samsung hub (the only one I have) was very
good at supporting 3rd party hardware - or rather their community was - but
that has barely worked for a few months now, and I've not got round to looking
at it. Next on the list, after sorting out the hifi and c/h :-)

--
Cheers, Rob

On Fri, 19 Feb 2021 11:11:51 +1100, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:

That¢s the big advantage of the Philips Hue system,

You got some kind of a sexual relation with your idiotic Philips Hue system,
senile asshole? It seems to be an even more intense relation than your
idiotic relation with Alexa, you abnormal lonely senile pest, troll,
sociopath and asshole.

--
Marland revealing the senile sociopath's pathology:
"You have mentioned Alexa in a couple of threads recently, it is not a real
woman you know even if it is the only thing with a female name that stays
around around while you talk it to it.
Poor sad git who has to resort to Usenet and electronic devices for any
interaction as all real people run a mile to get away from you boring them
to death."
MID:

RJH wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

Like I said last time this was asked, this is actually a dimmer,
which I know you didn't specify

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenbrook-.../dp/B005KQTELU

It has a really quiet click, and does what it says on the box.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
@ChrisJDixon1

Plant amazing Acers.

On 19/02/2021 09:25, Chris J Dixon wrote:
RJH wrote:

Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

Like I said last time this was asked, this is actually a dimmer,
which I know you didn't specify

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenbrook-.../dp/B005KQTELU

It has a really quiet click, and does what it says on the box.


But note manufacturer states "minimum 50 watts" and "not suitable for
.... LED loads".

Though I suppose it might be OK with dimmable LEDs it is a leading edge
dimmer. And AFAICS an "always on" dimmer given "Due to the safety
circuitry built into this dimmer full brightness of all types of lamps
used with the dimmer will only be illuminated to approximately 80% of
their optimum full brightness"



--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On Fri, 19 Feb 2021 08:21:14 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

snip

Interesting, thanks. I've got a number of automation things - remote sockets,
temperature/humidity/motion sensors, bulbs and c/h thermostat.

Ah, so you are already 'there'. ;-)

Predictably
(for me) from various makers.

I have a couple of outliers as well that I could probably integrate
but don't want to (part of the 'thing' with the Home Assistant
solution is that it doesn't rely on (or expose you to) the cloud).

https://www.home-assistant.io/

The Samsung hub (the only one I have) was very
good at supporting 3rd party hardware

Ah, well the good news is that I think that uses the ZigBee 'std'
(along with the Lidl and Ikea stuff I have here) and so you could use
something like a RPi or even an old PC or laptop and a cheap Zigbee
dongle and re-gain and extend the control of your existing gadgets.
;-)

I found the Smart apps that came with each of the product brands
worked ok, just they were fairly limited re what they could do, plus
the reliance of the cloud to work.

or rather their community was -

It's the same thing with Home Assistant, plus there is *loads* of
other / individual support to be gained via the likes of Youtube (and
the other HA users here). ;-)

but
that has barely worked for a few months now, and I've not got round to looking
at it.

If you think you like the whole concept and don't mind spending a
little bit on a good starting platform, the ODROID-N2+.

https://www.odroid.co.uk/index.php?r...y&path=246_239

(No experience personally but seems to be a good fit).

Next on the list, after sorting out the hifi and c/h :-)

I think the good thing about the Home Automation thing is that it's
something that you can do / use / expand as_you_go, so outside
installing the HA server box/hub and adding a suitable coordinator
(USB dongle thing to suit your existing system(s), about 20 minutes),
you can work with / on it as you go. ;-)

I happened to have a spare Raspberry Pi3B and now have ~40 nodes on it
but happen to also have a slimline Shuttle PC (fanless) that I have
also installed Home Assistant on (on top of Ubuntu Server) that is
probably what I will use longterm as it doesn't have the limitations
as the RPi (uSD writes) but take a bit more to install.

If didn't have that I'd probably buy an Odroid (as you can download an
image for it, you don't have to configure stuff etc).

Cheers, T i m

On 18/02/2021 09:47, NY wrote:
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved.
Or a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are turned
on or off. ...

I have always assumed that it was so you knew the switch had operated,
even if the light didn't come on. Otherwise, you wouldn't know which one
had failed.


--
Colin Bignell

"nightjar" wrote in message
...
On 18/02/2021 09:47, NY wrote:
"RJH" wrote in message
...
Been on my list for a while - a quiet replacement for the noisy bathroom
pull
cord switch. If it came to it I could look into the kinetic/wireless
type
switches, although that'd be quite expensive and relatively involved. Or
a
PIR. But really a quiet pull cord would do. Any suggestions?

I've never understood why a lot of the modern pull switches for bathrooms
make an *exceptionally* loud "clock-clonk" noise every time they are
turned
on or off. ...

I have always assumed that it was so you knew the switch had operated,
even if the light didn't come on. Otherwise, you wouldn't know which one
had failed.

I've always been able to feel it switch. Same with normal switches.