# Old Light Switch



## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

My house was built in the early 20's. I was woundering if this light switch was around the same time or what? I think its pretty cool and I havent seen another one like it. Just so ya know I'm not an electrician but plan on becoming one some day when I graduate high school =]
P.S. Sorry about the quality, its taken from my cell phone


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## kkelter (Nov 16, 2007)

My brothers house had devices with two push buttons. I believe these were pretty popular back in the day.


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

You mean something like this? Haha we have a bunch of old stuff around here .. I love it and once again sorry for the quality. It's from my cell phone again


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## kkelter (Nov 16, 2007)

Yup thats it.


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

very nice. I love that kinda stuff and from reading around this website theres alot of old stuff in PA, DE, NJ and NY


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## bigredc222 (Oct 23, 2007)

That old stuff is neat because it's easy to look inside and see how it works. New stuff still operates a lot like the old. You can see how the springs open and close the little knife switch. As you twist you load the spring. It gets to it's set point then snap it throws the knife in or out to reduce the arc.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

DeeJayy said:


> You mean something like this? Haha we have a bunch of old stuff around here .. I love it and once again sorry for the quality. It's from my cell phone again



You can buy those push button switches new. I installed a bunch on a rewire of a 1908 house. Owner wanted vintage switches. You can get dimmers that match as well.

Only problem is that the 4 way switches and 3 way dimmers don't have (can't get) a UL listing


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> You can buy those push button switches new. I installed a bunch on a rewire of a 1908 house. Owner wanted vintage switches. You can get dimmers that match as well.
> 
> Only problem is that the 4 way switches and 3 way dimmers don't have (can't get) a UL listing


It doesn't suprise me that they have remakes lol, but this might sound like a dumb question but what does UL mean?


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Underwriters Laboratory. 

They are a nationally recognized testing lab. See 90.7 and 110.3


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> Underwriters Laboratory.
> 
> They are a nationally recognized testing lab. See 90.7 and 110.3


ok thank you =]


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## french connection!! (Dec 13, 2007)

I think those push button are now ul approved for 1 or 2 years , they even have dimmers also , check out on rejuvenation.com .


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

french connection!! said:


> I think those push button are now ul approved for 1 or 2 years , they even have dimmers also , check out on rejuvenation.com .


 
ahh Merci !!! 

anyway thanks for found that link and i did bookmark it.

some of old switch i did recall some of older French home with old tumbler switch.,, yeah some are pretty noisy with nice " CLINK " sound espcally on stairway.

Merci, Marc


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

french connection!! said:


> I think those push button are now ul approved for 1 or 2 years , they even have dimmers also , check out on rejuvenation.com .


It's been about 3 or 4 years now that I used them. The single poles, 3 ways and single pole dimmers were UL, just the 4 ways and 3 way dimmers that weren't.


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## sparkboy (Jan 2, 2008)

About nine or ten years ago I installed a bunch of pushbutton switches in my exgirlfriends house. She bought them from some catalog. Her house was a Sears kit home from the 20's and she was trying to restore it. I just remember the switches being really expensive.

I also remember my aunt & uncles house in Chicago that still had those original push button switches up until about fifteen years ago.


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## alloneword (Mar 18, 2008)

Anyone come across one of these?​










​


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

alloneword said:


> Anyone come across one of these?​
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, and if you order the 10-gang model you get the whole "Last Supper!" :laughing:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

alloneword said:


> Anyone come across one of these?​
> 
> 
> 
> ...


something about this picture doesnt seem right..


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

back to the OP. ive seen switches like that mounted on wooden raceway. was there wooden raceway on the other side of the wall?


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

To tell you the truth I dont know what a race way is :whistling2:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

DeeJayy said:


> To tell you the truth I dont know what a race way is :whistling2:


its like wooden wiremold. it has a wooden track where 2 wires sit and a cover. it was banned in the 30s because people would hang stuff from it using nails


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## DeeJayy (Dec 12, 2007)

I'd like to check it out and get back to ya. Is there any way to find it without ripping the molding out?


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

DeeJayy said:


> I'd like to check it out and get back to ya. Is there any way to find it without ripping the molding out?


if there is no wooden wiremold then its probably knob and tube on the inside of the wall. i seen these switches mounted on the track a few times before


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