# Mini decora switches



## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

These are what I have in my house. I have not seen them anyplace else. Has anybody else ever seen them. It is almost like a standard toggle with no toggle, if that makes sense.


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

btharmy said:


> These are what I have in my house. I have not seen them anyplace else. Has anybody else ever seen them. It is almost like a standard toggle with no toggle, if that makes sense.


My grandmother had them in her house built in the 50's , man do i hate them ! Pain trying to find it and turn it on in the dark


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

Those look like some switches I demoed out of a house recently. They were wire with low voltage wiring with contactors in the basement. 70's era lighting controls. 

This house also had some recessed can lights with eyeball trims that were about 12" in diameter. Also, there was a HUGE dimmer that controlled standard 4' T12 fluorescent lights. 

When I find the pictures I will post them. Pretty cool stuff.


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

drspec said:


> Those look like some switches I demoed out of a house recently. They were wire with low voltage wiring with contactors in the basement. 70's era lighting controls.
> 
> This house also had some recessed can lights with eyeball trims that were about 12" in diameter. Also, there was a HUGE dimmer that controlled standard 4' T12 fluorescent lights.
> 
> When I find the pictures I will post them. Pretty cool stuff.


Please post them pics ! I lived in a 50's future home that had all that stuff ! Old remcon system , HUGE dimmers , pa system, fluorescent lights , 200 amp service , in wall clocks ! It was cool . The switches where old momentary contact rockers that looked like this


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

wireman64 said:


> Please post them pics ! I lived in a 50's future home that had all that stuff ! Old remcon system , HUGE dimmers , pa system, fluorescent lights , 200 amp service , in wall clocks ! It was cool . The switches where old momentary contact rockers that looked like this


The switches I pulled looked just like the ones in the OP. I started to keep the dimmer, but I left it at the job when I demoed. I really do want one of the eyeball trims. They were freegin huge.


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

drspec said:


> The switches I pulled looked just like the ones in the OP. I started to keep the dimmer, but I left it at the job when I demoed. I really do want one of the eyeball trims. They were freegin huge.


They really did have some cool stuff back then , the dimmer that was in my house was about 6 inches wide and 10 tall with a huge knob on it, controlled old cans with eyeball trims ! How did your dimmer work with the fluorescent lighting ?


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

wireman64 said:


> They really did have some cool stuff back then , the dimmer that was in my house was about 6 inches wide and 10 tall with a huge knob on it, controlled old cans with eyeball trims ! How did your dimmer work with the fluorescent lighting ?


I really don't know. I didn't get that far into it. I was there demoing wiring out because that portion of the house was being completely removed. From what I could tell it was wired like a regular switch. Hot in, switch leg out and just a hot and neutral at the light. Didn't have time to play with it.


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

These are the only pictures I could find right now.



















I know I have some of the eyeball trims, but can't find them at the moment.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

drspec said:


> Those look like some switches I demoed out of a house recently. They were wire with low voltage wiring with contactors in the basement. 70's era lighting controls.
> 
> This house also had some recessed can lights with eyeball trims that were about 12" in diameter. Also, there was a HUGE dimmer that controlled standard 4' T12 fluorescent lights.
> 
> When I find the pictures I will post them. Pretty cool stuff.


 prety sure these were pre 70s


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## wireman64 (Feb 2, 2012)

drspec said:


> These are the only pictures I could find right now.
> 
> I know I have some of the eyeball trims, but can't find them at the moment.


Had the same dimmer ! Mine was just a little taller ! Never got the chance to take it apart but would gave loved to , dimmers must have been a high end thing back then . It was installed in 1958


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

papaotis said:


> prety sure these were pre 70s


 
Could have been from the 60's. Don't really know. Either way, before my time. :laughing: I've only been in the trade 16 years and this is the first house I have seen set up this way.

House is in SERIOUS need of updating.


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

That giant dimmer might have been an in-wall autotransformer dimmer. Awesome!


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