Hello,
I recently installed a single-pole lighted switch, where the toggle itself is clear and lighted. I was expecting a “You left the lights on, you dummy” switch, but instead I got a “where the hell is that lightswitch” one.
My first instinct was to reverse the leads on the two terminals, thinking that where the hot feed was would determine whether the toggle was illuminated when closed vs. open. But this didn’t change it.
Then I went to Home Depot, thinking I had just selected the wrong switch. But for what it’s worth, the Home Depot guys said that all lighted or pilot switches are “where the hell’s the lightswitch” variety, not the kind I want. They didn’t think it was possible to buy a “you left the lights on” lighted toggle switch.
I have a hard time believing that to be the case, since all my experience with pilot lights in industrial controls is that the light comes on when the motor is running. Does anyone know of an off-the-shelf switch that does what I want with a lighted toggle? If I rig up one with a separate pilot light, does anyone know how to set it up without a dedicated neutral in the box?
Thanks!
Replies
Just search the Leviton web site. I did, because i was looking for a 3 way "did i leave the lights on" switch, and they are made, but you need a neutral in the box for it to work. There are lots of "where is that light swtch at" type as well. 2 way and 3 way. Anyone who says different is wrong and ill informed.
Edited to add:
Make sure you ask for a switch with a pilot light. You probably have to go to a real electical house. Illumiated switches means that the handle is lit so you can find it; pilot light means it has a light for "ON"....Leviton 1201 PLC is a pilot light type, 1201 LHC is illuminated...they are in the "industrial" catalog at Leviton......
Edited 3/22/2004 1:08 pm ET by TenPenny
I`m sure they`re out there....just be sure to be very clear when specifying...I had my electrician (friend of mine no less) install the wrong type...wanted the switch to light when kids left playroom lights (in basement) on.....took me several weeks to realize, if the switch isn`t lit, the lights are on.....never called him back to change...figgered it`d just lead to our being confused as to when the damn lights are on.....that had been the original problem I was attempting to solve.
BTW.....now that the switch has been here for several years its begining to flicker.....I may never be sure when those damn playroom lights are on!!!! LOL
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
jay.. if they were down there ... the lights are on..
our daughter is 23... when she comes home , she still leaves the lights on..
might as well accept your lot in life.... as a father, your job is to turn them off.... their job is to leave them onMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I bought a house many years ago that had a whole bank of these switches. Seems the old owner wanted to know when the lights and receptacles in his garage were left on. I believe they are still available.
They are in the format of a socket. The switch, horizontal at the top and the pilot light in the lower. Not very classy but it works.
If you want to build your own, a neon lamp will work. Add a 1K resistor in series (for current limiting) and one end to the output of the switch and the other end to the nuetral. Use shrink tubing to cover and insulate. The glass lamp could be siliconed to a small hole in the cover plate.
But as I pointed out, they're readily available.....just make sure you ask for a pilot light, not an illuminated switch.
I probably forgot to mention, but I removed the ones I had because they looked INDUSTRIAL and I and the miss'es thought that was not what we wanted in the kitchen.
Maybe they have changed the style since then.
You can get "hi-style" pilot light switches.
Pass and Seymour has the 2629 Decor style with a pilot light. It has a small slot with the light in it. They also have the 2626 which is an illuminated switch.
They also have an interest Trade Master Combo series. They device the switch area in half. In each have you can have a single sitch, a double siwtch, or a single receptacle.
So you can have 2, 3, or 4 switch in a single gang. And some of them come with pilot lights.
They have two switch with pilot lights, a single pole and 3 way with pilot lights, single pole with pilot and receptacle, and sinlge pole with pilot.
They also have a separate snap on indicator that I assume can be wired to indicate anything.
http://www.passandseymour.com/decorator/deco_jmp_pdfs/switches.pdf
And Leviton has a pilot light decor switch.
http://www.smarthome.com/4246.html
I'll help ya out Ten ...
thrid times the charm ......
they're called ..... Pilots.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Okay, explain this to me--why do you need the switch to tell you that the lights have been left on?? Or if the lights are on, you can see the switch--right?? I would just look at the fixtures---I can understand if the switch is outside a door or at the top of the stairs--but you can almost always tell that the lights are still on without having to look at the switch.
Bless your heart Brian for giving me the best chuckle after having read your reply!!!!!
Ha Ha. Funny reply.
In my case, I want these switches for
1) switch at top of basement stairs, lights out of sight at bottom of stairs
2) switch outside of storage closet, lights inside closet
3) switch in upstairs apartment, light on downstairs porch
4) switch in back stairway, lights outside on driveway.
And the reason for the light, rather than looking at the switch, is that it draws your attention to it.
I ordered them from http://www.dale-electric.com in NY.