Monday, June 10, 2019

A New Rotary-Switched Lamp Receptacle


A grubby old articulated lamp of mine has become troublesome lately.


The switch is balky. I have to simultaneously press down on the switch's knob as I turn it, in order to get it to operate and turn the lamp on. Turning it off works ok.

So, I got a replacement switched receptacle for the lamp from Canadian Tire or the Home Depot or wherever. Let's see if this is the fix for it.


Not all that likely, by the looks of things.


The replacement receptacle/switch down in front has a much shorter shank than the original. Hmmm.

- - -

Yes, Maybe

Here's the old receptacle/switch's shank mounted on the replacement.


Now I have back the physical shank dimension of the original unit, but with a new receptacle/switch attached. Let's see how this goes together and works.

Yes, It Works

All back together and working. The new switch operates nicely with the original shank/actuator. So, it is possible to modify the things for differing shanks.

So What Was With The Old Switch?

It doesn't photograph well, but here's a view of the old switch's innards.


The shorting bar is seen in the 'on' position, across its conductive ramps. Ninety degrees clockwise would be the 'off' position, with the shorting bar on its insulated ramps. The insulated ramps have acquired deep 'pockets' at their bottoms. That's why the switch was balky to turn to its 'on' position from its 'off' position. There's no repairing that; the only solution was receptacle/switch replacement.

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