Silent switches:

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

rattus

Senior Member
Anyone have an opinion on the reliability of silent switches relative to the slam-bam, noisy toggle switches?
 
Is a silent switch different than a quiet switch? The only silent switches I know about are the old mercury filled one's, and I didn't think they made them anymore. The "slam bam" switches, as you put it, are the one's that make an audible "clack" in each direction? I didn't know they made those anymore either. The quiet switches are really all I can buy, and they aren't noisy at all.
 
I have a few of the original GE mercury Super Switches from when my dad worked for GE back in the early '70s. I know they are now considered one step below nuclear waste and I should make my house a superfund site, but they are still pretty cool nonetheless.
 
peter d said:
I have a few of the original GE mercury Super Switches from when my dad worked for GE back in the early '70s. I know they are now considered one step below nuclear waste and I should make my house a superfund site, but they are still pretty cool nonetheless.
Click to expand...
There's a heck of a blob of mercury in those things. Bust one open and check it out. It's probably 20 thermometers worth.

Those mercury switches can mess with your head if you have them out of the box when doing troubleshooting. If they aren't dead vertical, you can accidentally turn them on just by tipping them a bit, or won't get them to turn on at all.
 
mdshunk said:
There's a heck of a blob of mercury in those things. Bust one open and check it out. It's probably 20 thermometers worth.

Those mercury switches can mess with your head if you have them out of the box when doing troubleshooting. If they aren't dead vertical, you can accidentally turn them on just by tipping them a bit, or won't get them to turn on at all.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they have "top" printed on them too, just like the Decora switches.

I also have a bag of dead T87 stats and other mercury containing products for disposal at the local "biohazard" cleanup days they have from time to time. I'll have to check out one of the mercury switches I have in there.
 
About the only thing that has more mercury in it than an electrician might normally come across is the mercury contactors used in heating equipment (normally in industry). Lots of mercury in those.
 
mdshunk said:
Is a silent switch different than a quiet switch? The only silent switches I know about are the old mercury filled one's, and I didn't think they made them anymore. The "slam bam" switches, as you put it, are the one's that make an audible "clack" in each direction? I didn't know they made those anymore either. The quiet switches are really all I can buy, and they aren't noisy at all.
Click to expand...

"Quiet" may be more descriptive. The handle operates a cam which opens and closes a leaf switch. I have seen them accumulate so much lint and dust that the leaf spring can't close the contacts any more. I would think that a toggle switch would be a bit more forgiving.

Takes about 40 years for this to happen though.
 
mdshunk said:
There's a heck of a blob of mercury in those things. Bust one open and check it out. It's probably 20 thermometers worth.
.
Click to expand...
Seeing as the EPA says your house could be ruined by breaking a flourescent tube in your carpet. I'd stay away from breaking open a switch with mercury in it:grin:
 
Demoed some old differential pressure transmitters in a water plant about 10 years ago. They had about 2 quarts of mercury in each one. Does anyone know what 2 quarts of mercury weighs?
 
Lots of nasty stuff can be done with mercury it should be treated with the utmost respect it is highly toxic and has the potential to poison many people if not disposed of properly.
 
quogueelectric said:
Lots of nasty stuff can be done with mercury it should be treated with the utmost respect it is highly toxic and has the potential to poison many people if not disposed of properly.
Click to expand...

It's too bad that it's a real PITA to get rid of mercury, I have some & they whine about it but no place to dispose of it.:(
 
norcal said:
It's too bad that it's a real PITA to get rid of mercury, I have some & they whine about it but no place to dispose of it.:(
Click to expand...
They should watch the end of Treminator 2.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top