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Old 4th Mar 2021, 1:33 pm   #1
Tom williams
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Default Bright red light switch.

Hi,

I recently received this bright red light switch made by WG, given to me by John (heatercathodeshort), and was wondering what it is actually used for, it is to the normal standard of light switch, but the unusual colour scheme has thrown me off, apart from aesthetics, I can't see any reason for it, a photo of the switch is attached to this post.

Tom
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 1:36 pm   #2
duncanlowe
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

It's just a decorative feature. We sold them in Woolies. ISTR yellow, red, brown and green. There were matching sockets and plugs, I still have a brown 13A plug in the garage.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 1:48 pm   #3
McMurdo
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Very chic 80's design accent, I think you'd call it.
Woolworths also did a range of WG/Volex violently coloured 13A plugs. My brother had a blue one for his bedroom table lamp.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 2:05 pm   #4
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

There was a blue light switch with white rocker at my Nan’s house in one of the bedrooms, so I guess it was just decorative.

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Lloyd
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 4:57 pm   #5
G6Tanuki
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

I remember them as a 70s/80s thing; there were also violently-coloured 13A plugs and sockets available. I used a red plug on my soldering-iron so I could easily identify it to unplug.

Somewhere I've got a pale-blue "Rock" 13A plug which I think was from the early-70s.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 5:22 pm   #6
emeritus
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Bold colours were the thing then: an era of avocado, crimson etc. bathroom suites!
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 5:23 pm   #7
gingpeakin
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

My kitchen had some of those in the 80s.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 5:52 pm   #8
vidjoman
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

I use a bright red 13 amp socket in my workshop that's connected to a large Variac so it's different to the normal white sockets
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 6:05 pm   #9
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Habitat sold them, ISTR
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 6:39 pm   #10
dglcomp
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vidjoman View Post
I use a bright red 13 amp socket in my workshop that's connected to a large Variac so it's different to the normal white sockets
Of course coloured sockets are used to identify special sockets/circuits I.e. places like hospitals.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 8:41 pm   #11
broadgage
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Red Socket outlets are often used in hospitals and in offices to denote circuits with generator or UPS backup.
Sometimes white outlets but with red switches are used for similar reasons.

Red light switches MIGHT be used to indicate emergency lighting but this is not common. In MOST circumstances emergency lighting is required to be lit continually without switching.
But there are exceptions, when switching is permitted.

More likely though to be simply for decorative effect, or perhaps for some non standard purpose.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 10:24 pm   #12
winston_1
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

I had a WG red socket in my spares box. I fitted it in the kitchen for the freezer on a non RCD protected circuit. Of course these days non RCD protected circuits are not allowed but it was a good idea at the time.
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 10:39 pm   #13
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Legrand also made a nice range of brightly coloured plugs (as well as black and white) which were readily available in places like B&Q in the late 1980s.

Like this one: https://www.flameport.com/electric_m...tique_plug.cs4
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Old 4th Mar 2021, 11:13 pm   #14
emeritus
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

My aunt had a red rubber 13A plug (Duraplug?) bought from Woolworths in the 1960's. It was used on a 3kW electric fire and got so hot that the rubber became very floppy when the fire was used. Eventually it deteriorated so much that the fuse holder became visible and she had covered the hole with insulating tape. When I saw it on a visit I insisted on immedately replacing it for her. Apart from this I have only seen black and white rubber plugs.
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 1:52 am   #15
Lancs Lad
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

What did you replace it with, emeritus?

I'd have been wanting to put a nice, sturdy MK plug on a 3kW electric fire!
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 7:44 am   #16
TonyDuell
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

I'm pretty sure I've seen (and may have somewhere) an orange rubber plug. Possibly an old Duraplug.
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 9:11 am   #17
Tractorfan
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Smile Re: Bright red light switch.

Hi,
The coloured rubber plugs sold by Woolies were branded 'Hercules', but were made by Duraplug. My parents had a few, and they were always getting warm in use.
BhS (British Home Stores) also sold coloured plugs back in the 70s. I have a red one. Note, the unusual layout.
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 9:25 am   #18
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Smile Re: Bright red light switch.

The other two pics that failed to upload first time round,
Cheers, Pete.
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 9:41 am   #19
Craig Sawyers
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

You can still buy things like that https://socketstore.co.uk/products/s...itches/colours

It is more difficult to find matching mains plugs though.
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Old 5th Mar 2021, 2:09 pm   #20
emeritus
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Default Re: Bright red light switch.

Yes, Herculese it was. I can't remember what its replacement was, but it certainly wasn't a Herculese. We had a black one on our own 3kW Belling fire.It used to get warm, but the rubber didn't deteriorate like the red one had. This was in the mid-1970's.
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