Sourcing domestic momentary switch

A neighbour asked me to sort his electric sky lights one of which had stuck open…it was the wall switch which has fallen to bits

its a single wall plate with 2 momentary rocker switches on it one way for open and the other for close.

so its s 2 gang 2 way momentary?

can i find one online?

any one able to help?

Make sure you get a switch suitable for the voltage and current taken by the vent motor.

A DPDT or perhaps SPDT with centre off biased return may suit your needs.

Emgee

Well i wanted to get one to replace what’s there now…i have lots of switches to suit but they are a bit industrial in style. The neighbours house is a bit homes and garden…

Edited By Ian Parkin on 19/03/2023 09:46:11

Could you do it with two grid switch units in a 2G plate?

The one that is there looks like this

But it has rocker switches centre off …up and down momentary.

i cant believe that the manufacturer of the roof vents have a switch specially made

but looking online (as its Sunday) i cant find a single wall plate with momentary switches (other than bell pushes)

Jason can you get grid switches that are momentary?

Is this what i need?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-nexus-grid-20a-2-way-grid-retractive-switch-module-press-off-centre-white/332rf

Whats a retractive switch

Sorry if it’s a daft question but have you tried the sky light company?

Edited By V8Eng on 19/03/2023 10:37:45

Well it’s Sunday and its surely just a switch

I often find that unusual switches use a custom mechanical housing with the actual switch behind being a common off the shelf part. Take a photo of the back, and if here is any numbers printed anywhere note those down. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was a couple of bog standard parts.

It just looks like a standard wall switch with modules…but not like a grid switch.

i think the modules i linked to above will do it

332RF will do what you need.

When I look at it, 27120 also comes up as an alternative. Comments on 27120 from 'ProGuy' say "Great for controlling roller shutters where you need it to be normally off, then be able to switch it up or down to higher or lower the shutter."

I think what he says is equivalent to your desired appllication.

Edited By DC31k on 19/03/2023 10:59:05

I did notice that but the description said it can be wired as no or nc

Take an AA battery, an LED and a resistor into Screwfix. Connect up the switch after you have bought it and see if the current path through it meets your needs or not.

If it does not, return it.

You could also buy a multimeter from SF at the same time and use that to verify the switch's operation.

If you pop the screw less cover off you may see the 2-gang grid plate.

Think this should do it always returns to the central off position and they give operation of a blind as an example

Domestic switches usually use compressed springs between the outside switch part and the inside metal part that actually does the switching. The springs produce a very quick switching action, to prevent arcs, and they also 'lock' the switch contacts into the on or off position,

Momentary action switches will not have this, since the terminals don't need to be 'locked' off or on. So they will have a different mechanism and won't be a normal switch with a bit of internal plastic added or removed or whatever.

Unfortunately, manufacturers, designers and suppliers seem to be very conservative and only produce or stock what 95% of installers need. So your quest is likely to be frustrating. I suspect you will have to do some detective work to find and contact the makers of the broken switch - assuming you cannot fix that one, of course. Some can be taken apart, and you might find that a good clean out and reassembly will fix the old switch.

As Jason says or the screwfix 2 way one may be what you need if opening and closing commands required. From a review of it on screwfix

Edited By Norfolk Boy on 19/03/2023 18:56:52

I have ordered a set of grid switches plates and covers from Screwfix for collection tommorow (the varilight range) the bg range is sent from supplier so would be Wednesday or so before it came.

i must confess I hadn’t heard the term “retractive “ applied to a switch so me searching for momentary drew a blank

Neat !

Are retractive switches centre biased momentary contact or do they latch ?