Remember These Points While Buying Electrical Switches for Your Home

Electric switches are mechanical devices that can either complete or interrupt an electrical circuit. Switches come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and some common ones include the rotary, rocker, slide, toggle, and piano-style switches. Switches with keys that look like piano keys are the most common type used in residential wiring. Though they may appear similar at first glance, safety, durability, and performance can be affected by subtle but important changes in body material, metal contacts, and design. Polycab switches and other high-quality brands can be found side by side with lower-quality options on the Indian market. Choose your switches with care if you are having a rewire done or installing new wiring after purchasing a home.

 Appearance isn't as crucial as quality and performance.

Recently, modular switches have become the standard as there has been a push to make sure that electrical outlets match the decor. If you leave it up to the wireman, however, he will probably go with the cheapest option available in order to maximise his profits. Make sure the vendor you buy electrical switches online and cables from in India is an authorised distributor of the Havells and Polycab brands. Quality is always worth the investment because of the benefits it provides. 

Bakelite was popular in the past, but modern materials like ABS and polycarbonate have replaced it. The polymers used in high-quality switches prevent them from catching fire. 

If water gets inside the switch and makes contact with the contact, it could cause electrocution, hence the switch's general design, gap, depth, and inner structure are all important considerations. This is especially true for the switches found in areas where moisture is present, such as bathrooms and loos. Switches installed in damp regions should be made of plastic with good insulating resistance. You're applying force each time you touch the switch. Therefore, the thickness of the material needs to be high enough to prevent cracking under any stress. Some people, in their frustration, may violently strike the switch, breaking it and exposing the metal part within, which could cause electric shock if touched. 

In addition to their obvious function, metal components like the spring, screw terminals, and contacts are crucial. The correct amount of force is applied thanks to the spring. Contacts made of hard brass, phosphor bronze, silver-plated brass, or copper provide low resistance thanks to the pressure of the spring. Heat can be generated via contacts with a high resistance. One factor in metal contacts' ability to conduct and handle current is their thickness. The switch's brand name and the ISI logo are your only guarantees of high-quality construction. Inferior quality switches use iron for the screws and contacts. The contact resistance of iron is quite strong, and it corrodes easily. High-quality modular switches have a satisfying click when turned on or off, and their springs click into place quickly and quietly. 

Harmonize the switch with the load 

Standard wall outlet switches can take up to 6 amps, which is more than enough power for lights and modest home appliances. Such small switches get hot under heavy load, so while it is theoretically possible to attach a 1000 watt load, it is never practical to do so. Always insist on a 15A switch and socket combination for any switched wall outlet to which you intend to attach appliances like toasters, water heaters, or ovens. The L and T switch types are among the most dependable (L&T as the market knows it). A 15-ampere-rated RCCB switch or a small circuit breaker would be ideal.