The Genius Design of Light Switches

[@Elriuhilu]

When I was at primary school there was a light switch in one of the toilets that if you held it halfway would buzz, while visible sparks and wispy smoke came out of the gaps in the cover. When you're eleven years old it's a fun, consequence free toy, but at the same time I was educated enough to use the back of my hand to operate the switch just in case.

[@goyo9992]

Claro, porque el dorso de la mano está preparado para no sufrir la corriente eléctrica

[@RicordiDellaRAI]

the advantage was: during the primary school there weren't cybertrucks ...

[@diego_roca]

⁠@@goyo9992i think it was to avoid getting stick to the switch if his hand contracted due to the discharge

[@Dave_MiIIer_alt]

@@diego_rocayeah that’s exactly why idk what that other guy was rambling about

[@qualitydirtmoving]

This is not actually how the switches look inside but thats how they work

[@ameteuraspirant]

yeah if I remember, the over the center mechanism is parallel to the switch, not perpendicular.

[@maciejjabonski833]

Yes he does say it's not the exact model but it's just the idea I think

[@4473021]

Depends on the brand/model, many companies over the years have patented different designs that look and feel the same from the outside.

[@BohumirZamecnik]

Maybe the most important part: You don't want the contacts to be close but not touching, to prevent an electric arc at high enough voltage.

[@louf7178]

Don't want them close but not touching? They are either close (as in nearby), or they are closed (as in in contact). Confused by the word's two different uses. Could you explain what you mean? In contact or not. I think it's in contact and not near (with gap).

[@BohumirZamecnik]

@@louf7178 As said, you don't want keep the contacts in a small enough distance to make and sustain an arc (can be cca

[@louf7178]

@@BohumirZamecnik Thankyou. I have recently learned why switches are rated so much less for DC, and this is why I was reconfirming.

[@NoName-ik2du]

As a kid, I used to hold light switches in the center position and listen to them crackle while the lights in the room flickered. As an adult who doesn't want to burn up my light switches, I no longer do this, but man do I still want to.

[@ThantiK]

This is what's known as an "over-center" mechanism; which is also bistable.

[@Elriuhilu]

But how do you bist something?

[@louf7178]

@@Elriuhilu bi-stable, is how it beaks down. Not bist-able.

[@Elriuhilu]

@@louf7178 I know, I was making a joke :)

[@madshansen5331]

That Old Tony has a great video on over centered mechanisms. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5KWepybms-snZosi=MNfHt1SekqG9gLN6 Great job explaining this in three minutes.

[@AmandaPandaPowell]

Techconnections did a great video on this topic

[@Zeero3846]

It's also important that when the contacts connect, they don't bounce, which can cause arcing, which itself can cause a fire and/or potentially weld the contacts together.

[@ccm088]

What about 3-way switches though?

[@qualitydirtmoving]

Same thing it just has a contact on the other side

[@ZT_1234]

Then 4 way switches actually switch connections

[@littleman749]

Magic, probably

[@theDane70]

A 3 way switch is just a switch that instead of having an off position connects to another wire to another 3 way switch and both switches have to be switched to the same wire to have the light on...

[@Manologft]

fuck 3-way switches

[@heronimousbrapson863]

For a time in the 1960's, there were switches that made no "click". I guess manufacturers considered it annoying.

[@EquaTechnologies]

i think they had mercury in them, so they were discontinued

[@xlerb2286]

I have some of those in my parent's old house. They are mercury switches. I don't think all silent switches were mercury switches but some at least were. They still have the over centering mechanism to give the lever a nice positive action. But a lot of that "click" you hear in a normal switch is the mechanism that keeps the contacts either open or firmly closed. And with a mercury switch there's no need for that mechanism.

[@maciejjabonski833]

Very nice!! Lovely explanation with the model

[@ralfbaechle]

Circuit breakers are even more interesting. An overload will break the circuit even if the lever is being held.

[@sehajsingh-nn6ei]

This is so cool! I never knew how they worked

[@BlueSky-cy5nw]

In some switches if you keep the switch in the middle position, the contacts are very close together without touching and this causes arcing and buzzing sound from the switch, which can lead to a fire.

[@ex0ja]

Would like to see the inside of a real one though

[@infographie]

Excellent video.

[@Chris-op7yt]

a safer switch is a relay. here in australia many brands of cheap light and power switches are pretty bad, where the tiny crappy parts (on 240 volts) can break and create shorts or easily expose contacts to human hands. the race to the bottom.

[@filanfyretracker]

House I grew up in had some switches that if you opened one up it just had this puck in it and it also made no click. I think it used mercury like the classic Honeywell thermostats to complete the circuit.

[@happyvirus6590]

1:11 Flaccid ahh pp

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

I wonder how long until that 3D printed spring gets a hole in it 🤔

[@davidt939]

The reason for such a bistable mechanism is the high speed at which it goes from middle unstable position to either stable position, thanks to the mechanical force of a spring-like object. Especially for opening the contact: any current (electric or water...) does not want to stop brutally (imagine some inertia), so when the gap starts opening, there's an electric arc forming. If you open it slowly, the arc stays on the air and increases so that current continues flowing through the ionized gas, which is the opposite of switch-off. With a fast contact blade, the arc is not able to follow the fast evolution of electric field, thus it stops. Similarly, when closing contact, reducing the gap fast limits the time between arc starting and metal-metal contact (no more arc). Side note: there is always a small hot arc on closing and opening, so such switches are prohibited in ATEX (explosive) environments if nothing prevents arc formation (capacitor / shock coil...).

[@B0A2]

I was just wondering how these worked. I was like I bet that’s a bistable mechanism.

[@AGuyWhoDosentKnow]

Wall light stitches don't directly connect the contacts, there's a elecrtomagneyic relay

[@timinwsac]

When you put it between on and off time will stand still.

[@Hobypyrocom]

this is just the basic mechanism of how the light switch works, not even close on how it actually works tho...

[@ziggyzoggin]

You didn't even explain how the mechanism translates to metal contacts touching?

[@user-ns7qw9hd5y]

how about showing us a real light switch?

[@fabricehoelzel]

Love the Cybertruck

[@dam78]

lever consistently stays on either side *adds spring* lever now stuck in the middle *visible confusion*

[@Tanoaproductionsfiji]

Totally worth a sub!!

[@NotANerdYet]

I always feel like a god when I get it stuck in the middle position.

[@TundeEszlari]

I love your contents. ❤

[@highdownmartin]

Most switches aren't like this. They have a spring operated switch that theows the contact open or closed very rapidly even if you move the lever slowly. To prevent arcing

[@HerberthGM]

Where can i buy that lovely mini cybertruck? :)

[@4kleidisc]

? there are 2 switches in my house to operate the stair lights, and when i put one of the switches halfway, the other one just doesnt work

[@ilansagital3519]

nice video, sad that the files are not free

[@HGSolberg]

"But what happens if the switch is stuck in the middle? Will you get electrocuted? Probably not." The correct answer is a "No, no chance of that. But you might burn the contacts in the switch so that the switch doesn't work properly anymore. Or worst-case scenario is the switch will cause a fire."

[@darkfrei2]

Это же механизм катастроф?

[@elebeu]

This 2:54 minute video was 2:50 minutes longer than it had to be.

[@froxdoggaming3385]

Low attention span, you problem

[@ketas]

better question is why is switch still having hard to hit small nub instead of plate across whole area

[@NoName-ik2du]

The protruding nubs are better for when you have your hands full or when you're blindly reaching into a room where you don't know the location of a switch. If your hands are full, you just use whatever object you're carrying to knock the switch down as you leave the room. If you're blindly trying to find a switch, you just put your hand on the wall and swipe up, you'll likely hit the switch and flip it all in the same motion.

[@gregfaris6959]

Why go to the trouble ov making an elaborate, oversized model if it does not represent how the toggle mechanism actually works? :-(

[@theDane70]

And it’s called a toggle switch, exactly because it toggles between the on and off positions, there are so many types of switches....!!??

[@JS-yj7ow]

U lost me with the cybertruck

[@AetherXIV]

now I know. ty

[@FacuPadi-ms]

Why is it genious

[@ahmadshaabanabu-yousseff911]

And 4 way switches

[@busybird15]

THIS is a light switch

[@PSALM_6012]

👍

[@AnweshAdhikari]

❤️

[@SlicerJen]

You could tow the cyber truck to the light with a RAM1500. There, problem solved.

[@TheEgg185]

No. You didn't explain what happens if its stuck in the middle. You can hold a switch slightly open. Electricity will jump the gap to make the connection and that is very bad. Bad video. Thumbs down.

[@NimVim]

Erm ackshually!!!!

[@katoy9976]

😎

[@eugenenepomnyaschy]

European switches are simpler and more convenient.

[@Jokawolf]

ELON FANBOY...

[@rtxagent6303]

59 seconds ago is crazy

[@MatInCat-gd-more]

3 seconds ago is crazy

[@rtxagent6303]

@@MatInCat-gd-more 3 attoseconds is crazy

[@MatInCat-gd-more]

@@rtxagent6303 3 quectoseconds is crazy

[@rtxagent6303]

@@MatInCat-gd-more 3 Planck times ago is crazy

[@MatInCat-gd-more]

@@rtxagent6303 1 planck time ago is crazy

[@MatInCat-gd-more]

less go first comment (first because 1st is bot)

[@agoffgrid640]

Yeah, because the Cyber truck is junk, unlike an electron that can actually make the jump with enough energy, the cybertruck would get wrecked just by trying to start

[@Eee-i2f1s]

First comment pls pin me❤❤

[@MatInCat-gd-more]

no ur not

[@Serpico1152]

I wish that they would get electric chair🪑switches ⚡💡⚡ up and working again. 🤔

[@KarlLew]

bistable compliance is snappy 🫰