Bathroom light - silent pull chord or other options?

[Gaz]

Our bathroom pull-chord switch is quite loud.  Our kids are now adults and up at all sorts of hours.  It's not uncommon for me to go to bed at 10:30pm, my son come in at 11pm and wake me (I'm a light sleeper) with the donk-donk of the light switch, same again after he's showered, same again when he gets up at 2am after a couple of beers, then my daughter will be up at 4:30am (for a 6am shift) and the donk-donk starts again.  The light was on and off about eight times between 4:30 and 5:30am this morning.  Given they're showing no signs of moving out yet, despite encouragement, I've got to do something about the noisy switch.

 

The simplest option is to go for a quieter operating switch, but looking these up and some websites suggest using a 360 degree occupancy sensor instead, or a 'taptile', or just replacing the light bulb with a PIR LED one.  It's just the one globe light in the middle of the room.

 

Has anyone done this already?

 

Or have any better suggestions?

 

I quite like the idea of an occupancy sensor, but unless I move the switch, it'll be right about a 6' high towel rail, which I'm guessing might affect it.

 

Just interested in what other people have done now I've decided to do something about it.

 

Ta very muchly.

 

Gaz

[Oldgits]

I have a sensor light that's stays lit for 5 minutes apon entry and a main light also connected to the extractor fan with the light switch outside the bathroom. A silent operation.

[@Lee]

[ChrisTids]

Our house was built with normal light switches on the wall of a adjoining room or the landing in the case of the bathroom.

[Adam_]

Having recently fitted a new toggle switch I feel your pain. Our old one was a lot quieter but I think it had worn with age.

[rum4mo]

The movement sensor idea might cause issues if you are reading a "good" book???

 

Edit:- I don't think that I thought too much about what "good" meant, so in some interpretations it might not cause any issues!!

Edited 29 August, 2016 by rum4mo

[silver1011]

We had the pull cord inside the bathroom changed for a standard switch on the wall just outside of the bathroom.

[Updown789]

You can get electronic pull cords to replace mechanical ones

[Evil Miyagi]

I have touch sensors instead of light switches... Simply touch the panel or use the remote control (yes I have remote control lighting)

[cheezemonkhai]

Movement sensor is pretty useless when you're behind a shower curtain.

Just find a decent quieter pull switch, or pay somebody to move it to a normal light switch, outside the room?

[oldtynesider]

I had a similar problem some years ago when the kids were at home so took the bulb out of the holder and told the (teenagers at that time ) that the place needed rewiring. I left a small torch on a shelf outside the bathroom.

that solved the problem until they left hole then replaced the bulb as I entered older age and needed to visit the small room more often,

Best regards to all

George 

[999pooch]

or pay somebody to move it to a normal light switch, outside the room?

Exactly what we did.

Put it within a double gang rocker switch on the outside. One does the hall lights, the other for the bathroom.

Much prefer this than the cord

[brad1.8T]

I can't understand why the OP is sleeping in the bathroom.

[skomaz]

These are supposed to be quiet...

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM2781.html

[Auric Goldfinger]

 

Just interested in what other people have done 

 

Gaz

 

Get rid of the Kids

 

 

The End

[rum4mo]

Movement sensor is pretty useless when you're behind a shower curtain.

Just find a decent quieter pull switch, or pay somebody to move it to a normal light switch, outside the room?

 

I beg to differ!  That would work quite well unless you have a built in timer for the power shower! (when daughter with long hair visits I get quite worried about the amount of water that power shower pump moves when she uses it!)

[Gaz]

.. so took the bulb out of the holder and told the (teenagers at that time ) that the place needed rewiring. I left a small torch on a shelf outside the bathroom.

 

George 

 

 

 

Cheers for all the replies and ideas chaps.

 

I'm with Andy on encouraging the offspring to fledge the nest, but Mrs V6TDI has other ideas on that front (which is odd as even she acknowledges how nice it is when they're not here).

 

But she's also stated there will be no sensor and the switch is not to be moved to a standard switch outside the room.  So that's it then, all options reduced to one:

 

These are supposed to be quiet...

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM2781.html

 

We've a local TLC and this is the one I'd been looking at, so I'll pop in for one in my lunch break tomorrow.

 

Gaz

[Gaz]

....when daughter with long hair visits I get quite worried about the amount of water that power shower pump moves when she uses it!)

 

My daughter has long hair and will often shower, at length, and then shower her hair extensions separately.  Son showers at least twice a day.

 

I've tried explaining that we're 110% above the local average on electric for our house size and occupancy.  But they don't pay the bill so it's of no consequence to them.

 

I lose sight of how much this  stuff irritates me.

 

Gaz

[sdenny]

You need one of the token operated timers like they used to have in campsite shower blocks

[Gaz]

Switch changed today.  Took all of five minutes, start to finish.  Now just a single click, and very much quieter 

 

Just waiting now for Mrs V6 to prevaricate over a few days before deciding how long the cord should be 

 

Gaz

Edited 3 September, 2016 by V6TDI

[CWARD]

PIR sensor fitted in ours when we fitted a new bathroom last year. Works a treat and near silent. No fumbling around in the dark looking for switches either.

[Auric Goldfinger]

 

Just waiting now for Mrs V6 to prevaricate over a few days before deciding how long the cord should be 

 

Gaz

 

However long Mrs V6 want it, It will be wrong. You will then get the blame for cutting the cord.

 

Your in a No, No, No, No, No, No, No win stiuation Gary. You need Mrs G, I can have her down to you by Lunch time tomorrow.  I'll even deliver her for you.

[Gaz]

However long Mrs V6 want it, It will be wrong. You will then get the blame for cutting the cord.

 

Your in a No, No, No, No, No, No, No win stiuation Gary. You need Mrs G, I can have her down to you by Lunch time tomorrow.  I'll even deliver her for you.

 

I fully accept my lose-lose situation.  However, I'm pleased to announce that the cord has been cut.  Mrs V6 cut it and put the old acorn shaped bit of wood on the end of it.  it's roughly where it was before, and not too close to the planet's core, nor the heaven's above.

 

Now it's been cut, I also accept my 'does it really matter?' comment was wrong, and put Mrs V6 under undue psychological pressure to cut it, therefore not giving her enough time to actually work out where it should be.  So it's undoubtedly in the wrong place (looks fine to me), and this will be my fault, for which I apologise and humbly seek the world's forgiveness.

 

Many thanks for the offer of Mrs G.  Although her services will no longer be required in bathroomgate, I suppose it's only right (in accordance with Brisky Policy 12:3:1a) that I ask if she's cute? 

 

Gaz

[cheezemonkhai]

Careful, he will drop her there so you can check it out yourself and see if she's cute

[kilted]

Careful, he will drop her there so you can check it out yourself and see if she's cute

I suspect if he does that there will be two people with long term bans in place...