Shower Cord Switch Challenge.

Chris Pearson: 
 

Jaymack: 
20.9 The operating member of a cord-operated switch shall have adequate strength.
Compliance is checked on a new specimen by the following test:
The switch is mounted on a support as in normal use.
A pull of 100 N is applied for 1 min on the operating member as in normal use, after which a
pull of 50 N is applied for 1 min in the most unfavourable direction within a conical surface with the centre being the operating cord and the angle not exceeding 80 ° to the vertical.
After the test the switch shall show no damage within the meaning of this standard. The operating member shall not have broken and the cord-operated switch shall still operate.

That means that if you attach a 10 kg weight, the cord won't snap, the switch will not fall apart, and the screws will not pull out of the ceiling.

I have just tested a light switch, which took a bit under 1.5 kg (the weight of a small lump hammer) to operate. I see no reason why a higher rated switch should require more force.

I fear that the old codger is very confused. He may be pulling down, but not letting go, in which case the switch will not operate.

So the operating force is only 1.5 kgf and is going downwards, it isn't even necessary to pull. That's 'cos an arm weighs significantly more than 1.5 kg. If you wrap the cord around a finger and just let the arm go floppy, the switch will operate.

Problem simply solved. The old boy was very worried. So I went to see him today. I could not get a tri-angle nurse call pull at the local shops so I went to the open market next to Sheringham steam railway station. On the market I found a pet stall that sold short flat fabric dog leads. There is a hook at one end and a metal loop at the other. I took this to the old boy and I affixed it to the shower cord switch. He was then able to fully grasp the loop and operate the switch normally. The original cord was just too small for him to grip it firmly.

P.S. My local health centre is inviting me to undertake a health risk analysis into dementia run by the University of Cambridge. I imagine that soon that will be me struggling with every day simple tasks. 

Z.

Chris Pearson: 
 

Jaymack: 
20.9 The operating member of a cord-operated switch shall have adequate strength.
Compliance is checked on a new specimen by the following test:
The switch is mounted on a support as in normal use.
A pull of 100 N is applied for 1 min on the operating member as in normal use, after which a
pull of 50 N is applied for 1 min in the most unfavourable direction within a conical surface with the centre being the operating cord and the angle not exceeding 80 ° to the vertical.
After the test the switch shall show no damage within the meaning of this standard. The operating member shall not have broken and the cord-operated switch shall still operate.

That means that if you attach a 10 kg weight, the cord won't snap, the switch will not fall apart, and the screws will not pull out of the ceiling.

I have just tested a light switch, which took a bit under 1.5 kg (the weight of a small lump hammer) to operate. I see no reason why a higher rated switch should require more force.

I fear that the old codger is very confused. He may be pulling down, but not letting go, in which case the switch will not operate.

So the operating force is only 1.5 kgf and is going downwards, it isn't even necessary to pull. That's 'cos an arm weighs significantly more than 1.5 kg. If you wrap the cord around a finger and just let the arm go floppy, the switch will operate.

Problem simply solved. The old boy was very worried. So I went to see him today. I could not get a tri-angle nurse call pull at the local shops so I went to the open market next to Sheringham steam railway station. On the market I found a pet stall that sold short flat fabric dog leads. There is a hook at one end and a metal loop at the other. I took this to the old boy and I affixed it to the shower cord switch. He was then able to fully grasp the loop and operate the switch normally. The original cord was just too small for him to grip it firmly.

P.S. My local health centre is inviting me to undertake a health risk analysis into dementia run by the University of Cambridge. I imagine that soon that will be me struggling with every day simple tasks. 

Z.