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I have an attic fan that is operated by a regular old light (toggle) switch. The problem is that the switch was installed by the previous owner in the master walk-in closet, right where one would expect the switch for the closet light to be located. I'm afraid that I will often mistakenly switch on the attic fan instead of the closet light.

I'm looking for suggestions on possible replacement switches that have some sort of cover or safety/locking mechanism that would prevent me from accidentally switching on the fan.

Something like a toggle switch cover would be great, however, I can't seem to find any that are designed for standard light switches.

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I think something like sparkfun.com/products/9278 would look really cool :) – auujay Jun 23 '11 at 14:39
@auujay: That's what I thought too, however, all of the compatible toggle switches I've found are only rated to about 4 amps. – ESultanik Jun 23 '11 at 14:45

1 Answer

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Search for a switch lockout or a switch guard. Either will solve your problem, but the lockout is easier to open and change the setting, the guard is more permanent.

A third option is any of the child proof switches.

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I use a Switch Guard where I don't want people to turn the switch off accidentally. It works well and is inexpensive. – Scott Bruns Jun 23 '11 at 20:37
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The "switch guard" linked to in the answer actually has an open side on it, allowing you to reach in and flip the switch if you need to. Simply mount the guard with the opening facing away from the room entry, and it becomes a strong deterrent to turning that switch off ("gee, that one's got a cover on it; probably shouldn't mess with it"), while not completely preventing access. It's also designed for long-term use, while the lockout from the link appears more temporary; you wouldn't want a big red box on your wallplate for years on end (or maybe you do). – KeithS Jun 29 '11 at 15:53
Thanks Keith, it's hard to make out the opening from the pics. That makes it a little more tempting to get for my own purposes (outdoor motion light switch next to indoor hall light). – BMitch♦ Jun 29 '11 at 17:39

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