Shop vintage electrical switches for updating your older home. Find MORE replacement antique light switches by shopping by type: old low voltage, push button, and interchangeable Despard lighting systems.
Do you have odd or vintage light switches in your older home that need replacing? Kyle Switch Plate specializes in vintage light switches so we can help you locate the correct electrical devices for updating your particular lighting system. The sampling above helps you get started, but once you determine which types of antique switches are currently in your home, you can shop specific departments for all new parts that will work with any of those vintage electrical parts. All items are newly manufactured so you can rest assured the items are in good working order and safe to use in your home.
Low voltage lighting systems use momentary touch light switches. Just tap the switch and the lights turn on; tap it again and they turn off. The switches do not have an "on" or "off" position like modern light switches that must maintain contact in the up/on position for the lights to remain on. There are many switches that look surpisingly similar but which work differently.
Need a replacement for a 1960 wall switch, but not sure what type you have? See Identifying Your Low Voltage Light System if you believe you have a low voltage system but are not sure which brand you have. From there you will be directed to all of the various brands and versions so you can shop for the correct versions.
Choices include GE Lighting, Bryant, Pyramid, Remcon, Touch-Plate, and Sierra Electric with many subtypes within each of those brands.
Shop All Pushbutton Switches Another common antique light switch type is the push-button. Light switches from this series consists of two round buttons that protrude from the wall plate. Pushing one in turns the lights on, pushing the other turns the lights off while popping the first button back out. These switches are newly manufactured with some modern conveniences like dimmers and 4-way switches.
Shop Push Button Light Switchs and Wall Plate Covers for the full range of replacement options.
Interchangeable Despard Switches You may have devices that look similar to standard electrical toggle switches but which are grouped on a single gang and in fact install a bit differently. Despard interchangeable switches fit into smaller rounded rectangular openings and often have two or three stacked switches on a single light switch cover. Once you remove the switch plate cover you'll see the switches mounted in a metal bracket. If one of your switches has quit working, you need only remove that single switch and replace it with a new one.
Two Types Stacked type switches came in both standard and low voltage versions. Both Bryant and Sierra had low voltage versions before they were bought out and incorporated into the Despard line that Pass & Seymour now owns.
Standand Line Voltage If you have standard line voltage Despard light switches (15A or 20A, 120V) that flip one way for on and the other for off (depending upon whether your wall plate is installed vertically or horizontally), you can find additional choices under Despard Light Switches and Outlets or Despard Wall Plates for the covers.
Low Voltage If the switchplates in your lighting system look familar but the switches look different and stick straight out at all times, you may have low voltage type stacked switches. These switches are usually rated 3 amp, 24V. See Despard & Sierra Low Voltage Switches for your options there.
CO/ALR toggles used in homes with aluminum wires instead of copper wires. Aluminum wiring was common in homes built during the late 1960's through the early 1970's when copper prices spiked. These new COALR grounding devices can be used with copper or copper-clad wiring (but the old AL-CU or CU/AL devices cannot.) For safety reasons, if you have the old AL/CU devices, it is recommended that they be updated with the new CO/ALR (which stands for copper-aluminum, revised) switches.
There are many other switch shapes that do not have direct replacement options including large round buttons, mid-size rectangles, or long narrow switches with trade names such as Leviton Centura, Sierra Triplex, or Bryant Uniline. Leviton experimented with a number of shapes that were precursors of their modern, square-sided Decora switches and outlets. The good news is that you still have a choice of replacement mid-century style wall plates for giving your electrical fresh, updated look.
However, if you need switches, we recommend simply replacing what is currently there with any of the newer choices.
