In my bedroom I’m replacing the lighting with smart bulbs and switches.
But, I want to pop a cover over the wall switch to stop it being changed.
Unfortunately, the current switch is a dimmer switch.
Does anybody know where I can buy a cover that fits over the dimmer knob?
Or does anybody know where I can get a 3d print design for one.
Eventually, I may just get an electrician in to replace the dimmer switch with a rocker switch, but short term I need something for this switch.
I can mount my smart switches elsewhere, or stick them on the wall - I simply want something to stop the wall dimmer switch being turned off.
While I realize some people are not comfortable around electricity, changing or removing a light switch is very simple. A switch is just a device that gets in the way of the electrical current. Turn the electricity off to that circuit, remove the switch, using a connector tie the two wires from the switch together, and cover with a blank plate.
Sure, this one’s easy. there are several different places to look.
get a cover plate designed to hold a Phillips hue dimmer switch. You don’t have to use the dimmer switch on top, it’s just that there are a lot of these readily available right now. Iyoki make some that fit UK switch plates. (You can also surprisingly find them on Etsy, but I don’t know about UK sources for that option.)
In some cases you might have to remove the spinner knob from the existing switch to get it to fit, you’ll just have to check dimensions.
One nice thing about this category as many of them are designed to remove quickly to give you access to the existing switch underneath if needed.
baby guard. These are common in the US, but harder to find in the UK because many UK light switches already have a built-in lock feature for this reason. You can check to see if your existing dimmer switch does have a child guard feature, some do, some don’t. If yours doesn’t, look for a guard intended to cover an outlet instead. This is typically just a little plastic box that fits over the existing switch. These are usually opaque, I suppose to make them less attractive to young children. (Many of the outlet guards are designed over the outlet when a plug is in place, so they should be high enough for the spinner knob.)
splashguard. This is commonly identical to the baby lock, except transparent and sold in a different department. Oh, and they will often say “weatherproof” in the description since they may be intended for outdoor use. Again, you’ll have to check the height dimensions or possibly remove the spinner knob.
thermostat lockbox. Lots of people want to put a lock box over a thermostat to keep people from changing the settings. These are usually hard clear plastic so you can see the thermostat inside but they are intended to deter adults, not just children, so they are sturdier and usually more expensive than the previous categories. They will also have an actual keyed lock or a way to add a mini padlock. I think most people would prefer one of the three previous categories, but these are sometimes easier to find at the local High Street.
For your purposes, these also have the advantage of often being higher than the switch covers, so you should be able to find one where you don’t have to remove the spinner knob to get it to fit. Just check the dimensions carefully.
Dementia Aids. There are switch cover boxes sold for homes where someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s keeps changing the light switches. These are typically a hard plastic with a keyed lock, transparent, and intended to deter an adult. So they are sort of a cross between a thermostat lockbox and a baby guard.
They tend to be more expensive than any of the other categories and can often only be found from specialty retailers. But they do exist, so I thought I would mention them.
I don’t know anything about this particular seller, I’m just showing it as an example of the product type.
So there you go. Five different types of products to look for, so hopefully you can find something suitable.
That’s allowable in most US jurisdictions for all switches except an attic switch, but is against safety code in many places in the UK. Safety code there often requires a working switch. But you are allowed to put a box cover over it, so then you get a lot of options.
Wow, all great suggestions, lots of help thanks guys.
Here is a picture of my dimmer switch.
The spinner sticks out approx 15mm from the plate, a total of about 30mm from the wall
The first item you linked to (IYOKI) suggests it’ll cover a switch where the maximum depth of the base plate is 12mm and maximum including the switch is 15mm, so unfortunately won’t fit over mine.
The second one looks good, although I can’t see any details on how deep the inside is. I’ll pop a question on Amazon to see if I get an answer.
I’d prefer the opaque over the transparent ones, I think it looks nicer.
In that case, look for a UK socket cover where the idea is that you plug something in and then close the cover. There will be a notch for the cord to come out at the bottom which will be irrelevant to you, but the height should be more what you’re looking for.
You’ll have to look at the interior dimensions as well. Some of these designs slide in from the side, and those might fit better.
there are several different places to look.
