Brown plastic switch by Wylex. Marked 'Water Heater'.
A surface mounted double pole switch. The front cover is marked 'Water Heater' and this would probably be used to control an electric immersion heater.
As with many of the items featured, this one has white emulsion paint on it.
The front cover is secured with two small screws either side of the switch. Inside, the terminals are clearly marked, with line on the right and neutral on the left. The remains of some old rubber insulated wire can be seen in the top left terminal.
The switch itself has an 'OFF' and 'ON' legend embossed into the handle, the ON wording highlighted with red paint.
Two further screws secure the switch mechanism to the base. Underneath is a third terminal for the earth wires.
Cables entered through the two oval holes, which require that the switch is either mounted onto a wooden block, or the cables are sunk into the wall. There are two thin plastic sections in the edge immediately above and below the holes which could be removed to allow surface fixed cables to enter.
The back of the switch has the markings 250 Volts, 20 Amps, For A.C. Only, Non Track, Wylex Patents, Made in England and the round Wylex logo.
Virtually identical to the brown switch, this one is made from white plastic and has a plain front.
The switch lever has the same engraved On and OFF markings, although these are both highlighted in brown paint, rather than the red used on the brown switch.
This was also used for a water heater, even though the switch is not marked.
Only one of the holes in the rear casing has been used, as the other cable was surface mounted. Unusually, the supply cable was surface fixed and entered at the top of the switch, with the flex to the heater passing through the back of the switch and concealed in the wall.
The earth terminal is not shown, but is identical to that on the brown switch.
Zoomed pictures are smaller, as these pictures are much older and the camera used was significantly lower resolution.
