Devices
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Rejuvenation6 of 120
Toggle switch with solid brass plate, double
Aged Brass · $299
Fits a 2-gang box
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Installed across New YorkEvery product, by type 120
Answers
Questions about switches and outlets
A single-pole switch controls a light from one place; 3-way switches work in pairs so you can control one light from two places, like a stair. A single-pole switch has two terminal screws of the same color, while a 3-way has three, with one a different color or marked COMMON. The wiring in the box differs, so replace a switch with the same type.
They are wide, flat switches you press instead of flip; Decora is Leviton's trademark for its rocker line, and Lutron and Legrand call their versions paddle switches. All of them fit the rectangular decorator opening, about 2 5/8 by 1 5/16 inches, so they need a decorator wall plate rather than a toggle plate.
Sources: lutron.com, stanion.com
Most do, because the neutral keeps the switch's radio powered while the light is off, but Leviton and Lutron both make models that work without one. Lutron lists its Caseta Original and Diva smart dimmers as needing no neutral. Leviton's no-neutral Decora Smart switches need a ground wire and a separate Wi-Fi bridge instead.
Sources: leviton.com
A GFCI outlet shuts off power in a fraction of a second when it senses current leaking to ground, which protects people from shock near water. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says it compares the current going out with the current coming back and trips at a difference as small as 0.006 amps. The same fact sheet says to press the test button at least once a month.
Sources: cpsc.gov
Yes, new and replacement 15 and 20 amp, 125 volt outlets in homes must be tamper-resistant under NEC 406.12, which New York City's code adopts. Spring-loaded shutters open only when both plug blades push in at once, so a key or hairpin in one slot does not reach the contacts. The rule dates to the 2008 NEC, with a few exceptions such as outlets more than 5 1/2 feet above the floor.
Sources: esfi.org, captaincode2020.leviton.com, nyc.gov, nyc.gov
A standard one-gang plate is 4.50 by 2.75 inches; midway is 4.88 by 3.13 inches and oversized, often called jumbo, is 5.25 by 3.50 inches, per Leviton. Each extra gang adds about 1.81 inches of width. Larger plates hide a rough or oversized wall cutout, and designer brands often use their own sizes, so check the product page.
Sources: frpublish.leviton.com
Usually yes, because decorator-style devices share one rectangular opening and toggle switches share another, so most plates fit other brands' devices of the same style. Some systems are closed, since a Buster + Punch plate is a frame that takes only Buster + Punch modules. Colors and metals rarely match across makers, so buy the plate and switch from one line when the finish matters.
Sources: stanion.com, us.busterandpunch.com
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