Switch with backlight indicator: types and features, installation of products and devices for LED lamps

Arriving home from work in the evening, the first thing to do is to look for a switch in a dark room. And at night, those who have to get up are forced to fumble with their hands in search of the right button. Often, such manipulations take a lot of time and are accompanied by objects falling to the floor. For convenience and ease of search, a switch with a backlight indicator has been invented.

Features and varieties

In terms of their design and external features, the devices almost do not differ from classic switches. The only difference is the presence of an indicator that is clearly visible in the dark. In this case, the backlight consumes a minimum of electricity and works when the light is off. It is not worth worrying about the high consumption of electricity, because the device practically does not consume it.

Today there is a wide range of different switches. Devices differ not only in external, but also in design features. Manufacturers produce several types of products - keyboard, touch, push-button, rotary. In living rooms, you can install pass-through devices with illumination.

The most common ones are:

1. One-key are used to close one circuit. The design is equipped with a built-in indicator for backlighting.
2. Two-key systems with a backlight diode have two switches. Such products are used for chandeliers and multi-lamp lamps. The principle of operation is that when one button is pressed, 1-2 or more lamps are turned on, and when the second is pressed, the rest are also lit.
3. Three or four buttons simultaneously close several electrical circuits, so they are in demand for controlling lighting in several rooms from one place.

In addition, all products are classified according to the type of backlighting. There are several categories of switches:

1. With current limiting resistor. The downside of these devices is that they are designed for LED lamps. The illuminated switch will not work with regular bulbs. This is due to the fact that during operation it is not possible to create a large current strength, necessary for backlighting (the resistance of LED lighting devices is much higher than that of lamps incandescent). Energy saving light bulbs with such a scheme can flicker in the dark.
2. With capacitor LED. This type of backlighting is used to increase efficiency indicators and reduce electricity consumption when the indicator is operating.
3. With a neon lamp. There are practically no drawbacks in such switches. They are compatible with all kinds of light bulbs.

How it works and benefits

Often, the backlit switch is connected to the mains. The main elements of the system:

1. small neon lamp;
2. light diode with a resistance element.

The connection with the main contacts of the product must be carried out in parallel. When the device is in an inoperative position, then the light element is powered by a filament in the inner part of the diode with little resistance.

It will take no more than 30 minutes to increase comfort in the lighting system of an apartment (house). You just need to replace conventional devices with improved models. In addition, you can do the backlighting of old devices with your own hands.

These manipulations can be carried out even by a novice master who does not have the qualifications of an electrician. To do this, you need to have an understanding of the work of closed circuits and be able to decipher circuits. Each system has its own characteristics and parameters.

Incorrect connection can be fraught with consequences:

1. lack of diode glow;
2. flickering of energy-saving lamps;
3. weak glow of the sensor in the dark.

There are a number of advantages to using backlit products:

1. The design and design of such devices practically does not differ from ordinary ones, but the indicator helps to quickly determine the location of the switch, even in the dark.
2. The LED is economical as the backlight consumes very little electricity.
3. The operation of the element is carried out only in those cases when the switch is in the inoperative position. When the latter is turned on, the system turns off automatically.

Installation of the product

Regardless of the shape of the product and the number of control buttons, installation and connection is carried out according to the same principle. It is much easier to explain the essence of the process using the example of a one-button unit. Before starting work, it is necessary to de-energize the premises. Then the old device is dismantled. For this you need:

1. Remove the keys by prying them off with a flat screwdriver. Thus, they are removed from the seat.
2. Carefully remove the plastic frame.
3. Unscrew the fastening screws fixing the switch in the socket box, then pull the device body out of the wall.
4. Loosen the fasteners of the conductors and disconnect them.

After carrying out the described manipulations, the inside of the old switch will remain in your hands, which can be thrown away or put aside for spare parts. For the correct installation of a new product, it is necessary to carry out the same procedure in reverse order:

1. Connect the wires to the inside of the instrument and then place it in the socket.
2. Fix the product in the socket.
3. Carry out the installation of the frame and buttons.
4. Connect the electricity and check the operation of the device in all modes.

It is necessary to connect a switch with a backlight indicator, consisting of several keys, according to a similar principle. The difference is that there will be one phase wire in the wall and several consumers (their number is equal to the number of buttons). The main thing is to make the connection in the correct order.

Pass-through system

A distinctive feature of such mechanisms is a movable contact, which is always activated when the circuit is broken. When you press the on and off keys, it flips from one to the other, providing the functionality of the second section of the chain.

The connection diagram of such a device has a fundamental difference. One chandelier or lamp can be controlled from several different locations. It can be used to turn on the light at the bottom of the stairs and turn it off at the top. Such devices perform a circuit closure from different sides, acting on the lighting fixture.

Installation work will not take much time: on the one hand, you need to install the first device, on the other end - a pass-through switch equipped with an LED. When the elements are disconnected, the lamp will stop burning due to the absence of a closed loop for the passage of current. The contact closes and the lamp lights up. If you connect the second one, it will go out.

Backlight manufacturing

If there is no possibility or desire to get rid of the old switch, you can make the backlight yourself. This will require:

1. remove the device from the wall;
2. using a soldering iron, it is necessary to assemble a circuit that consists of a diode and a resistor;
3. solder the structure to the input and output contacts;
4. place a diode lamp in the case, install the product in its original place.

Buying and connecting a backlit switch is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Even a novice electrician can easily cope with this task. When working, you should take into account the possibilities of electrical wiring, because in some cases its modernization is required.