My old desk lamp switch broke and I had to pick between a whole new unit or a janky fix.

The toggle just fell apart inside, and a new lamp was about $25. Instead, I bought a basic in-line cord switch from the hardware store for $3.50. It took maybe 20 minutes to wire it in, and now I just click the little box on the cord to turn it on. Has anyone else done a similar cord switch fix on something else?

3 comments

3 Comments

bethcarr2mo ago

Wait, you can just buy a switch for the cord like that? I mean I had no idea they sold those on their own.

brooke4842mo ago

Honestly that's the move right there. Those little cord switches are lifesavers for so much broken stuff. I put one on an old fan after the knob snapped off. It feels a little janky but it works perfectly and saved me from tossing a whole appliance. More people should know about this fix.

phoenixgonzalez4d ago

I get why people like them but honestly I would rather just fix the actual switch inside. Those cord switches have a super short lifespan in my experience, especially if you use the fan a lot. I put one on a floor lamp and within three months the contacts wore out and it started flickering every time I touched the cord. It's fine if you're in a pinch but I wouldn't call it a permanent fix.