Ball Switch

A light switch that can be switched on/off from any direction using fingers, elbow, arm, etc. Pulling or otherwise deflecting the ball toggles a light on / off in a fun & playful manner.

I came upon this idea after mounting a pull-chain switch inside a book-shelf unit, with the chain going through the wall of the book-shelf attached to a 1" diameter ball on the other side. Here it is implemented as a wall-mount light switch. The faceplate is wider than normal as I designed it to cover an irregular wall opening in an old apartment in San Francisco.

video of Ball Switch in action

mounted on wall

switch is toggled by deflecting the ball

pull-chain switch, mounted to the back side of the switch plate

remove connector fitting on end of chain & add terminator to capture ball

Here’s a simple sketch I drew illustrating how this particular version was made. For anyone who’d like to make this or something similar, it’s not necessary to follow this particular design, just note the important dimensions here have to do with the diameter × depth of the holes mating with the switch and the countersink for the ball. Measure the switch you end up using to confirm fit. Adjust chain length so there’s a slight tension on the chain when the ball is at rest.

The switch I used is a Leviton 10097-8 (single pole, on-off). A web-search for “pull chain switch” will bring up plenty of purchase options for this or other switches. Note that the Leviton 10041-500 has a greater current capacity for higher wattage applications. Be sure to check the spec for whichever switch you end up using to confirm your power draw will be safely below the current rating of the switch. Probably best to buy a known brand name from a reputable vendor if this is something that ends up mounted in the wall of your home.

I’ve released the design of this under a CC-by license, so have fun! If you end up doing something with the concept, please send an email & let me know.