KEYED Porcelain light socket
- Thread starter domnic
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
A "keyed" light socket is not a receptacle, and will not require GFCI protection. If the socket also has a receptacle it will require GFCI protection.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
As Don stated if the keyed device contains a receptacle then that receptacle requires GFCI protection.
2011 NEC: {210.8(A)(5)}
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Never heard the term "keyed" we just call them "keyless" and I don't even know why they are called that!
And porcelain ? Unusual - at least in my experience,
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Keyed have pull chain switches, keyless do not.
I never understood the term either. I thought maybe it has to do with the keyhole-shaped mounting holes?
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Most are some type of plastic now, but they were all porcelain in the past, and you had to be careful as your tightened the mounting screws to avoid cracking the porcelain.
Yes, that's true when I was ancient. Most of the domestic lighting here are LEDs now.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
They used to have a little turn thingy sticking out to turn the bulb on and off, just like some lamp holders for lamps still do. That turn thingy is called a "key".
If it uses a pull chain it's called a "porcelain pull chain".
If there is no way to control the lamp via the socket it's called a "porcelain keyless".
-Hal
Thanks! Learn something new every day...
Knuckle Dragger
Master Electrician Electrical Contractor 01752
- Location
- Marlborough, Massachusetts USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
They messed everything up when they started making them out of plastic.
It just doesn't have the same flow. "Give me a plastic keyless"... They look at you funny behind the counter.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
Yes, I need a Keyless, plastic, non-porcelain, fixture with a pull chain please!
No plastic, no porcelain, and no pull chain....sorry....Yes, I need a Keyless, plastic, non-porcelain, fixture with a pull chain please!
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
Key is another word for switch.
When lampholders were first made, they had a key-shaped switch that looked very simikar to the valve key on old gas lights
Knuckle Dragger
Master Electrician Electrical Contractor 01752
- Location
- Marlborough, Massachusetts USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
No plastic, no porcelain, and no pull chain....sorry....
mbrooke
Batteries Included
- Location
- United States
- Occupation
- Technician
No plastic, no porcelain, and no pull chain....sorry....
I have a few of those in my attic, garage, crawl space, laundry room, basement and shed. The rest of my place gets these:
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
I think so. I'd bet money on it.
At least 25¢
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
Here is a Lamp key
In past I've found an old lamp that actually had a square shank for the key to fit at first I didn't figure out what I was looking at, thought it was broke.
Like already commented probably hold over from the old gas lamps.
In past I've found an old lamp that actually had a square shank for the key to fit at first I didn't figure out what I was looking at, thought it was broke.
Like already commented probably hold over from the old gas lamps.
- Status