# 'On' position of light switches in other countries **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140 "2004-05-02T12:20:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mbossa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Mbossa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mbossa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/1 "2004-05-02T12:20:53Z")
The Master has already covered [driving on the left vs. driving on the right](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_021b.html). Now I’m curious about why the ‘on’ position of light switches varies from country to country. From what I’ve seen on TV, light switches in the US are ‘on’ if they are switched up. Here in New Zealand, they’re ‘on’ if they are down. I might be wrong, but I believe it’s the same in Australia (I didn’t notice anything about light switches the one time I’ve been in Oz, and I probably would have if they were different). I would like to know two things: Firstly, what is the ‘on’ position in other countries? Is it a British Commonwealth vs the rest of the world thing? Or something completely different? Secondly, why? Cecil gave a perfectly logical reason for the side-of-the-road question (which, before I read that column. I had written off as an unsolvable mystery). Now I want to push my luck for a logical reason for light switch positions. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/2 "2004-05-02T12:30:40Z")
> [@Mbossa](#): > > Firstly, what is the ‘on’ position in other countries? Is it a British Commonwealth vs the rest of the world thing? Or something completely different? It’s ‘up’ here in Canada (unless it’s been miswired (which I’ve encountered once or twice), or is a double switch.) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/3 "2004-05-02T12:32:29Z")
We mostly have sideways rocker switches in Japan. Right = ON. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/4 "2004-05-02T13:52:45Z")
Down = on in the UK. Naturally this is the right way. All others are bizarre perversions. Good question. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/5 "2004-05-02T15:14:09Z")
As **Tengu** mentioned, ON = ‘up’ in Canada. This is the usual way for a vertically-mounted switch, and the reason is safety: if something should fall across the switch and change its state, it will turn the power off rather than on. The exception is when it’s safer to accidentally turn the power on rather than off, but I’m not sure how often that would occur in residential environments. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/6 "2004-05-02T16:19:56Z")
> [@Futile Gesture](#): > > Down = on in the UK. Naturally this is the right way. All others are bizarre perversions. > > Good question. And immediately after the Revolutionary War, we spitefully decided to make all electrical switches be “on” when up. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/7 "2004-05-02T16:55:40Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > And immediately after the Revolutionary War, we spitefully decided to make all electrical switches be “on” when up. So, what did we do with these switches for nearly 100 years until electrical power was available? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/8 "2004-05-02T17:06:47Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > It’s ‘up’ here in Canada (unless it’s been miswired (which I’ve encountered once or twice), or is a double switch.) If its miswired. Instead of saying “on,” It says “no.” I’ve inturpreted that to be an editorial statement. As in “No, you dumb s\*\*\*, it goes the other way!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/9 "2004-05-02T17:09:21Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > If its miswired. Instead of saying “on,” It says “no.” I’ve inturpreted that to be an editorial statement. As in “No, you dumb s\*\*\*, it goes the other way!” :smack: Unfortunately, punctuation doesn’t come with any such disclaimer. :smack: Oops. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/10 "2004-05-02T18:16:36Z")
In my experience, most houses have enough two way switches to make it unlikely that you can expect a particular switch to work in a particular direction anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/11 "2004-05-02T20:35:18Z")
I expect we’ll have the usual confuction over rocker/toggle switches any moment now, as they can _appear_, at first glance, to operate in different ways, but if you look at it like [this](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/switch.jpg), a toggle switch can be thought of as just a rocker switch with a rod sticking out. In the case of the UK, the ‘down’ position (Figures B and D) is the standard ‘on’ position. In the case of appliances controlled by more than one switch, there is no hard-and-fast ‘on’ position because the switch positions are all interdependent. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/12 "2004-05-02T21:20:38Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I expect we’ll have the usual confuction over rocker/toggle switches any moment now, as they can _appear_, at first glance, to operate in different ways, but if you look at it like [this](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/switch.jpg), a toggle switch can be thought of as just a rocker switch with a rod sticking out. > > In the case of the UK, the ‘down’ position (Figures B and D) is the standard ‘on’ position. In the case of appliances controlled by more than one switch, there is no hard-and-fast ‘on’ position because the switch positions are all interdependent. Applies to Sweden too, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/13 "2004-05-02T21:22:13Z")
Except for the rotary switches of course, bugger, forgot about those. Wonder if they still use them. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/14 "2004-05-02T21:58:59Z")
I have come across a great idea used in France regarding lights controlled by more than one switch . This is a push button which controls a relay wired to the light. Several buttons can be connected to this relay . You just push the button , you get a “clunk” from the relay ( located in the fuse box) and the light turns on or off. I would have thought that this system makes wiring simpler and you can have as many switches as you want controlling the one light. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/15 "2004-05-02T22:08:43Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > I have come across a great idea used in France regarding lights controlled by more than one switch . This is a push button which controls a relay wired to the light. Several buttons can be connected to this relay . You just push the button , you get a “clunk” from the relay ( located in the fuse box) and the light turns on or off. I would have thought that this system makes wiring simpler and you can have as many switches as you want controlling the one light. Sounds diabolicaly easy. The only problem would be when the relay contacts weld themselves shut eventually, but they are usually good for god knows how many operations, makes you wonder why they haven’t been adopted more widely. There was a proposal here for a similar system where to push buttons, or even touch controls, were to be LV and the relay operate the mains voltage circuitry, to improve electrical safety. Don’t see any evidence of it being adopted anywhere though. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/16 "2004-05-02T23:16:40Z")
> [@Rayne Man](#): > > I have come across a great idea used in France regarding lights controlled by more than one switch . This is a push button which controls a relay wired to the light. Several buttons can be connected to this relay . You just push the button , you get a “clunk” from the relay ( located in the fuse box) and the light turns on or off. I would have thought that this system makes wiring simpler and you can have as many switches as you want controlling the one light. You can do this now. In between the two double throw switches add as many double pole-double throw switches as desired that are internally wired to interchange the two lines and _voila!_ you have it. Such switches are commercially available and are used all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/17 "2004-05-02T23:46:29Z")
At one of the offices I visit, the lights are controlled from two different locations (one by each entry door) on a bank of four toggle-style switches that are always in the ‘up’ position; pressing them down toggles the respective strip of lights and the switch springs back to the ‘up’ position. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/18 "2004-05-02T23:48:40Z")
There have been threads about this before, and in at least one of them, the discussion sailed along nicely until somebody said, “but what do you even _mean_ by ‘up’ and ‘down’? When you throw a modern switch down, the top part sticks out, which is kinda _up_, innit? But an old fashioned toggle one will _look_ down” So I think in terms of the direction your finger moves. In Australia, I move my finger down across the switch to turn a light on. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/19 "2004-05-02T23:58:32Z")
Or see my diagram linked above. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140/20 "2004-05-03T01:55:31Z")
It’s down here in China. There is a little orange tap that indictaes it’s “onness”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-position-of-light-switches-in-other-countries/243140.md?page=2)