New-style Wall Switch Module Disassembly and Cleaning

There has been a great deal written about X10 Wall Switch modules, including many modifications for meeting several objectives. It used to be possible to visit the Home Automation Knowledge Base Wall Switch Modification (Dead Link, remaining here for archive research purposes) page and ferret around there for all sorts of useful information compiled by fellow X10ers. Since the demise of Ido Bartana’s site, one now has to search around and hope.

The purpose of this page is to provide a pictorial description of WS module disassembly, to hopefully help make the process easier and less frustrating.

---

new-style Wall Switch module Disassembly

1. Using a small blade screwdriver (or similar), gently pry against each of the four corner tabs in turn to remove the back cover:
   
2. Unscrew the triac from the metal frame heatsink (probably using a #1 Philips-tip screwdriver and 3/16" nut driver):
   
   There probably is no insulating washer...check to be sure.
3. Remove the metal frame from the plastic body - one snap.
4. With the front of the switch facing the ceiling, remove the bulb change switch by prying:
   

   Keep track of the small roundish plastic plunger and the tiny spring behind it:
   

   
   
5. Unless you plan to remove and disable the bulb-change switch, carefully note the contact orientation:
   
6. Unsnap circuit board from plastic housing:
   
7. You may wish to mark the House and Unit Code wheel locations:
   
8. Go ahead and clean all contact surfaces (i use Cramolin®), and do any other planned work.

Module Reassembly

Basically the reverse of disassembly, with a few helpful tricks.

1. With front of the switch facing the floor, replace House and Unit Code wheels to proper locations. Be sure wheels are fully seated.
2. With the same orientation as above, snap the P.C.B. back into place. Rotate Code wheels if P.C.B. does not snap in easily.
3. With the front of the switch facing the ceiling, re-insert the bulb change switch contact in the correct orientation (see disassembly step 5 for illustration).
4. Unless you have modified bulb-change, insert the small roundish plastic plunger and the tiny spring behind it into the larger plastic portion of the bulb-change switch assembly.
5. Snap the above assembly into place over the contact.
6. Snap the metal frame onto the plastic body.
7. Refasten triac in place using all the original hardware.
8. Snap rear cover back into place.

Questions/comments may be addressed to: Sonic Purity