I recently installed a dusk to dawn light for the front porch and would like to keep the switch Always On at all times. This is more for the overzealous kind at home who want to switch everything off at night :)
I am thinking of replacing the normal switch on the wall with a stationary plate and making the wires hardwired at all times. Is there a specific term for this type of plate?
I've searched all over but could not find this in the store.
If you're trying to cover the whole box
If you're trying to cover one slot of a multi-gang box
If you just want to lock the switch in the ON/OFF position
This is what I got for covering one slot in a multi-gang box.
The guy at my hardware store said what I posted didn't exist! The internet shall provide :). I think my answer looks cleaner then a blank single insert, but if you have more then a 2 switch gang box, that might be the only option. Update: I actually tried using a single blank with my double gang setup and it didn't work, a double gang box is not 2x the size of a single gang box, so the single blank cover was too big. Glad I found my solution! Also, be careful to look, is your blank switch on the left or right!
Your switch guard is your best option . Most run by switch to reset light and if you want it to stay on. then you shut off it resets back to dust to dawn or motion.
I would recommend not fully removing the switch, as your lights are most likely on the same circuit as other lights. So if you change your mind down the road, want to switch the dusk to dawn for a motion sensor, or are having issues with the light that require you to cut the power, there is a good chance you will also be in the dark somewhere else in your house. For motion sensors, for example, they often have a function where you can flip the switch twice to make them stay on permanently, and flip it again to revert to motion sensing mode.
A good option, similar to the switch guard, but easier to flip if need be, would be a lock switch. You'll see these in a lot of commercial settings. It basically takes the spot of a regular switch, but it doesn't have a handle. Instead, there is a little key that you insert if you need to flip the switch. They look like this:
