Black Modular Switches: Matt Black or Grey for Your Wall?

Black modular switches: the short answer

Black modular switches are ordinary modular switch mechanisms with a matt black or silver grey cap and frame instead of white. They fit the same modular boxes and plates, carry the same ratings, and cost a little more. They look sharp on white walls, light wood and pale stone, and they nearly disappear on a dark wall.

We make them at our works in Andheri East, Mumbai, in two families. In our VIZA black modular series, the catalogue prints 2-module PIANO, MIRCHI and ROYAL switches, the AIR 2-module range, sockets, regulators, dimmers, jacks, a USB charger and a Tiny Trip MCB in matt black and silver grey. The 1-module PIANO, MIRCHI, ROYAL, SUMO and SLIM switches are printed in silver grey only. Our KEMPS range prints every switch and socket in white and in G.Grey side by side, with a separate code for each.

Every code and MRP below comes from our printed catalogue.

What we make in matt black and silver grey

The VIZA black modular series is a full board’s worth of parts, not a handful of switches. The lowest-priced matt black switch printed is the V1241 PIANO 2-module 10 A one-way at MRP ₹110. The switches are made under our ISI licence IS 3854 CM/L-7567794.

Matt black or silver grey, 2 module (one MRP covers both finishes):

• PIANO 2M: V1241 10 A one-way ₹110, V1242 10 A two-way ₹135, V1244 bell push with indicator ₹130.
• MIRCHI 2M: V1246 20 A one-way ₹145, V1248 20 A one-way with indicator ₹160, V1250 32 A DP with indicator ₹330.
• AIR 2M: V1291 two 10 AX one-way rockers ₹165, V1295 one 10 AX and one 20 AX rocker ₹255, V1296 two 20 AX rockers ₹310.
• ROYAL 2M switches are printed in matt black too; their codes are shared with a plate line in the catalogue, so confirm the code with your dealer.

Silver grey only, 1 module: PIANO V1201 6 A one-way ₹45 and V1211 20 A ₹97; MIRCHI V1215 10 A ₹62; ROYAL V1224 6 A ₹61; SUMO V1231 6 A ₹61; SLIM V131 6 A one-way (chrome) ₹55. SUMO and SLIM have no matt black code in the catalogue.

In matt black or silver grey around the switches sit V1267 16 A PC socket ₹170, V1269 6 A three-pin socket with shutter ₹85, V1276 4-step regulator ₹374, V1271 450 W dimmer ₹264, V1256 RJ45 jack ₹189, V1303 USB charger ₹690 and the V1301 Tiny Trip SP MCB ₹281. The full list is on our VIZA switches and sockets page.

KEMPS G.Grey: the same switch, a grey code

In KEMPS, grey is not a separate range. Every switch, socket and accessory on the KEMPS pages has a white code in the K1xx and K2xx series and a G.Grey twin in the K5xx and K6xx series. Swap the first digit and you have the grey version of the same part.

The grey premium is small on a light switch and grows with the part. A PEONY one-way goes from ₹65 to ₹70. A 2-way goes from ₹105 (K102) to ₹125 (K502). The 6 A and 16 AX universal socket with shutter goes from ₹205 to ₹234.

The same twin coding runs through DAISY, ORCHID, VINCA and ASTER switches, the TV and RJ45 jacks, the K625 grey Tiny Trip MCB ₹332 and the K618 grey blank plate ₹32. See our KEMPS switches and sockets page for the full set.

Where black and grey switches look right

A black board looks right where something else in the room is already dark: stone, black window frames, black taps, a charcoal TV unit. It reads as hardware chosen with the rest.

Light reflectance value, LRV, is the simple way to think about it. It runs from 0 for black to 100 for white. English building guidance (Approved Document M) treats a difference of more than 30 points between two surfaces as clear visual contrast, and accepts 20 points where the surface gets more than 200 lux of light.

On those figures, a matt black board at about 26 on a white wall stands out by a wide margin, since white finishes sit near 89 on the same scale. A mid-grey finish at about 39 on that chart clears 30 points against white; a light silver at about 65 does not, so hold a sample against the wall. On a wall painted a deep shade, black loses most of that gap. The paint maker can tell you the LRV of a shade if you want to check before you buy.

Black also suits light wood panels such as oak or ash, while dark wood like walnut is closer to black, so use silver grey or a metallic plate there. Black and grey suit exposed brick, concrete-finish and industrial-style shops and cafes, where white plastic would look out of place.

A wall elevation: one black board, three walls

The drawing below puts the same matt black board on three common walls. On a white wall it is the first thing you see. On light wood such as oak it sits like a black door handle, clear and deliberate; on dark walnut it would fade like it does on charcoal. On a charcoal wall the board almost vanishes, which is annoying when you feel for a switch in the dark.

Black switch board contrast on white, charcoal and light wood walls

Drawn by us, not to scale. The 30-point LRV figure is from English building guidance (Approved Document M), used here as a guide. Tap the diagram to open it full size.

For a dark wall you have three easy fixes: use silver grey modules instead of black, put the black modules on a metallic or white plate, or choose switches with indicator, which give a small light to aim for at night. Matt black codes with indicator include V1248 MIRCHI 2M 20 A ₹160 and V1244 PIANO 2M bell push ₹130.

Grey switch board on a white wall

A grey switch board on a white wall is the safe middle path. It looks less stark than black. A mid-grey clears the 30-point contrast gap against white on the chart above; a light silver may not, so check a sample on the wall.

Silver grey is printed for every VIZA black series switch, including the 1-module ones, and KEMPS G.Grey covers the KEMPS switch and socket list. For the plate, KEMPS ORCHID is printed in K-Grey from ₹162 for 1 module (K301 code range), against ₹102 for white. The VIZA SLIM plate is printed in silver from ₹106 and in a silver graphite metallic from ₹123 (V1161 code range).

Grey modules on a white plate is also a valid look. It keeps the plate matching the wall and puts the colour only where your hand goes. Our switch board colour guide for every room goes through plate colours room by room.

Where black switches are a poor choice

Black modular switches are a poor choice where people need to find the switch fast and without thinking.

• Dark walls with no plate contrast, as in the drawing above.
• Homes with elderly people or anyone with weak eyesight. The same English guidance notes that controls which contrast with their surroundings are easier for visually impaired people.
• Passages and staircases lit only from the switch you are looking for.
• Rented flats, where the next tenant or the owner may want white. A switch change is cheap, but it is still an electrician’s visit.

None of these is a safety rule. They are simply the places where a dark board is hardest to find.

How black and grey switches age: fingerprints and dust

Black hides some dirt and shows other dirt. Dark finishes make light-coloured marks easy to see: fingerprints, water spots and the pale grey film of dust on a top edge. A matt texture can also hold skin oil, so a print lingers longer than it would on a smooth surface.

A black board by a door in a Mumbai flat shows smears; a white one shows dark grime. Grey sits between the two.

Cleaning is simple. Switch off at the MCB first, then wipe with a soft microfibre cloth that is only just damp with water and a drop of mild soap. Never spray liquid at a board, and avoid abrasive powders and scouring pads, which can damage a matt finish for good. Our guide to cleaning a switch board goes through each plate finish.

On colour fastness: our modular plates are UV-protected and do not turn yellow. For the switch modules themselves we can share test reports on request before an order.

Black switch board price: a worked bedroom board

A black switch board price is the modules plus the plate. Here is a typical bedroom board in matt black from our VIZA black series at catalogue MRP, modules only:

• 1 × V1291 AIR 2M, two 10 AX one-way rockers for two lights: ₹165
• 1 × V1295 AIR 2M, a 10 AX rocker for the third light and a 20 AX rocker for the AC socket: ₹255
• 1 × V1276 TINY EME 4-step fan regulator: ₹374
• 1 × V1269 6 A three-pin socket with shutter: ₹85
• 1 × V1267 16 A PC socket for the AC: ₹170

That comes to ₹1,049 in modules, before the plate and the box. The same board in silver grey with 1-module switches (3 × V1224 ROYAL 6 A at ₹61 and a V1228 ROYAL 20 A at ₹98) comes to ₹910, and needs fewer plate modules. The regulator is the single biggest line either way. A matt black ROYAL plate starts at ₹120 for 1 module (V1321); the plate size you need depends on how the modules are counted, and our plate size calculator works it out.

These are MRPs. Your dealer quotes the selling price, and we sell in full boxes only: 30 per box for most 1-module switches, 10 to 15 for sockets and regulators.

16 amp socket in black: what to pair it with

A 16 amp socket in black is the V1267 PC socket at ₹170 or the V1266 porcelain-base socket at ₹179, both printed in matt black and silver grey. A 13 A V1265 socket is ₹179. In KEMPS grey, the K593 6 A and 16 AX universal socket with shutter is ₹234.

A 16 A socket is for the AC, geyser point, microwave or heater. The colour changes nothing about how it must be wired:

• Control it with a 20 A switch such as matt black V1246 MIRCHI 2M ₹145, or in silver grey V1228 ROYAL 1M ₹98.
• Feed it with 2.5 sq mm copper wire on a 16 A circuit; heavier loads like a 20–25 A AC or geyser circuit take 4 sq mm.
• Protect it with an MCB rated no higher than the wire can carry. The V1301 black-series Tiny Trip SP MCB, ₹281, comes in 6 to 32 A and sits right in the board; see MCB in switch board.

Our 6 A vs 16 A socket guide lists which appliance needs which.

Pairing black and grey modules with a plate

The modules carry the colour; the plate sets the style. These plate finishes from our catalogue go well with black or grey modules:

• VIZA ROYAL: printed on its matt black page, V1321 1 module ₹120.
• VIZA Ebony frames in matt black from MRP ₹110 and in rose gold from ₹120; ask your dealer for the current code. Black and rose gold is a strong pairing for a living room.
• VIZA CHERRY: white or black from ₹65 for 1 module (V1151), the lowest-priced plate line here.
• KEMPS ORCHID: shown in K Grey Metallic and ‘Z’ Black Metallic; K-Grey from ₹162 for 1 module (K301), metallic finishes from ₹172.
• KEMPS PEONY: glass-style plates, including ‘Z’ Black, one price for all colours from ₹350 for 1 module (K381). Glass-style means it looks like glass; it is not real glass.

Our plates are UV-protected and carry a 5-year warranty. For a side-by-side of glass-style, wood and metallic finishes, see modular plate finishes compared.

Buying black modular switches from us

We do not sell online. You buy through one of our 500+ dealers across India, by calling us, or at our works on Marol Maroshi Road in Andheri East, Mumbai. We deliver across India, in full boxes only, and accept returns within 15 days in the same condition.

Before you order a whole flat in black, ask for a sample board, check it against the wall, and ask us for test reports if your contractor wants them. Our switches carry ISI licence IS 3854 CM/L-7567794, and our works are ISO 9001:2015 certified.

See the VIZA switches and sockets range or download the e-catalogue for every black and grey code.