Thanks for all the help...
I'm going to crash because as you mentioned, the time is a factor. I would appreciate any help your Father could offer as I don't personnally know any electricians. I do know that the shop where I purchased this switch from is open until 12:00 tomorrow so hopefully I can get this all sorted out....
I'm going to crash because as you mentioned, the time is a factor. I would appreciate any help your Father could offer as I don't personnally know any electricians. I do know that the shop where I purchased this switch from is open until 12:00 tomorrow so hopefully I can get this all sorted out....
late reply
My dad says you need a Double pole single throw switch, he agree's with our hypothesis on feeding back on the mains. Seek the advice of your electrical shop guy on the best switch for your use, he knows his gear best. He did suggest that you get the switch with the "biggest body" to help avoid "arcing" inside the switch on circuit opening.
zardoz
My dad says you need a Double pole single throw switch, he agree's with our hypothesis on feeding back on the mains. Seek the advice of your electrical shop guy on the best switch for your use, he knows his gear best. He did suggest that you get the switch with the "biggest body" to help avoid "arcing" inside the switch on circuit opening.
zardoz
This probably isn't as complicated as some people seem to think. From your picture of the switch, you are shorting out the mains. When your switch is in one position(what you were using for "ON"), The 2 terminals of the switch were not connected to each other. So it was acting as though it was not in the circuit at all. Since you had one side of the transformer and one side of the mains going to each terminal, everything was hooked up and working. When you flipped the switch, you were essentially connecting all 4 wires. What was causing the fuse to blow was that the 2 wires from the mains(hot and neutral) were being connected together. If you remember ohm's law (V/R = I) you had 120 volts divided by 0 ohms equals infinite current. Infinity is much bigger than your 15 amp fuse... POOF!
I will draw a pic of how you should hook it up
H is HOT (usually black wire)
N is Neutral (usually white)
BE CAREFUL!!! you could fry your equipment AND yourself!!!
I will draw a pic of how you should hook it up
H is HOT (usually black wire)
N is Neutral (usually white)
BE CAREFUL!!! you could fry your equipment AND yourself!!!Attachments
Ok, from an electrical and safety point of view, ALL mains switches should be double pole, from the basic point of view that sometimes you can have incorrectly wired mains leads or even wall outlets, and this could lead to a circuit being live when you think it is dead!!!
Yes, the suggestion of having different switches for lamp power and everything else has some validity, because lamps continue to emit infra red light that can damage your panel even when cooling. This is why most pro projectors have a cooling period after the lamp is shut off, before you can remove the mains.
If you do not understand what you are doing, consult a professional, don't just go for it, thinking it will be alright, you or someone else could get killed!
Yes, the suggestion of having different switches for lamp power and everything else has some validity, because lamps continue to emit infra red light that can damage your panel even when cooling. This is why most pro projectors have a cooling period after the lamp is shut off, before you can remove the mains.
If you do not understand what you are doing, consult a professional, don't just go for it, thinking it will be alright, you or someone else could get killed!
Double Poled Switch
Thanks for all the help guys!! I went to the electrical shop this morning and the sales guys appologized because he realized his mistake after I had left. He gave me the proper switch and replaced all the fuzes I had blowen at no charge! They will definately be getting my future business. Everything works great now and I should have some pics for the board in a few days.
Thanks for all the help guys!! I went to the electrical shop this morning and the sales guys appologized because he realized his mistake after I had left. He gave me the proper switch and replaced all the fuzes I had blowen at no charge! They will definately be getting my future business. Everything works great now and I should have some pics for the board in a few days.
What is the wrong switch?
Is the Industrial Light Switch causing all this problem?
What is the right switch that you got now?
Is the Industrial Light Switch causing all this problem?
What is the right switch that you got now?
Switches
I'll see if I can explain. The first switch I got is pcitured in an earlier post and was incorrect because it only had two points for connecting the wires. The new switch looks exactly like the other one except on BOTH sides. That is to say that there are four points to connect your wires. I hope this helps....I'll post a pic when I have some free time.
I'll see if I can explain. The first switch I got is pcitured in an earlier post and was incorrect because it only had two points for connecting the wires. The new switch looks exactly like the other one except on BOTH sides. That is to say that there are four points to connect your wires. I hope this helps....I'll post a pic when I have some free time.
A Learning Experience
Damn, I just fried the little power supply I purchased to power my DC computer fans
A loose wire from one of my wire connectors made contact with the power supply and there was a "pop" followed by some acrid smoke. Anybody know if I have any chance of salvaging this $50 piece of equipment (ie. something on the power supplies circuit coard that could be replaced)?? Anyhow, one mistake I will not be making in the future.... CHECK ALL CONNECTIONS BEFORE HITTING THE POWER SWITCH!!!
In retrospect at least it was the cheapest piece of electronics in the project and not the most expensive!!😀
Damn, I just fried the little power supply I purchased to power my DC computer fans
A loose wire from one of my wire connectors made contact with the power supply and there was a "pop" followed by some acrid smoke. Anybody know if I have any chance of salvaging this $50 piece of equipment (ie. something on the power supplies circuit coard that could be replaced)?? Anyhow, one mistake I will not be making in the future.... CHECK ALL CONNECTIONS BEFORE HITTING THE POWER SWITCH!!!In retrospect at least it was the cheapest piece of electronics in the project and not the most expensive!!😀
If you cant get a cheap fix for your PS try going to a "mom n pop" style computer shop ie: not "futureshop" and ask if they have a used, working AT power supply you can buy. You might pay $5.00 or they might give you one from the junk pile and say "Merry Christmas". If you were local I got a few of them for ya...uh how many do you want?
zardoz
zardoz
AT Power Supply
Yeah, I thought of this originally but didn't want to be drawing 250 Watts (smallest AT power supply I believe). The one I purchased consumed only 50 Watts but I will most likely be going with an extra AT I have in the garage. Thanks for the offer though.
Yeah, I thought of this originally but didn't want to be drawing 250 Watts (smallest AT power supply I believe). The one I purchased consumed only 50 Watts but I will most likely be going with an extra AT I have in the garage. Thanks for the offer though.
I'm not sure, but dont think the supply will draw 250 unless that is the load you have on it. As far as I know if it's rated as a 250 watt supply that is the most you can draw from it. So if I'm right (guessing) if you only draw 10 watts from it...thats all it will consume, maybe a little more. Anybody know the facts?
As a computer tech all I need to know is that a 250 wont run an Athlon 2000+ with 3 CdR devices and 2 80 gig HD's and 4 or 5 cooling fans 😉
zardoz
As a computer tech all I need to know is that a 250 wont run an Athlon 2000+ with 3 CdR devices and 2 80 gig HD's and 4 or 5 cooling fans 😉
zardoz
Now that I think about it
your probably right. I should have remembered that myself...Oh well, live and learn. That's what I get for trying to meet a Christmas deadline😀 I'll put that PSU in tomorrow morning.
your probably right. I should have remembered that myself...Oh well, live and learn. That's what I get for trying to meet a Christmas deadline😀 I'll put that PSU in tomorrow morning.
It took how many posts to work out he had the switch wired in parallel with the mains and globe???
I HAVE A STORY!!!!
A supposidly qualified electrical guy did the exact same thing... 🙂 lol
I HAVE A STORY!!!!
A supposidly qualified electrical guy did the exact same thing... 🙂 lol
not parrallel
No the trouble wasn't the switch being parallel to the mains it was an issue of voltage feeding back after the circuit was broken. I think maybe his drawing was badly done. A double pole switch was obtained, the project rewired to isolate the mains on both sides (hot and cold) and the feedback condition dissapeared.
zardoz
No the trouble wasn't the switch being parallel to the mains it was an issue of voltage feeding back after the circuit was broken. I think maybe his drawing was badly done. A double pole switch was obtained, the project rewired to isolate the mains on both sides (hot and cold) and the feedback condition dissapeared.
zardoz
I dunno... I reccon he did have it wired parallel.... I don't see how else his diagram could be interpreted, nomatter how badly drawn....... AND!!!
He was connecting it in parallel...... The voltage feeding back after the curcuit was broken (whatever that means) would not cause a 10-15amp fuse to blow....
He was connecting it in parallel...... The voltage feeding back after the curcuit was broken (whatever that means) would not cause a 10-15amp fuse to blow....
Ah well it's all conjecture on our part at this point, if bitbyter did cross the mains with his switch it's corrected now. And thats the important part. Also it's been confirmed by a journeyman electrician that any circuit like this needs to be switched with a double pole switch so that the mains is "completely isolated" when switched off.
zardoz
zardoz
zardoz said:
I believe that I had it wired correctly because the guy at the shop confirmed what Zardoz has stated above. Now that I have the correct switch everthing works fine....
the power rating on the power supplys tell you how much they can supply.
if your load only require 25 watts, then it will only deliver 25 watts, and your power supply will only use up about 25 watts...
if your load only require 25 watts, then it will only deliver 25 watts, and your power supply will only use up about 25 watts...
is that all?
Until just a minute ago i was convinced that your statement was not correct, I was convinced that the powersupply itself
'absorbed' some extra watts. But You are the master i guess, so what is needed is consumed. Nothing more. I have to remember that. 😉
Jean-Pierre
jvisaria said:
Until just a minute ago i was convinced that your statement was not correct, I was convinced that the powersupply itself
'absorbed' some extra watts. But You are the master i guess, so what is needed is consumed. Nothing more. I have to remember that. 😉
Jean-Pierre
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