Which power switch???

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm getting better power switches out of industrial salvage than you can buy anywhere. So I'm no help. Those rocker things, cutting a square hole without a punch or plasma cutter is a ***A. Coupla hours with a drill and a stanley carbide saw to make one, and triple that in stainless steel like all the NEMA 12 enclosures I've got salvage from the food plant.
I liked the 50's 60's centralab, Cutler Hammer, Arrow Hart snap toggle switches rated 5 to 10 A 120 VAC. Drill a 3/8" hole, 30 minutes with a rat tail file to make a D shaped 7/16" hole, voila. Those US factories are probably shopping malls now.
The new cherry, alco, "flavor of the month" toggle switches from ****a are so miniaturized, they probably will last 100 cycles on real transformer surge turn on. The old ones used to go "POP" as you turned them on and off, sign of a very high approach & departure speed for arc supression. That sound is unfashionable now.
The AB & CH 440 VAC rated switches are reliable & industrial, but are HUGE requiring a 15/16" hole wallowed out to 1" with the tang for anti rotation. The greenlee punch to make those is about $100 and the hydraulic actuator is $3200. 2" clearance behind the panel 1.5" square is required. The plastic push pull red button tends to turn to dust after ten years and costs about $40 retail, plus $14 freight from some warehouse. Plus that red "e-stop" button is very scary looking. Says "don't dare touch this" to wives & kid. Plus "get that shock trap out of my house!"
 
Last edited:
> "get that shock trap out of my house!"

I use these chunkers on the heat burner:
81V4Ml399pL._SY450_.jpg


This replaces the usual "OIL BURNER" switch at the top of the cellar stairs; also one on the burner. (Mine is gas but the electrons do not care; I added signs so fire-fighters and other guests know what it is about.) (One time before, my father turned-off the heat thinking it was the lights; no confusion now.)

US/Canada: Note reviewers comments on screw and box size. (This is not meant to be a front-panel switch, quite over-kill for hi-fi under 2 HorsePower.)
 
> What sort of ratings does it need to have?

There's approximately two types of switches:

50mA 50V (small stuff)

5+A 250V (wall-power stuff)

Most any 250V 5+A switch is fine for all wall-power work. 2A may be fine for a preamp if you are trying to go small.

More often the hard choices are: simple hole or odd shape? Stick-out toggle or slim rocker? Solder, screw, or FastOn terminals?
 
>
More often the hard choices are: simple hole or odd shape? Stick-out toggle or slim rocker? Solder, screw, or FastOn terminals?

Not wild about the stick out part... but I'm leaning towards toggle now..
There's just something about that positive POP feel to them..
Also in my experience, snap action toggle switches last longer than slide switches for inductive loads like motors & transformers. On a snap action switch you'll hear a pop that indicates the contacts approach and break at high velocity under spring action.

The crummy plastic capped (mostly plastic) push switch the case came with just doesn't cut it for me, but its contemporary looking....

Though I AM looking for a rotary for a subsequent project...
Asthetic reasons, but also that solid feel thing..

I like my holes simple.... 😉
 
For ease of DIY installation / panel fabrication, I'm partial to appropriately rated round rocker switches myself. Plenty of options such as metal, lighted plastic, backlit, shiny or black, etc.

Such as:
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/833/Rocker_RR_PPR-1075676.pdf

Rocker Switches DPST ON-OFF 10A BLK
Mouser # 540-RRA32H3FBBNN Minimum Qty: 1 @ $C 2.23 as of 12 March 2017
Mfr [ZF] # RRA32H3FBBNN

http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/ZF/RRA32H3FBBNN/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsqIr59i2oRcortqEmGFdBDoAnuzoQuxcQ=

You can also consider pushbutton switches in a round hole panel mount configuration as well.
 
Last edited:
LOL!
No... but it accepts a round button...
(which is usually what's fitted)

Like these:
s-l1600.jpg


-----------------------------------------------------------

I happen to have a couple of these laying around...
They're for guitar pickup switches...
Wish I could find a good toggle with a 4mm threaded shaft for a cap...
s-l1600.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.