I am building a "dummy load" battery test circuit and need a SPST toggle switch for the ON/OFF switch. The largest battery to be tested is a 60 VDC, 0.2A max. Will the toggle switch need to be rated for 60 VDC? If so, where is a good place to find one? Thanks.
DC ratings on contacts are far lower then an AC rating. This is because to break DC, full current and voltage must be interrupted. AC crosses zero 120 times per second so the contacts can be much smaller as the voltage will naturally fall off very quickly.
Most 20A AC rated switches will be fine for 2A at 60V DC.
Most of Toggle switches are rated: 250VAC, 125VDC min. 5Amps. So, if yours Power Supply is 60VDC and current 0.2A ( 200mA ) you are fine with that kind of switch. The best place to purchase is RADIO SHACK.
Don't waste money at Radio Shack. Just check the Yellow Pages for a real electronics store. While there may not be a big difference in the price of a single switch, other components will be 10 to 100 times the cost at Radio Shack.
60 VDC toggle switch?
Posted - Aug 17 2009 : 5:57:36 PM
