6A switch
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 807
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From: Prince George, BC
6A switch
i dont know much about electrical, but will a 6A 125VAC switch be able to handle the 12V vehicle system? the switch i bought was a toggle switch DPDT.
Last edited by mybigredford; Apr 28, 2005 at 01:23 PM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 807
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From: Prince George, BC
hey guys, i asked a question about using a switch that was 12V rated and you guys said yes, use one that is, (this is for the T/C Mod i did yesterday) now like i had wrote i found a switch that was 6A 125VAC rated, and now i found out that that switch is no good cause it is AC not a DC switch, does it matter or what!!! so is the 6A 125 rating no good, and it the AC rating no good? it said it is rated for 125v, so i am sure it can handel the 12v, but is 6A enough as well as AC??? thanks for the help. i just dont want to put in the wrong switch, im kinda paranoid about these things.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,797
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From: Northern Colorado
I will make an attempt to answer your question from what I can remember of my high school electronics class (I think I got a B?? but too many years have passed)...
A switch is nothing more than an electrical on-off connection - no difference between AC or DC. Ratings are listed as how much work the contacts in the switch can pass without overheating and begin to burn. This work can be expressed at wattage. Ohms law calculates that a device rated at 125v @ 6amps equals 750 watts. To convert this to 12 volts, simply divide 750 by 12. To be safe, I would probably use a calculation based upon 14 volts, rather than 12 volts so 750 watts / 14 volts = about 53 amps. I doubt if the T/C lock circuit draws anywhere close to 10 amps so your switch should work fine.
Hopefully, my math is correct!
I've been lurking this site since Feb after purchasing my first PSD - a 02 F350 7.3 and am still learning!
A switch is nothing more than an electrical on-off connection - no difference between AC or DC. Ratings are listed as how much work the contacts in the switch can pass without overheating and begin to burn. This work can be expressed at wattage. Ohms law calculates that a device rated at 125v @ 6amps equals 750 watts. To convert this to 12 volts, simply divide 750 by 12. To be safe, I would probably use a calculation based upon 14 volts, rather than 12 volts so 750 watts / 14 volts = about 53 amps. I doubt if the T/C lock circuit draws anywhere close to 10 amps so your switch should work fine.
Hopefully, my math is correct!
I've been lurking this site since Feb after purchasing my first PSD - a 02 F350 7.3 and am still learning!
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,417
Likes: 4
From: Braham MN
Yes, in short it will work fine.
as guzzle92 put it it would take 53 amps to "overload" the switch.
The A/C, D/C thing is the "type" of voltage the switch is rated for, A/C voltage looks like an s turned sideways, it has high points and low points, 120V is the "average" of the high and low. D/C is a flat line, constant voltage no highs or lows. the switch is will prolly work up to 130V D/C, it will DEFINETLY work on 12V DC in your truck.
ok now that we all had a lil electrical lesson.
guzzle92, welcome aboard, and hang on to your wallet, we will all have you spending way more then you should on that new truck.
Diesel Rod
as guzzle92 put it it would take 53 amps to "overload" the switch.
The A/C, D/C thing is the "type" of voltage the switch is rated for, A/C voltage looks like an s turned sideways, it has high points and low points, 120V is the "average" of the high and low. D/C is a flat line, constant voltage no highs or lows. the switch is will prolly work up to 130V D/C, it will DEFINETLY work on 12V DC in your truck.
ok now that we all had a lil electrical lesson.
guzzle92, welcome aboard, and hang on to your wallet, we will all have you spending way more then you should on that new truck.
Diesel Rod
Last edited by 444dieselrod; Apr 28, 2005 at 09:44 PM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Prince George, BC
444deiselrod & guzzel92- thanks you guys so much for being patient with me and helping me out, you dont know how appreciative i am of this, i guess i will go back to radio shack and buy the switch again, and once i put it in i will try and post a picture to show you guys where i put the switch,i think it is a neat place to have put it. i would have a pic now but i wrecked the plastic peice, new one is on order from ford, the auto wreckers didnt have the peice i needed. thanks again guys
