Selector Switch for Panel

[mattlea266]

Hi all
Putting together a panel and was concerned about Selector switches that everyone uses. A lot of people seem to use these ones http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-10A-3-Position-Pickup-2NO-Maintained-Toggle-Select-Selector-Switch-/280844184531?pt=AU_B_I_Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item41639e2bd3&_uhb=1 or something similar.

Add says 10A 600v but when looking at the picture of the switch it has 240v 3A on it.

Can someone please enlighten me as to whether these switches are rated for switching my 9 amp kettle elements on and off.

Thanks in advance

Matt

 

[adryargument]

NVM, its a switch. not too sure

 

[mattlea266]

Thanks for that :blink:

 

[Pogierob]

Should be fine.

If you are concerned you could throw in a 10amp fuse in line as a back up.

 

[mattlea266]

Just want a definite answer really before I buy them. Seems to be the ones everyone uses but the picture threw me. If I read the description and that was it I wouldnt have hesitated.

Does anyone have a link to ones they are actually using on 2200 wattish elements.
Thanks

 

[gava]

Just want a definite answer really before I buy them. Seems to be the ones everyone uses but the picture threw me. If I read the description and that was it I wouldnt have hesitated.

Does anyone have a link to ones they are actually using on 2200 wattish elements.
Thanks

You don't run the element through the switch, You use the switch with a relay which in turn switches the element on..

check out http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25393

helps explain it.

Cheers
Gavin

 

[Pogierob]

Forgive my ignorance but isn't the switch just a manual relay any way?

 

[Fat Bastard]

Not really. With a relay you can use a small current to switch a large current. So you can use a low rated 12v switch to turn the switching current to the relay on and off and let the relay switch the big current for you.

 

[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

The contacts are rated at 10A. However it has a utilisation rating of AC-15 for 3A. The AC rating is the category for switching certain types of loads.
You could use it to directly switch the element but the contacts are not rated to switch under load. It would work but would eventually fail over a period of time and use.

Like the posts above have said you would be better off switching a relay, which would have a small load on the selector switch, but the relay would need to have the switching rating for the element.
Either that or get a selector switch with a higher rating.

 

[Pogierob]

So run a 12v power supply for a relay that switches 240v like this?
http://bit.ly/1ft9oWT

 

[O-beer-wan-kenobi]

If you don't have 12v available use a 240v relay. http://bit.ly/1mIHry4

These say 10A switching but to be sure you would want to see a data sheet.

I'm not sure how often you would be switching the element, I'm guessing not that often and these would be ok.

 

[gava]

For my elements I'm using a combination of a Solid State Relay with 12v switching with my PID and a selector switch to a 220v COIL DTDP Relay like above to complete my element circuit to the 20amp power in...

I'm no electrician and correct me if I'm wrong people but from what I've read....
When just using a SSR connected directly to your elements your element will get leakage from a SSR,Because your SSR is never really completely off and your element can still receive low amount of power and in some cases get stuck on. With the added DTDP Relay it will break the Active and Neutral circuit from your element completely so save guarding your elements from power leakage from your SSR.

Cheers
Gavin

 

[Edak]

For my elements I'm using a combination of a Solid State Relay with 12v switching with my PID and a selector switch to a 220v COIL DTDP Relay like above to complete my element circuit to the 20amp power in...

I'm no electrician and correct me if I'm wrong people but from what I've read....
When just using a SSR connected directly to your elements your element will get leakage from a SSR,Because your SSR is never really completely off and your element can still receive low amount of power and in some cases get stuck on. With the added DTDP Relay it will break the Active and Neutral circuit from your element completely so save guarding your elements from power leakage from your SSR.

Cheers
Gavin

this is a partially correct statement. When 'off' the SSR let's through about 1/1000th of the current as it would when on. This is not a problem for your elements so 'saving' is not really appropriate here. There is no risk of being left on either, unless I am lucky to have my SSR switch hundreds of thousands of times with no sign off being left on.

 

[Edak]

Just realised that we have gone off topic with the SSR stuff. Sorry. To the OP I would recommend that you just get switches with the correct rating if you want to keep it all simple. Relays will complicate things and are simply switches in themselves.

 

[gava]

this is a partially correct statement. When 'off' the SSR let's through about 1/1000th of the current as it would when on. This is not a problem for your elements so 'saving' is not really appropriate here. There is no risk of being left on either, unless I am lucky to have my SSR switch hundreds of thousands of times with no sign off being left on.

However small the current, if the unit was left switched on at the wall and to person thought it was off and left it in that state it would build up over time which could possibly make the element heat up. Also you're talking best case.. With the combination listed above (from electric brewery) it's guarding you and your equipment from worse case with a small amount of configuration.

-Gavin

 

[gava]

Just realised that we have gone off topic with the SSR stuff. Sorry. To the OP I would recommend that you just get switches with the correct rating if you want to keep it all simple. Relays will complicate things and are simply switches in themselves.

I'd also make them DTDP