Thread: can this switch handle my inverter???

If you are going to hook the switch up on the end that plugs into the lighter, you are going to need a 12VDC switch.. I used a 30Amp one but that is a bit overkill since there is a 15amp fuse in the car's fusebox that the power comes from anyway..

Well, i was thinking of just opening the inverter and soldering the wires that are hooked to the existing switch, to my new switch, using 14 guage cable.

dj

I bought a lighter socket from radio shack which had two leads coming of off it.. soldered my switch inline along with a fuse and hooked it to my fuse panel directly.. Found it was easier to put a switch on the DC line.. and it didnt require doing anything permanent to the inverter.

Remember that power in watts=voltage x amperage. A switch rated for 6a at 125v will pass 750 watts. Knowing that, we can find out how much amperage the switch will carry at 12v. Take 750 and divide by 12 to get 62.5a. This switch is more than enough for any automotive application, and in my experience, there is no difference between a DC switch and an AC switch.
I used to have a SPDT switch for a head unit in an old car of mine. This allowed me to use the key to turn the head unit on and off for normal operation. Throwing the switch powered it up without the key for when I wanted to listen when I wasn't driving.

I disagree. Voltage has to do with the contact spacing, etc so you don't get arcing. Current has to do with the thickness of the contacts. 150W at 12V is over 10A. I wouldn't go there if I were you.

Rob


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Originally posted by AVGeek:
This switch is more than enough for any automotive application, and in my experience, there is no difference between a DC switch and an AC switch.

Wrong! There is a huge difference, and you can NEVER assume a 10 amp AC switch will handle 10 amps DC. Here's why..

When you open a switch and disconnect the load from the current source, an arc will build up between the opening contacts. This is not a problem for AC, because the arc will be extinguished when the voltage is zero. (ie Alternating Current). Therefore, the contacts of the AC switch will be much closer together .. close enough (in some cases) for a DC arc to be maintained across these contacts.

Okay, so I'm talking about mains voltage here, but an AC switch handling high DC currents won't last very long!

There is a difference between AC and DC switches ..