A PLANT ENGINEERING EXCLUSIVE

Basics of electrical switcltes

Jack Smith, Senior Editor, PLANT ENGINEERING magazine

switch is an electromechani- rent in a single circuit; a double-pole

A cal device that completes or

breaks a current path within a
circuit, or sends current over a differ-
■ Types
■ Function
switch is capable of simultaneously
interrupting the current in two sepa-
rate circuits.
ent path. ■ Configuration "Throw" indicates the number of
Despite the many switch types, conductors or paths the switch can
they have basic components in com-
■ Glossary control. The movable contact mem-
mon. The operator initiates switch ber of a single-throw switch com-
operation. The low-resistance metal contacts make pletes a circuit to only one conductor. However, a
or break the electrical circuit. The switch mecha- double-throw switch permits its movable contact ele-
nism is linked to the operator and opens and closes ment to alternately complete two paths. (See the
the contacts. sidebar titled "Poles and throws")
All switches, regardless of type, require some type "Position" refers to the number of stops a switch
of actuation. Many switches are designed for human actuator makes when moved from one extreme posi-
actuation. However, machines can actuate switches tion to the opposite position. For example, an "on-
as well. For example, limit switches typically detect none-off" is a two-position switch; an "on-off-on" is
limit of travel for a mechanical device. a three-position switch. Position is particularly
Common switch actuation types include: important in rotary switches. A rotary switch can
■ Toggle have many positions.
■ Rocker
■ Pushbutton Contact configurations
■ Dual inline position (DIP)
■ Slide
and switch mechanisms
■ Rotary The terms "normally open" (NO) and "normally
■ Keylock closed" (NC) refer to the physical position of the con-
■ Knife tacts in reference to each other. In an NO switch, the
■ Limit contacts are separated. The circuit is open and no cur-
rent can flow through the switch. A typical example
Switch function is an NO pushbutton switch. Pressing the pushbutton
causes the contact element to move to the other of its
Three terms - pole, throw, and break - describe extreme positions and close the circuit (Fig. 2). In an
a switch's function (Fig. 1.). "Pole" refers to the num- NC switch, the contacts are closed, thereby making
ber of circuits that can.be controlled by a switch. A electrical contact. Operating the switch causes the
single-pole switch is capable of interrupting the cur- contact element to move and open the circuit.

(B)
Switch schematic symbols - - --Button - - - --
DPST SPDT
H - - - Mounting nut - -+~

·j.' ..
✓• • ✓ Multicontact rota ry
+--- -- Shell - - --+-
✓- •• •• - - - - Contact ----..-===
•• .-: Insulator
•
• J ••
Spring
SPST DPDT •••• Termina l and base
✓- • ✓-
• ✓- Norma lly open Normally closed
Fig. 1. Switch function refers to the number of Fig. 2. Slow-make/slow-break pushbutton
poles and throws it has. Schematic symbols are switches can be normally open (a) or normally
shown for SPST, SPDT, DPST, DPDT, and rotary closed (b).
switches.

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 A PlANT ENGINEERING EXCLUSIVE

The two basic switch mech- Switch ratings

anisms are the slow- The rating is an indication of the
make/slow-break and the maximum electrical load that a
quick-make/quick-break switch is capable of handling. A
devices. Other mechanisms switch may be rated in either cur-
are simply variations of these. rent or in horsepower. Often both
The slow-make/slow-break ratings are provided, along with
mechanism is usually associ- operating voltages.
ated with ac applications Center According to Underwriters Lab-
because its slowness of oper- support oratories (UL), switches with a
ation provides a slight time current rating only will have an
delay, permitting the ac wave Fig. 3. An ac switch features a overload test capability of 150%
to go through its zero energy slow-make/slow-break contact rated current if the switch rating is
level (Fig. 3). The mechanism mechanism as depicted by this 10 amp or less, and a capability of
can be operated by toggle, SPDT toggle switch. 125% rated current if the switch
slide button, rocker button rating is greater than 10 amp.
(Fig. 4), or pushbutton, to name a few. To be meaningful, the rating must be associated
The quick-make/quick-break mechanism has a with the type of load. These loads consist of:
snap-acting mechanism that virtually eliminates ■ Resistive
contact teasing. Contact teasing occurs when a ■ Inductive
switch "bounces," or makes rapidly repeating clo- ■ Motor
sures when only one was intended. A quick- ■ Lamp
make/ quick- break mechanism also has Resistive loads contain little or no inductance.
wiping contacts. When resistance only is present, ac loads are also
The quick-make/quick-break mechanism uses a called resistive. Electric heating elements are resis-
compression-type spring, which provides the tive loads. DC resistive loads are the easiest to switch
mechanical force to produce the snap action (Fig. 5). because the steady state, or continuous, current is
Movement of the switch operator compresses the instantaneous upon switch closure. Also, the current

~ Roc::~o
spring, causing it to move from its end position to the drops almost instantly to zero when the switch is
trip position. During opened. Resistive loads are less severe on switch con-
this change of posi- tacts. There is a greater electrical life expectancy for
tion, the movable con- a given switch in resistive load applications.
tact physically wipes Inductance significantly affects current whenever
across the stationary it changes, regardless of whether it is ac or de. Induc-
Rivet contact. The resultant tive circuits are more severe on switch contacts than
abrasive action cleans resistive circuits because inductance opposes a

#ff Seal

Actuator block
1--Spring
the contact surface, change in current. The self-induced voltage that is set
thereby minimizing up by a rapidly collapsing magnetic field can be much
contact resistance. higher than the normal supply voltage . This is
because the rate of change of the decreasing current
on break is very high. And since the induced voltage
Contactor
1
V Plunger
is proportional to the rate of current change, this volt-
age (inductive kick) can be great -
Contact \ accounting for the arcing upon open-
support ing of switch contacts.
Motor load is inherently an induc-
Stationary tive load. However, an inductive load
Bas contact
Rivet can apply to any circuit containing
,....._______ coiled conductors, such as electro-
Movable Trip
Terminal -... contact position line magnets, and solenoids.
Motor inrush current can be six or
• Fig. 5. A switch that employs a more times the steady state or con-
Fig. 4. This rocker-type ac switch quick-make/quick-break mecha- tinuous current. Peak inrush is equal
also has a slow-make/ slow· nism can be used for either de or to the locked motor current. High
break mechanism. It differs from ac. The snap action of this switch inrush can be attributed to typically
the toggle switch in Figure 3 only type provides circuit closure relia- low armature resistance and the ini-
by its aduation method. bility and self-cleaning contacts. tial absence of counter electromo-
tive force.

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 A PLANT ENGINEERING EXCLUSIVE

Incandescent lamp loads are similar to motor loads

because they also have heavy inrush currents - typ-
ically 10 times the steady-state current. The reason
Poles and throws
Switch poles and throws are typically abbreviated.
for the high inrush current for incandescent lighting
The following list is a sample of these acronyms:
is the tungsten filament, which has a very low cold
resistance. But once the filament becomes hot, l;l·:···' SPST - Single pole, single throw
the resistance increases significantly. IJ SPOT - Single pole, double throw
PLANT ENGINEERING magazine extends its appreci- DPST - Double pole, single throw
ation to Eaton Corp., Eaton I Cutler-Hammer, and DPDT - Double pole, double throw
Omron Electronics for the use of their materials in
the preparation of this article.

Actuator - A movable part of a
switch which causes a change in the
electrical configuration of the switch .
Examples of an actuator include tog-
gle, rocker, slider, trigger, plunger,
paddle, shaft, and button.
Arcing - A visible electrical dis-
charge between separated contacts.
Bounce - The repeated rebound-
ing of the movable contact during the
transfer from one throw to the next -
measured in msec.
Break before make - Inter-
rupting one circuit of a pole before
completing another of the same pole
(nonshorting contact) .
Capacitive load - A load in
which the initial current on make is
higher than steady state.
Contad resistance - The resis-
tance across a pair of closed contacts
in series with the load . Increases with
the age of the switch at a rate varied
by environment, frequency of use, volt-
age, and load conditions. Measured in
milliohms.
Current rating - The maximum
electrical load the switch is designed to
handle at a given voltage.
Double-break - Having two
pairs of contacts that open the circuit
at two places. Having this added con-
tact material improves heat dissipation
and increases life. Desirable in DC cir-
cuit applications.
Dry circuit - A low-energy cir-
cuit condition where no arcing, melting
or softening of the contacts occurs dur-
ing contact switching . Typically
requires gold contacts for reliable
operation . For example, 0 .4 VA maxi-
mum@ 28V ac/dc maximum .
Inductive load - A load in
which the initial current on make is
Switch glossary
lower than steady state and upan
break is greater than steady state. The
long arcing time, due to stored energy
in the inductor at the time of breaking,
is severe on the switch contacts.
Motors are the most common inductive
loads.
Inrush - The initial, transitory
high-level of current through contacts
upon making (closing) . Can cause
severe degradation of contacts. Appli-
cable to resistive and capacitive loads.
Insulation resistance - The
electrical resistance between two nor-
mally insulated parts; measured at a
specific high potential; usually greater
than 1 Mohm.
Lamp load - Most notably char-
acterized by the high inrush current at
make (approximately 10 to 16 times
the steady state).
Load - The amount of current
being carried in a given circuit.
Maintained action - Remain-
ing in a given circuit condition until
actuated to the opposite circuit condi-
tion where it is again maintained.
Maintained action is the opposite of
momentary action .
Make before break - Com-
pleting one circuit of a pale before
interrupting another of the same pole
(shorting contact).
Momentary action - Mechani-
cally returning from a temporary circuit
condition to the normal circuit condi-
tion as soon as the actuating force is
removed .
NC - Normally Closed contacts.
Circuit is closed when actuator is in
relaxed or normal position .
NO - Normally Open contacts.
Circuit is open when actuator is in
relaxed or normal position . (NC and
NO apply to momentary or alternate
action switches.
Pole - A completely independent
circuit within a switch. In other words,
a single pole controls one circuit, a
double pole controls two circuits, etc.
Position - The mechanical
detents or stops of a switch actuator.
Power factor - A measure of
the inductive or capacitive character of
an electrical load.
Resistive load - The easiest
load to switch because current and
voltage are in a steady state on make,
and drop instanrlr to zero on break.
Produces minima arcing which maxi-
mizes contact life .
Single-break contacts - A
contact mechanism using one set of
contacts to make or break a given cir-
cuit. Typical of electronic or low power
switches.
Snap-action - The abrupt trans-
fer of contacts from one position to
another; this action is relatively inde-
pendent of the speed of actuator trav-
el.
Terminal - The metal portion of
the switch, exterior to the body, that is
used to connect the switch to an electri-
cal circuit. Examples include printed
circuit IPCJ, wire lug, turret, quick-con-
nect, screw, and wire-wrap.
Throw - The number of electrical
circuits (outputs) within a pale.
Travel - The total distance the
actuator moves to change electrical
position .
Voltage breakdown - A
buildup of electrical potential across
the movable and stationary contacts
causing an arc at the air gap that
shorts the circuit.

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