Trains.com

mini toggle switches - do they have higher amp rating with lower voltages?

668 views
4 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
Posted by Birds on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 3:46 PM
Thanks for the replies. Makes perfect sense.

Oh and all my toggles are 10 amps @ 125 volts.

Thanks again,
Birds
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 3:17 PM
In my experience when a third rating is given,usually 28VDC,the current rating for it is the same as 110 volts.

Dale Hz
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Austin, TX
  • 10,096 posts
Posted by lionelsoni on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 10:23 AM
There is a limit to how much lowering the voltage will increase the current rating. You can assume that if a higher rating could be gotten below 125 volts, the manufacturer would have claimed it.

Bob Nelson

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 9:49 AM
No a set of contacts is rated for amperage not wattage.
  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
mini toggle switches - do they have higher amp rating with lower voltages?
Posted by Birds on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 8:41 AM
As I have been looking at the specs for mini toggle switches I see that they usually have two ratings for AC voltage and amps:
5 amps @ 250 volts
10 amps @ 125 volts

Will the amps a switch can handle continue to increase if the voltage dropped?
20 amps @ 62.5 volts
40 amps @ 31.25 volts

(You also get these numbers by working with wattage: 5 amps * 250 volts = 1,250 watts. 1,250 watts / 31.25 volts = 40 amps)

Thanks,
Birds

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month