question on toggle switch

[mikepike1125]

I am running auxiliary lights into my truck bed. I will have the constant 12v power wire feeding into the switch. Then I will have the positive wire feed for the lights (2 sets) which I will connect to the switch. Then I will have my ground/negative. So I want both sets of lights to turn on in both the toggle switch on positions. On and momentary on (on) position. And center position is off....

Will this switch work? I imagine it will but I figured it would be best to ask someone who knows much more about this than I do.

Thanks for the help.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NHZZE...e=asn&creative=395105&creativeASIN=B000NHZZEG

 

[strantor]

I don't like amazon much because they don't tell you much abot the product, and what little they do tell you is obscure and not so meaningful. I have a strong suspicion that switch will do what you want, but if it were me, I would order from a supplier like mouser, digikey, or newark, who provide datasheets for their products so I could be sure. You might pay a little more, but you'll only pay once.

 

[mikepike1125]

I hear you on that... Very little detailed info about the switch. All I can find is that it is a SPDT with three 1/4 inch terminals on the back. Maybe I am confused about the double throw part. Im thinking (correct me if I am wrong) double throw activates power to two different lights, but only one light can stay on at a time depending on which position the switch is in. For my application I would want same lights to come on in both on and momentary on (on) switch positions. Which is where I am confused. Not sure if a SPDT switch can do that......

Are the three terminals on the back of the switch the ground, power in, power out?

 

[crutschow]

A normal SPDT switch has three connections with the center being the wiper and the two outside connections connected to the wiper alternately depending upon the switch position. There is no "ground" connection. This type of switch is usually connected between power and the lights with the other end of the light grounded.

The device you reference says it's a SPDT (On)Off-On with the parenthesis meaning one position is momentary. If you want the same lights to illuminate in either the On or the (On) position then you would need to connect a jumper between the two outer switch connections, and then wire the inner connection to the battery and the outer (jumpered) connections to the lamps.

 

[kinarfi]

go here, type in toggle switch, scroll down and select toggle, then choose spst & Mom-off-on and scroll down through 8 pages. Depending on how much current you're drawing, you could use a the small switch or if pulling lots of current, use the large one or the small one with a relay.http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?KeywordSearch

 

[mikepike1125]

Thanks for the help everyone. Kinarfi, I can't find any 3 position SPST toggle switches on digikey website. I followed your directions but I am just getting a "no records match your search criteria" page. I got the SPDT on-off-(on) switch. Ill either add a jumper to the terminal Or ill connect and solder the two positive wires for the lights before the switch's on and (on) terminals and then run two short wires from that solder point to each terminal.

 

[ChrisP58]

One thing I find about DigiKey's search is that it's not usually good to set all of the search filters at once. It only takes one non matching requirement to knock everything close off the results list.

I usually start with just two or three criteria, then add one or two more as I drill down. If you reach a dead end, go back one step and try a new branch. That way I can usually find something that is close enough to fill my needs. Remember also that you can ctrl-click more than one selection in each filter box. Or shift-click to select a range.

The same is also true of Mouser, and probably anyplace else with similar search functions.


Mike, do you know how much current you need for your lights?

 

[mikepike1125]

I will try it out again with your suggestions.

The draw on these lights, as stated by the manufacturer, is 0.32 amps for everything.

that is for two strands containing 4 pods of 6 LED's each. so 48 total LED's

 

[kinarfi]

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/7107SYZQE/CKN1028-ND/19962 5 AMP 1/4 " HOLE
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/638H/679-1220-ND/1280286 10 AMP 12MM HOLE, SCREW TERMINALS
Here's two that I looked up

 

[mikepike1125]

roger that. Im probably going to use the other one since its already been delivered. Its rated at 15A @ 125VAC. Thanks for the help guys. I appreciate it again.