Hey Guys,
I have a free standing Lionel 4150 Transformer mounted under my table. The face of it says 7.5 VA. It also says "120 Volts, Secondary 8 - 15."
The sole purpose of this little transformer is to run AC current to a free standing whistle tender, which is not sitting on a powered track, so that I can blow the whistle on the tender, instead of buying a whistle shack.
Presently, I have the transformer wired to the tender, with a push button, momentary on/off switch in the neutral line.
The whistle blows fine, when I push down on the switch.
My problem is: That the only momentary on/off switch I had on hand , has a capacity of 125 volts, and up to 10 amps, and it is really big. The button is a full inch in diameter, and the body of the switch itself, below the button, is almost two inches deep. It is really an industrial size switch, and takes up too much surface area on the control panel, and too much volume inside the control box space.
What I am looking for is a smaller momentary on/off switch that would have the ratings to safely operate the whistle. A nice heavy duty half inch diameter silver push button would nice. But, in my online searches, the only smaller switches I have been able to find are push button starter switches, for boats etc., that are only rated for 3 amps.
Does anybody have any sources for a smaller push button momentary switch? (It kinda confuses me that at the used train shop I go to, there is a bucket of old Lionel red on/off switches, in free standing plastic housings, that I guess are used for uncouplers or the dumping of log cars, which look very fragile. Are these rated for up to a safety margin of 10 amps? If so, are these my only option?)
Thanks for all advice.
Mannyrock
