SPST For Track Power

No one has an answer to this question?

yes, you can use the particular switch you referenced. the nominal output amps of a 180 brick is 10 amps, so you won't have a problem. As long as the distance isn't too much(over 20 ft) and you use 16 or 14 gauge wire you won't have too much voltage drop . Personally, i'd use a relay to turn the power on/off at remote locations, instead of a heavy duty switch. That way, the wires to the relay that turn the coil on/off can be 22 gauge. And 10 amp relays are not that expensive.

Hope this helps---

Well my control panel is already setup to use toggles to turn power on and off. The only toggles I could find rated at 10 amps were the large ones, and I want to use mini toggles such as the ones I used for throwing the turnouts.

 

The layout is wired using a homerun (star) pattern with 14g runs, and 16g feeders that are 6" or less.

laidoffsick

Just checking with you. Did you happen to do a search for (10 amp mini toggle switches)? There seems to be a lot to look at.

Take Care

Larry

Yes I did search far and wide on the net. All the mini toggles I found were only rated at 6amps. To move up to a 10amp, they were considered "Heavy Duty" and considerably larger in physical size and weight from the mini toggles.

Consider buying SPDT switches and paralleling the contacts.

John that is way over my electronics knowledge lol do you have a simple to read diagram?

I think what John meant is DPST (double pole single throw) switches. Paralleling them means to hook up both sides of the switch together making the current flow through both sides of the switch essentially doubling there current capacity.

Ron

Yep, sorry, I meant to say DPST actually, and parallel the contacts for additional current capability.  I must watch what those fingers type.

 

Note that this is not a "perfect" solution, but I suspect it'll probably be sufficient.  The one fly in the ointment is that the contacts may not "make" or "break" exactly at the same time, so for a brief moment in time one may be carrying the whole load.  The number of times they're switched under load will probably be pretty small anyway, so this is probably not a major concern.

Well the only place I'm using these On/Off toggles are on a few sidings where we will park a train, and all the engine tracks in the engine service area. So they would almost never all be on at the same time, nor would any one of those tracks have more than 1 train/engine on them at the same time.

 

For instance, all the tracks going into the Roundhouse House will have an On/Off toggle for each track. So even though that 3'-4' section of track is powered by a 180 watt, 10 amp brick, there would only be 1 engine on that track at any given time. That one engine would not come close to drawing the full 10 amps.

 

My thinking was that a 6 amp @ 125VAC toggle would be more than sufficient for that purpose. But like I said earlier, I don't know squat about electrical concepts and theories, other than what I learn here from you electrical experts

Try radio shack 275-324. Mini toggle SPST. Rated at 10A.

Hey Bill, Yes I have a couple of those I bought awhile back, but at $4 each...... I need about 20-30 of them. I get the mini toggles from Led-Switch for 60 cents each but they are only rated at 6 amps. Thats why I questioned the use of a 6 amp toggle considering what I'm using it for. I can't justify $4 a toggle.

For a single train on a siding, I'd think the 6A toggles would be fine, even after you power them on they'll not be drawing their max until you command a move.  The biggest issue with the current rating is the make/break behavior, and it's hard to believe when turning them on or turning them off you'll have more than 6A.

 

I'd just use the ones you have.

Those switches are rated at 125VAC 6A or 12VDC 12A so they should work fine. If you wanted the DPST ones they're 85 cents each.

Ron

In addition, they're rated at 12A for DC power, typically AC ratings are more generous for many switches.  DC never goes away, so you can get a larger arc for high currents during switches as opposed to AC that breaks the arc ever 1/120 of a second.  Now I'm even more sure those are fine as Ron stated.

Ok thanks John and Ron. I'm going with those rated for 6amps @125vac and 12 amps @ 12vdc spst. Worst case, I'll have to swap them out for DPST. Just dont wanna have to use those large toggles that require a 1/2 inch hole