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brucec
New User
Feb 20, 2012, 6:42 AM
Post #1 of 5
(1499 views)
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Help - 'simple' switch
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Hi all,
I'm sure the answer to this is really simple, but I'm in the dark.
I just bought a 12 volt spot lamp, and it has a three pole switch inside with no indication of how to wire it.
Presumably, one pole goes to the bulb, and one each to battery + and -, but which goes where? Does it matter? And how do I work it out with a multimeter?
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on how I can get my lamp to shed some light.
B
Here's the offending item:
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 20, 2012, 3:15 PM
Post #2 of 5
(1448 views)
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Re: Help - 'simple' switch
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That's a single pole double throw switch.
Is the light getting power from the switch or being grounded by the switch?
Be careful with that switch because it is only rated at 2 amps. How many amps does your spot lamp use?
To check the switch with a meter set on ohms Touch the red lead to the middle pole and the black lead to one of the ends (depending on the position of the switch).
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Feb 20, 2012, 3:21 PM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 20, 2012, 3:57 PM
Post #3 of 5
(1439 views)
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Re: Help - 'simple' switch
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That 2 amp rating is at 250v. I think it will handle considerably more at 12v
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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brucec
New User
Feb 21, 2012, 3:17 AM
Post #4 of 5
(1421 views)
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Re: Help - 'simple' switch
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Thank you for your replies. That helps a lot.
The light gets power from the switch - in the sense that the power from the battery + is connected to one of the poles on the switch and the bulb to another.
Is that what you meant?
What I'm not sure about is how to ground the bulb. It should be done through its mounting but there's no obvious way to do that.
Anyway, thanks again; that should give me enough to go on. I'm going to test it and try to connect it up now.
Cheers.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Feb 21, 2012, 3:57 AM
Post #5 of 5
(1418 views)
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Re: Help - 'simple' switch
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If the bulb socket has 2 wires, one of them is attached to ground. If it only has one wire, then the housing itself has to be grounded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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