120V switch

Al Swope

Adventurist
Founding Member
So the switch failed in my drill press. The switch is set up so that both the hot(black) and neutral (white) are switched. I've never seen this. Does anyone know why they do this? The replacement switch is $30o_O
Captureb.PNG
 
Typically if they're only using one side, it's probably because the manufacturer while writing the BOM found a bunch them at a cheap price and just standardized on these. If anything, that switch housing supports 6 contacts so it's possible that they have other products that use that switch that need isolation. It's possible that it also turns on the main power and turns on lights, but there's a momentary or separate switch that turns on the motor.

And if it's only one side and it rocks fine back and forth, switch sides and save some cash. I would just look for the cheapest KEDU branded HY52 available. Amazon sells two for $30.
 
...And if it's only one side and it rocks fine back and forth, switch sides and save some cash. I would just look for the cheapest KEDU branded HY52 available. Amazon sells two for $30.

So simple. I jumper'd the 2 white wires and moved the black wires to the white side of the switch and it works fine. LOL. I already ordered the amazon switches. Let me known if you can use extra switch. I'll send it to you. Thanks for the help
 
So simple. I jumper'd the 2 white wires and moved the black wires to the white side of the switch and it works fine. LOL. I already ordered the amazon switches. Let me known if you can use extra switch. I'll send it to you. Thanks for the help

You're good as long as your gear doesn't exceed the amp rating of that switch. Engineering uses the 80% rule for specs. The load should be at 80% (or less) of the rating for whatever switch is being used, so you have a good margin there.

The switch suddenly going bad after owning a piece of equipment very long is probably more a function of time, corrosion, etc vs failure from a short circuit. As long as nothing is getting warm/hot it will probably be fine.
 
You're good as long as your gear doesn't exceed the amp rating of that switch. Engineering uses the 80% rule for specs. The load should be at 80% (or less) of the rating for whatever switch is being used, so you have a good margin there.

The switch suddenly going bad after owning a piece of equipment very long is probably more a function of time, corrosion, etc vs failure from a short circuit. As long as nothing is getting warm/hot it will probably be fine.


That and those switches are all cheap pieces of s**t... Change them out constantly on food service and refrigeration equipment... anything they're installed on really...
 
Back
Top Bottom