Home Page link

How to connect a Double Pole Switch?

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Page 2 of 6       < 1 2 3 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
How to connect a Double Pole Switch? Homer 10-09-2007
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by Homer on October 9, 2007, 11:17 am
On Oct 9, 11:05 am, spamb...@milmac.com (Doug Miller) wrote:
> >Two Switches.
>
> >This switch is Double-Pole. On its back it says Two Input and Two
> >Output (It's two single switches in one box).
>
> So there are actualy two separate switch levers? How many screw terminals
> total?
>
> Can you post a photo of the switch somewhere?
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
>
> It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

What I have is a DPST (Four Screws, Two marked as Input, Two as
Output).


Electric Radiant Heat 468x60
Posted by Bill on October 9, 2007, 11:47 am
"Homer" wrote in message
>
> What I have is a DPST (Four Screws, Two marked as Input, Two as
> Output).
>

The only time I would use a double pole switch is with 240 volts. Like a
range or hot water heater would use. But I would not need to place a switch
on these. Of course there are saws and shop equipment which are 240 volts
and it would be normal to place a switch going to the outlets for these.

So I'm trying to figure out why a double pole switch would be installed to
switch a 120 V light?

Note you can use a continuity tester to be sure the switch is actually a
double pole and not a 4 way. That might help.

Double pole = Off, neither input connects to either output.

4 way = Flipped either way (no off/on marking), one input connects to one
output, flip switch and connects to other output.



Posted by Bill on October 9, 2007, 11:53 am
P.S. Keep in mind if old house, people remodel these. There may have at one
time been 3 switches controlling the light. Then remodel and they just tied
wires together and hid in wall.

Or homeowner handiwork. No telling what they may have done!

Or at one time there may have been a large load which required two separate
circuits on one switch. Then later remodeled and made the switch control a
light instead????

All sorts of possibilities...



Posted by Homer on October 9, 2007, 11:55 am
> "Homer" wrote in message
>
> > What I have is a DPST (Four Screws, Two marked as Input, Two as
> > Output).
>
> The only time I would use a double pole switch is with 240 volts. Like a
> range or hot water heater would use. But I would not need to place a switch
> on these. Of course there are saws and shop equipment which are 240 volts
> and it would be normal to place a switch going to the outlets for these.
>
> So I'm trying to figure out why a double pole switch would be installed to
> switch a 120 V light?
>
> Note you can use a continuity tester to be sure the switch is actually a
> double pole and not a 4 way. That might help.
>
> Double pole = Off, neither input connects to either output.
>
> 4 way = Flipped either way (no off/on marking), one input connects to one
> output, flip switch and connects to other output.

Tested already. It's Double Pole. Two screws marked as Inputs and two
as Outputs. Inputs are not connected to each other or outputs if I
flip the switch off. If I flip it On, one Input is connected to one
Output and another Input is connected to the other Output.


Posted by Doug Miller on October 9, 2007, 12:01 pm
>Tested already. It's Double Pole. Two screws marked as Inputs and two
>as Outputs. Inputs are not connected to each other or outputs if I
>flip the switch off. If I flip it On, one Input is connected to one
>Output and another Input is connected to the other Output.

Pretty hard to see how that could have ever functioned as a three-way switch.

I can believe that this one functions as a master switch:
- if it's off, the lights are off regardless of the position of the other
switch
- it it's on, the lights are controlled by the other switch


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Page 2 of 6       < 1 2 3 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Double Pole switch??? March 25, 2007, 2:28 pm
single or double pole switch for 240V baseboard heater September 10, 2006, 3:40 am
Light switch 3 pole and 2 pole February 10, 2006, 5:07 pm
Double Pole Circuit Breakers June 12, 2006, 7:05 am
Double pole circuit breaker January 16, 2007, 11:22 pm
Single pole illuminated switch? November 6, 2007, 11:13 pm
How do I combine lights on single pole switch with lights on 3-way switch? April 24, 2008, 12:54 pm
Electrical : 3 way --> Single Pole (Light Switch) November 23, 2005, 4:39 am
Pole Lamp Dimmer/Switch Module January 8, 2007, 12:57 pm
Simple DYI ? on single pole light switch July 12, 2007, 1:32 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap