250V/15A switches for mic signals

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My3gger

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 2, 2012
Messages
568
Location
EU
Hi,

someone asked me if i could replace small and cheap switches (Chinese 3A/250V, flat lever) with something bigger that would look more vintage. He wants big levers, but all i can find at Farnell and other shops are power switches like this one:
http://si.farnell.com/apem/646h-2/switch-dpdt/dp/1082332
Contacts have 10mOhms resistance and Silver / Nickel Alloy. I'm not sure if it would work fine for a pad and phase reverse. It looks like better switch than Chinese to me, what do you guys think?
Wiring it to relay would require a lot of rewiring, psu, etc.
 
You shouldn't have troubles with them, smal switch aren't any better... Try it and see if there is any pops or noise.

JS
 
Hi,
IMO, the better switch will be
http://si.farnell.com/te-connectivity-alcoswitch/a201tzq04/switch-toggle-dpdt-5a-250v/dp/1818234
Regards,
Milan
 
My3gger said:
Hi,

someone asked me if i could replace small and cheap switches (Chinese 3A/250V, flat lever) with something bigger that would look more vintage. He wants big levers, but all i can find at Farnell and other shops are power switches like this one:
http://si.farnell.com/apem/646h-2/switch-dpdt/dp/1082332
Contacts have 10mOhms resistance and Silver / Nickel Alloy. I'm not sure if it would work fine for a pad and phase reverse. It looks like better switch than Chinese to me, what do you guys think?
Wiring it to relay would require a lot of rewiring, psu, etc.
Low level switches generally have a gold flash that doesn't oxydize.
Power switches get along with the oxydization thanks to the electric arc that vaporizes the oxyde.
You may use power switches for low-level signal handling; they will function properly for some time, after which you'll experience intermittent and bouncing contacts. Toggling the switch a few times will clean the oxyde for some time. It's a matter of personal convenience. I wouldn't do that for sending men on the moon, but I could live with it in my studio (but would certainly look for a fix), and I wouldn't do that in a commercial product.
 
moamps said:
Hi,
IMO, the better switch will be
http://si.farnell.com/te-connectivity-alcoswitch/a201tzq04/switch-toggle-dpdt-5a-250v/dp/1818234
Regards,
Milan
I don't think the Alca is significantly better than the APE.
On the catalogue, the Alco exists with the gold contacts and the T1 option (large bushing and lever), but you may have to place a special order to get them.
 
Lever's lenght of those Alco switches are even a bit shorter than Miyama's i'm using for small signals. I never had problems with them in years, even with some abuse.
Thanks Moamps and Abbey for posting and explaining it a little better. It looks like relays with proper contacts (Omron G5V-2) wouldn't help much because it takes only 5V/100mA for switching.
 
My3gger said:
Thanks Moamps and Abbey for posting and explaining it a little better. It looks like relays with proper contacts (Omron G5V-2) wouldn't help much because it takes only 5V/100mA for switching.
It would help a lot, because 100 mA ios just what the doctor ordered for silver contacts.
 
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