KD4UPL wrote:
Typical house switches are not rated for DC. When you break the DC circuit it's much harder to extinguish the arc. An AC arc extinguishes itself 120 times per second, DC does not. Using AC switches will work but the contacts will wear quickly and you will have to replace the swithces often.
I did this one time on a vehicle. I put custom side panel in the back of an SUV and installed a house type AC light switch in the panel for the interior dome lights. In about 1 year I could start to notice the contacts wearing. Sometimes you had to throw the switch multiple times and wiggle it to get the lights to come on.
So what is it about DC switches that makes them arc resistant?
I've seen nothing inside DC switched but contacts of various metallurgy, springs & levers. I'm looking at a plastic cased 10 amp DC switch right now that has some form of steel contacts.
Inquiring minds want to know.
Richard
