Bathroom fan converting switch to pull on/off
Bathroom fan switch is to tall for wife to turn on/off. Want to change to the pull on/off style. I'll tie a pull string to switch and wife can turn on/off with a tug of a string. Can't seem to f...
Forum Discussion
There's more to a switch selection than just the voltage rating, actually. That's one limit. There's also a current rating, and many switches are only rated for use on AC circuits (or have much reduced ratings for DC circuits).
A DC circuit requires a more substantial switch design because the current doesn't periodically stop on an energized circuit, and hence any arcing in the switch contacts as the switch is opened doesn't tend to stop as easily.
For an RV fan, though, I wouldn't worry excessively about AC vs. DC switches. The usual failure mode would be for the switch contacts to weld themselves together, and the switch to be unable to turn off. That doesn't necessarily mean the AC switch won't work fine on a DC circuit for a good length of time, of course; just that the maker doesn't guarantee proper long-term trouble free operation. The most common failure mode would be the eventual welding of the contacts together, preventing the switch from opening. If that happens, you have many reasonable options to make do in this case—such as pulling the fuse for the vent fan, or leaving it on, or manually disconnecting the wire connection from the switch until you can install another. A shower vent fan is not in any way a safety critical application.
A DC circuit requires a more substantial switch design because the current doesn't periodically stop on an energized circuit, and hence any arcing in the switch contacts as the switch is opened doesn't tend to stop as easily.
For an RV fan, though, I wouldn't worry excessively about AC vs. DC switches. The usual failure mode would be for the switch contacts to weld themselves together, and the switch to be unable to turn off. That doesn't necessarily mean the AC switch won't work fine on a DC circuit for a good length of time, of course; just that the maker doesn't guarantee proper long-term trouble free operation. The most common failure mode would be the eventual welding of the contacts together, preventing the switch from opening. If that happens, you have many reasonable options to make do in this case—such as pulling the fuse for the vent fan, or leaving it on, or manually disconnecting the wire connection from the switch until you can install another. A shower vent fan is not in any way a safety critical application.
