Replace on-off light switches in RV - any cheaper choices

[phemens]

Was looking to replace the grungy looking white on-off switches for the 12v lights in the 5er. I see the JR Products 12225 SPST black switches, but cripes they are expensive! $20 each on Amazon.ca. Any cheaper alternatives?

[myredracer]

phemens wrote:
Was looking to replace the grungy looking white on-off switches for the 12v lights in the 5er. I see the JR Products 12225 SPST black switches, but cripes they are expensive! $20 each on Amazon.ca. Any cheaper alternatives?

Can you perchance pop the bezel off and clean them with a damp rag? White def. does show dirt/grunge. I installed 10 or so black switches in our TT and always look great.

Don't buy stuff on Amazon.ca! They're often a HUGE ripoff compared to Amazon.com. The JR Products 12225 is a good example and is available on Amazon.ca here for $58 Can versus $13 USD on Amazon.com here.[/ur]

If you can find a pack of 5 switches, the cost will be a lot less. There are 3 manufactur...

[Gjac]

phemens wrote:
PHEW! I would hate to think that anyone thinks that anyone would dare overthink anything on this forum, especially something as important as a light switch 😉
Seriously though, the twists and turns and things I learn in these threads is invaluable!

I learn a lot from these threads also because I didn't know that much about electricity to begin with. So two years ago when my water heater kept blowing fuses due to a shorted wire somewhere from the stove top switch to the water heater, I could not trace the wire so I installed a 120v switch back in the bed room. I was able to install a wire from the 12v fuse box to the water heater itself through the switch. It has been working fine for the last 2 years. I figured the 12v fuse would blow if there was some how an excess amount of current.

[mobeewan]

JR Products 12005 white switches

[MEXICOWANDERER]

My problem with the paddle switches that had to replace the Cole Hersee is they were switched OFF but when I slid the lever forward on the battery disconnect I would find odd lights burning and the switches did not shut them off. Another manifestation of living where the salt laden humidity never requires more than a sheet at dawn on a bed. When I started misting the rose bushes in the morning they took off growing like they had a rocket strapped to them. Salt on the leaves. Ugh.

[Almot]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Hah! You want something complicated?

Condense the complete shopping habits of the DW in a 100 words or less.

You'll be at it for weeks.

You can't condense unstable matter, this can be dangerous.

If contacts of light switch become welded together with horrible 2A current...

There should be an all-house switch and/or a breaker for such emergencies, installed in an accessible location. M.orons on RV factories like skipping an all-house switch, installing all-trailer fuse (not a breaker), and place it conveniently under the frame where you could crawl if you can. That fuse is sitting in a sheet metal box like the one used in INTERIOR residential electrical, bolted to the frame 12-13" from the ground. I bypassed it and installed DC breaker in the storage hatch.

[4x4van]

Wow, talk about overthinking things. Pull any one of your 12vdc switches out and look at the back/side. I guarantee that they are rated in AC, not DC. There is no appreciable difference in the contacts of a household 120VAC switch and an automotive rocker switch, other than perhaps the size (household switch contacts will be larger).

The only way a DC current will "weld" contacts together is if the current is higher than the contacts are rated for; AC or DC makes no difference. 6A at 120VAC is equivalent to 60A at 12vdc.

Personally, I think household switches in an RV (along with the requisite cover plate) would be extremely ugly, but to each his own.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Hah! You want something complicated?

Condense the complete shopping habits of the DW in a 100 words or less.

You'll be at it for weeks.

Pick and choose what you need. Better to have a surplus of data rather than a shortage...

[phemens]

PHEW! I would hate to think that anyone thinks that anyone would dare overthink anything on this forum, especially something as important as a light switch 😉
Seriously though, the twists and turns and things I learn in these threads is invaluable!

[DrewE]

Almot wrote:
When I replaced old 18W bulbs with LED of equivalent brightness, the current dropped to 0.4A per bulb. To turn 3 double domes like in RV will require 2.4A total. Residential switch is rated 15A. How bad can be in-rush current, to worry about this?

The inrush current, per se, is not the big problem really. It only flows after the switch closes, and is not much different for AC and DC. It's breaking the connection and interrupting the current that is hardest on a switch, and DC is inherently harder to interrupt than AC. It's not just the magnitude of the current (though that does play a significant role), it's how soon the arcing breaks down.

That is, of course, separate from the overall current ratings that may at least partly be driven by the size of the contacts in the switch. Exceeding the maximum, particularly for a relatively long span of time (more than a brief instant, say), could cause trouble due to heating and maybe be a fire hazard. That's a separate issue from the type of electric supply.

As a practical matter, switches rated for AC only will usually work pretty well for modest DC loads--maybe not to their full rated lifespan, but still acceptably well for many uses. When the worst case for a switch failure is that either you're left in the dark in the kitchen or else you can't get any dark in the kitchen, one needn't have any real scruples about using the wrong variety of switch. If it fails eventually, replace it again and carry on. If the switches keep on failing with any frequency, use a different sort of switch. There's no need to overthink things here.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Hieroglyphics?



This is a DC to DC relay. Means the control (switch) circuit uses a DC signal and the load side is also direct current. This device DEMANDS the use of a suitable HEAT SINK.

PHOTO
Near side is CONTROL terminals side. + and - may be confusing

Far side is LOAD terminals side. + and - may be confusing

PROS
The control current consumed is tiny.

CONS
The relay + heat sink is very large size. Four packs of cigarettes stacked one atop another

Cheap Chinese relays cannot possibly pass rated current reliably. The relay shown may be reliable at 10 amperes load BUT NOT FOR MOTORS, incandescent light bulbs, or components that have large capacitors.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

https://www.delcity.net/store/Carling-L!Series-!-Non!Illuminated/p_822843.h_822844

Carling L-Series Non-Illuminated Rocker Switches - SPST

The L-Series rocker switch from Carling is a sealed switch. It features IP67 certified sealed front panel components. Its design fits into standard mounting holes of, 1.734 x .867. The switches are vibration, shock, thermo shock, salt spray, and moisture resistant. This full size rocker is very popular in On-highway transportation vehicles. It is also commonly used in agricultural equipment and construction machinery.

20A, 4-14VDC.
Life: 100,000 cycles maintained. 50,000 cycles momentary (at rated current & voltage).
IP67 certified sealed front panel components.
Available in Single & Double Pole.
Uses standard mounting hole: 1.734" x .867".
Temperature Rating: -40°F - 185°F (-40°C - 85°C).

PRICEY!

20073391 SPST On-Off, .250 TABS, Non-Lit Carling Rocker (L11D1S001-AZZ00-000) (1 MIN)
18.56

The IP 67 designation means the switch is virtually waterproof.

[Almot]

When I replaced old 18W bulbs with LED of equivalent brightness, the current dropped to 0.4A per bulb. To turn 3 double domes like in RV will require 2.4A total. Residential switch is rated 15A. How bad can be in-rush current, to worry about this?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Only "T RATED" toggle switches work for home DC. Audible snap. But they went the way of the Brontosaur and Passenger Pigeon.

[enblethen]

Most residential style switches are not rated for DC voltage. They will not handle the higher in rush from DC circuits.
I would look around your local auto parts stores for a similar switch.
Posters are correct in installing LED type lamps to reduce the loads.
I tried looking in Canada for parts stores, however didn't have much luck locating replacement switches. Search eluded that you have Carquest and Auto Zone but I don't remember seeing any.
You may need to make trip into US!