This Product Selection Guide contains information to help select products in the DIP Switches category on DigiKey.com
DIP Switches are electromechanical devices used to control current flow in a circuit. Devices in this family are usually groupings of small switches used as jumper blocks or small rotary-type switches that require a tool to set. The actuator types are breakable (shunt), piano, rocker, rotary, slide, standard, and toggle with the number of positions ranging from 1 to 64.
SelectionCharacteristics
Circuit: Refers to the electrical configuration of the switch contacts. For more information see Basics of Switches and Relays: An Overview of Poles and Throws
Number of Positions: Indicates the total count of available switch settings or configurations.
Current Rating (Amps): Typically this represents the maximum current to which a device will meet its given specifications. Exceeding this current may damage the device and/or other system components.
Voltage Rating: Typically this represents the maximum voltage rating to which a device will meet its given specifications. Exceeding this voltage rating may damage the device and other system components.
Actuator Type: The specific design or style of the mechanism used to change the switch position.
Actuator Level: Indicates whether or not switch actuators protrude beyond the main body of the device.
Contact Material: The material used for switch contacts.
Contact Finish: Identifies the surface finish material present on a device’s electrical contacts.
Height Above Board: Indicates how far the device will extend above the surface to which it has been attached.
Mounting Type: Indicates how the device is attached.
Termination Style: Selection of termination style used to connect the device to a system, such as PC pin or gull wing.
Pitch: Indicates the center-to-center spacing between adjacent pins.
Washable: Indicates if a device is designed or packaged in a manner that allows a post-assembly wash operation to be performed without adverse effects on device operation.
Features: These are different capabilities or properties of the device such as epoxy sealed terminals or ingress protection (IP) ratings.
IP Ratings
The first number is for solids the second number is for liquids.
| Solids | Liquids | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Protected against solids larger than 50mm. | Protected against vertically falling drops of water. Limited Ingress permitted. |
| 2 | Protected against solids larger than 12.5mm. | Protected against vertically falling drops of water with the enclosure tilted up to 15 degrees from vertical. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 3 | Protected against solids larger than 2.5mm. | Protected against spraying water up to 60 degrees from vertical. Limited ingress permitted for 3 minutes. |
| 4 | Protected against solids larger than 1mm. | Protected against water splashed from any direction. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 5 | Protected against dust. Limited ingress of dust permitted. | Will not affect operation of equipment 2-8 hours. Protected against jets of water. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 6 | Dust tight. No ingress of dust 2-8 hours. | Protected against powerful jets of water. Limited ingress permitted. |
| 7 | ______________________ | Protected against the effects of immersion in 15cm-1m for 30 minutes. |
| 8 | ______________________ | Continuous immersion in water up to 3m for long periods of time. |
| 9 | ______________________ | Protected against high pressure jets of hot water. (30 seconds) |
| 9K | ______________________ | Protected against high pressure jets of hot water. (2 minutes) |
Operating Temperature: Recommended operating temperature, typically given in a range or as a maximum. Exceeding these temperatures may affect performance or damage the device and other system components.
ProductExamples
| MFR PART # | FR01SR10P |
|---|---|
| DIGIKEY PART # | FR01SR10P-ND |
| MANUFACTURER | NKK Switches |
| DESCRIPTION | Dip Switch BCD 10 Position Through Hole Rotary with Knob Actuator 100mA 5VDC |
| DATASHEET | Click Here |
| MFR PART # | KAS2108E |
|---|---|
| DIGIKEY PART # | EG4514-ND |
| MANUFACTURER | E-Switch |
| DESCRIPTION | Dip Switch SPST 8 Position Through Hole, Right Angle Slide (Standard) Actuator 25mA 24VDC |
| DATASHEET | Click Here |
| MFR PART # | 219-10MST |
|---|---|
| DIGIKEY PART # | CT21910MST-ND |
| MANUFACTURER | CTS Electrocomponents |
| DESCRIPTION | Dip Switch SPST 10 Position Surface Mount Slide (Standard) Actuator 100mA 20VDC |
| DATASHEET | Click Here |
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MediaLinks
Videos
DIP Switches 101
Articles
What You Need to Know About Switches
CUI Devices - DIP Switch Basics
Same Sky - DIP Switch Basics
Product Training Modules
DIP Coded Rotary Switches - APEM
Rotary Coded Switch - Copal
220 Series Rotary DIP Switch - CTS
DIP Switch - CTS
TechForum
What kind of switch is a DIP switch?
What types of DIP switches are there?
Fundamentals of DIP Switch to Microcontroller Interfacing