Are the WT19s-ND and WT23S toggle switches “break before make” types?
If no is there an equivalent type you can recommend?
Welcome woodmich!
These are both 3-position switches with the center position open, so, by definition, these are break-before-make. The center “OFF” position guarantees this.
Hello woodmich,
Toggle switches aren’t made to be make-before-break (MBB). As a note, there are a few toggle switches which can mimic a make-before-break action by utilizing a third center position which connects both outputs together. An example of this is the 32NT91-12, which only switches one of the two poles during each transition of toggle position. To make this function as a make-before-break switch, one must add an external jumper to short pins 2 and 5 together.
With this switch, one would short pins 2 and 5 together and use this electrical point as the input. Then outputs would be connected to pins 3 and 4. In position 1, only pin 4 is connected to the input. In the position 2 (center position), both pins 3 and 4 are connected to the input (make-before-break). In position 3, only pin 3 is connected to the input. Therefore, there is never a time when neither output is connected to the input.
Note that this is not a standard make-before-break switch, since it must transition through the middle position to switch from one output to the other. Also, there is nothing preventing the switch from being left in the middle position, shorting both outputs continuously, other than the user being careful to not leave it in this position. Therefore, this would only be useful for carefully trained users.
-Please verify all wiring, specifications, and if this type of setup can be used for your application.
Our website lists this as only rated for 15A at 125Vac, but the datasheet adds the following ratings:
All at 28Vdc:
- 15A – Inductive load
- 20A – Resistive load
- 7A – Lamp load
As @Ryan_2724 pointed out toggle switches are not available with an MBB configuration in the 21st century (I seem to remember seeing some made prior to the 1960s).
There is a DIY way to get a similar look and feel for the user on audio gear that needs MBB. You use an MBB rotary switch mounted perpendicular to the front panel and operated by a lever attached to the shaft.