So this is kind of a newby question but: I have a battery that's 90v @ 65 Amps (peak) and I need a power switch on it. I'm just wondering what type of switch I could actually use for this. I know it needs to be a high-voltage/amprage rated switch but... can I just go by wattage? Like, a lot of switches are rated for 120v and ____ amps. Would it work fine as long as the wattage rating is the same?... if you can't tell, I'm a little confused on this.

Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

Is it switching AC or DC? EDIT - Missed the battery part..

Here you go - http://au.rs-online.com/web/p/non-f...22677633D424F5448267573743D4F5444433130304526

That's as good as I can find in the catalogue on my desk..
Any chance you could use a relay?

 

Close, but no cigar. The voltage rating is a survival limit. If the switch is rated for 120 volts, it will surely survive 90 volts. And, batteries are DC only. The current is what melts things. Need more information. One operation per day? One thousand operations per second? What's the load? Light bulbs? A motor?

 

Is this a manual operated switch?
When switching DC of this current you need to be aware of arc over etc, there are specially rated switches and relays with arc suppression build in.
Max.

 

Is this a manual operated switch?
When switching DC of this current you need to be aware of arc over etc, there are specially rated switches and relays with arc suppression build in.
Max.

That's exactly what I was worried about. Just need to find a switch that can handle that current.

 

Close, but no cigar. The voltage rating is a survival limit. If the switch is rated for 120 volts, it will surely survive 90 volts. And, batteries are DC only. The current is what melts things. Need more information. One operation per day? One thousand operations per second? What's the load? Light bulbs? A motor?

Yeah the current is what I'm most worried about. I don't know what kind of switch can handle that. And yeah probably anywhere from 1 operation a day to 1 operation every couple of days. So I guess I need something that can handle the current and is going to be reliable. It will be powering a motor.

 

Is it switching AC or DC? EDIT - Missed the battery part..

Here you go - http://au.rs-online.com/web/p/non-f...22677633D424F5448267573743D4F5444433130304526

That's as good as I can find in the catalogue on my desk..
Any chance you could use a relay?

Whew, that's some heavy duty stuff. Was hoping I could find something a little smaller... and cheaper. And I guess I could look into using a relay.

 

The BATTERY is 65 amps. The MOTOR is what determines the current. I have installed hundreds of 60 amp, "disconnect" switches on air conditioners, which are mostly motors
I'm talking $30 American at Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-60...d-Case-Switch-DPB222RP/100193214?N=5yc1vZbm0h

This is not a DC switch, but...we're still negotiating.
How many amps does the MOTOR take?
Do you want this to last for the rest of your life? Totally legal? Just some hobby job that will be forgotten and rusting in 3 months?

 

Especially if you are switching a DC inductive load, one step would be a large R/C snubber from after the switch to the opposite pole.
If the source is also inductive, then you would use one before the switch also.
Max.

 

The BATTERY is 65 amps. The MOTOR is what determines the current. I have installed hundreds of 60 amp, "disconnect" switches on air conditioners, which are mostly motors
I'm talking $30 American at Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-60...d-Case-Switch-DPB222RP/100193214?N=5yc1vZbm0h

This is not a DC switch, but...we're still negotiating.
How many amps does the MOTOR take?
Do you want this to last for the rest of your life? Totally legal? Just some hobby job that will be forgotten and rusting in 3 months?

The motor can take up to 100 amps at 90 volts. In this setup, it is "programmed" to take 65 amps in 20 second intervals (and then break for around 20 seconds if the temp is too high). But I figured it out! I'm going to install a power switch into the speed controller and control it through that. Found a way to use a small, low voltage switch to power on/off the entire system Sorry, realized that I didn't really mention the speed controller before :x

PS. It is legal and it is just a hobby job but not something that will soon be forgotten

Thanks for the replies! Really appreciate the help.

 

Especially if you are switching a DC inductive load, one step would be a large R/C snubber from after the switch to the opposite pole.
If the source is also inductive, then you would use one before the switch also.
Max.

I actually figured out how to control it through a speed controller with a low-voltage switch

Thanks for the replies! Greatly appreciated.