Switch Max Current

[vaderag]

I'm looking to get a switch to help me modify a lightswitch to handle smart lightbulbs

I already have the 'smart' setup with a momentary switch which controls the smart bulb via zigbee, but I want to have the ability to hard switch the light, should the zigbee or wifi go down.


I'm looking to put one of these onto the switch plate (or similar): https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/401578008252
Description:
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eB...8252&category=58166&pm=1&ds=0&t=1537259542497


My question is - in their description they say
"Switch Rating: 3A/250V AC,
Switch Max Rating: 10A/250V AC "

Which of these should/can I be using? Obviously 10A/250 is fine for lighting circuit, but 3A/250V is 'strictly' too little...

There is only one bulb running on the switch at a measured peak wattage of 10.2W

Can I use this switch?

 

[big-all]

if they are leds they will be probably 12v so around 1/20th off wattage at 230v so 3amps at 230v is probably 50 amps or 60w at 12v allowing a bit for losses

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm looking to put one of these onto the switch plate (or similar): https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/401578008252

Similar.

Definitely similar, from a reputable UK/EU maker/seller, not from that guy:

The problem is that Chinese manufacturers, and Chinese sellers, are outside the jurisdiction of the UK/EU, and far too many of them are making and selling dangerous and illegal products, lying about standards compliance, and so on.

Buying from a UK seller, who is importing from China, and who is bound by UK laws, or buying products from companies who have them made in China, but are bound by UK/EU laws, etc, is one thing, but going direct carries too many risks.

Which of these should/can I be using? Obviously 10A/250 is fine for lighting circuit, but 3A/250V is 'strictly' too little...

I'm not sure what big-all was going on about, as his numbers don't make sense, and I doubt it's the case, but IF you are switching 12V DC then get a switch rated for DC use.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

if they are leds they will be probably 12v so around 1/20th off wattage at 230v so 3amps at 230v is probably 50 amps or 60w at 12v allowing a bit for losses

That's allowing lot - 3A @ 230V Ξ 57.5A @ 12V.

Also, 50A @ 12V = 600W, not 60.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I want to have the ability to hard switch the light, should the zigbee or wifi go down.

Can't help observing that I've never seen anybody with hard-wired lighting controls wanting to put in a redundant second set of wiring in case the first set goes down.

 

[securespark]

Isn't Zigbee wireless?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It is.

And..... ?

 

[bernardgreen]

To use that Chinese switch on mains voltage would be hazardous. The risk of internal failure of insulation is very high.

12 mm outside diameter metal case, internal diameter probably 11 mm ( body 0.5 mm thick ) and the terminals 5.2 mm apart leaves less than 6mm for insulation between metal case and contacts and between the contacts.

 

[vaderag]

Isn't Zigbee wireless?

Yes, but the light bulb still has mains power running to it...
If zigbee goes down, no way to turn the light on without an override

 

[securespark]

It is.

And..... ?

You were saying about putting a second set of wiring in. Is he?

 

[EFLImpudence]

The point being made is that one does not usually hard wire the TV remote to the set just in case the IR fails.

Were one to do that the IR then become redundant.

 

[vaderag]

I think some of you are missing the point

Let me try explain better...

- Problem with wireless lighting (think Philips Hue) is that the switch disables the smart functionality
- To combat this I have wired a switch, currently INSIDE my back box of my lightswitch which does the standard light switch function (turns the power off to the light) and REPLACED the standard switch with a zigbee switch sitting on top of that back box
- This has the result that it LOOKS like a normal switch, behaves a bit more smart (double click will actually control a different lamp, triple click will dim etc)
- There is one problem. If WiFi or Zigbee goes down there is no way to turn the bulb on without taking the cover off the light switch and tripping the internal switch - the one that is in essence the traditional lightswitch)

My plan is to put a small, hard to press, standard switch onto the plate (per the original post) which trips the circuit.
This could plausibly be a NC momentary switch worst case, but best case a latching switch that sits latched unless needed.

Thus having the benefit of a) not needing to remove the cover in 'emergency', b) being able to use the normal light if i need to repair bulbs or something (generally require on/off 5 times) and c) not having to have the light hard wired (not currently as I have a lightswitch I stripped inside the back box)

Hope that makes more sense!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The point being made is that one does not usually hard wire the TV remote to the set just in case the IR fails.

Were one to do that the IR then become redundant.

No - the point I was trying (and clearly failing) to make is that people who have hard-wired light switches don't worry so much about the wiring failing that they want to put in redundant wiring to cope with such a failure because hard-wired switching is sufficiently reliable.

The inference to be drawn from this:

I want to have the ability to hard switch the light, should the zigbee or wifi go down.

is that wireless switching is not sufficiently reliable.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hope that makes more sense!

Since you raised that aspect, I will say that no - none of it makes any sense at all.

 

[JohnW2]

The point being made is that one does not usually hard wire the TV remote to the set just in case the IR fails.

One doesn't - but TVs (almost) invariably come with their own manual controls, which can be used to switch it on/off, change channels etc. If that were not the case, then one might feel the need for some backup (or 'Plan B') in case a single remote control failed (for whatever reason).

I did once come across a portable TV which had no manual controls other than an on/off switch, so when the remote's batteries died, one effectively could not use the TV. I have a few other items like that.

In the earliest days of dimmers, when most would allow a maximum light output of half, or less than half, of that obtained without a dimmer, I usually wired a standard switch in parallel with the dimmer.

When one is reliant on electronics (and electricity) for functionality (e.g. hotel room door locks, car door locks stc.), one hopes that there is some manual 'bypass' option available, 'just in case'.

Kind Regards, John