Modding What kind of switches can be used in a 12v molex lines to turn off fans/ccfls etc.

Im not an electrically minded guy and I dont have a clue about amps and current etc, so ratings of switches confuse me

Can anyone link me to some toggle switches or nice lookin switches of any kind that I could use to turn off fans when theyre not needed? Preferabley in the UK but other links may help me to learn Been looking around maplins website and just confusing myself even more

Cheers
Retro

 

Pretty much any switch will do that.

Post some you like and we'll tell you if they'll manage it.

 

Cheers

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2340&doy=24m6

Heres some nice lookin toggle switches, so they should be up to the job then?

Thanks
Retro

EDIT: BTW atomic nice avatar

 

Yeah they'll manage it no problems!

 

im no electronics expert, but i tend to find most fans and such have a sticker on them somewhere saying something like "12V 0.14A" or similar. i just added up the amps (i figured that the 12v would remain constant and the amps would increase) and checked against my switches. most of them were rated like the switches you posted, like 120V 1A, so as long as i stay under 1A, i figure my switches will be fine. saying most of my fans are somewhere around 0.12 amps, i have plenty of margin.

this is probably the part where someone who actually knows something about electronics posts something like "omgomgomg how have you not blown yourself up yet! this is how you work it out!"

 

omgomgomg how have you not blown yourself up yet! this is how you work it out!




j/k.

 

lol, righto thanks for the info

*goes to order some switches *

Retro

 

automotive switches are built to take way more amps than a computer will ever put out, and are 12v too...

 

Automotive switches are made for a DC load, a switch designed for only AC loads will often need to be downmarked for DC application.

Example: a switch that can handle 1A 24V AC, can in a worst case scenario break from as little as 0.1A 12V DC. Not immediately ofcourse, but after relatively few operations.

This is especially true if you are running non resistive loads such as fans and CCFL inverters, wich have a high innitial load, and are inductive.
A DC inductive load will wear down the contact elements really fast in a switch not made for DC operation.

Allso, the marking on a switch is allmost allways for resistive loads.
Mark down the current if you are running DC on a switch marked only for low voltage AC (from what i have found, the 12V DC current tolerance is usually near the 250V AC current tolerance for a great part of switches, this is a fairly good comparison to remember)
Mark down the current if you are running non-resistive loads (in computers, anything that is not a LED or peltier).