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it might be useful to extend the discussion to other significant aspects of switches such as voltage and current ratings, design life, environmental requirements, etc.
It seems that we don't have anything to do with network switches. If we already have it, then we need a link to it on this page. --huwr
Is it true that underwater cameras use reed switches ? -- DavidCary 17:19, 26 Jun 2004 (UTC)
it would be great to include the schematic symbols to illustrate the various configurations too. -- Hooperbloob 05:14, 10 Nov 2004 (UTC)
i've tried to deamericanise the page and also added a load of info on names of switch types and a section on multiway switching what do you guys think? Plugwash 16:11, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
I notice you changed my table to the wiki pipe syntax is there a formally expressed preference anywhere for which syntax to use? As for the diagrams they were drawn in mspaint and im not too skilled at drawing i think the diagrams get the points accross though. Plugwash 20:20, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
[Random User Comment of Thanks: I am 57 and this is the first time I understand how the light on the stairs can be turned off by two switches, which I have been wondering about since I was a teenager in my parents' NJ house. Thanks! Pete] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.164.128.251 ( talk) 14:01, 12 September 2007 (UTC)
This is one of those bits of trivia for which I really would like to know the answer: In Britain you flick the switch down for "on" but in America you do the reverse - you flick it up for "on". I have asked no end of authoritative bods about this and no one seems to have a historical answer to explain how and why this came to be. Does anyone here know the answer? MPLX/MH 05:35, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
The reason why in America it is the reverse of how it is done in Britain, is the same reason as why we drive on the left side of the road in the U.S., and not on the right, it is because after going to war against Britain, and winning their independence, the founding fathers did not want to do things like their former oppressors, so everything they would do here would be the opposite of how Britain did it. And well society doesnt easily break with tradition, so since it is done one way in Britain, In tue U.S. it is going to be done the exact opposite —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.134.7.131 ( talk • contribs) 09:11, 12 November 2006
I think it pretty straightforward -- the "low energy" output of the switch corresponds with the "low physical" position of the toggle. High voltage = on = up. Low voltage = off = down = low. Fairly intuitive, no? Ergonomic principle.
Here's a British switch where the "on" position is clearly "over" the off position [1]
I will quote from "Fitting the Task to the Man" 4th edition by Etienne Grandjean ISBN 0-85066-380-6 page 140: "... to switch to 'off' it is instinctive to pull the lever towards the body or move it to the left, or downwards."
The US NEC National Electric Code mandates which way a light switch is oriented, although it doesn't explain "why" Feldercarb ( talk) 15:40, 17 June 2016 (UTC)
Please explain a terminal block and backbox and explain how cable is saved. You seem to need three cables between the boxes in both cases, in addition to the circuit from one box through the light and the power supply back to that box.-- Patrick 20:43, Jan 24, 2005 (UTC)
I have written out the wiring needed. It seems the second method always needs more. I wonder if it has any advantage.-- Patrick 08:56, Jan 25, 2005 (UTC)
I did not add it because it is so useful, related articles should always be linked. Feel free to edit it; maybe we should even change it into a redirect.-- Patrick 14:07, Jan 25, 2005 (UTC)
i have redirected Three-way circuit to here. The old content there was a very us centric howto. If you wish to move that content to a more appropriate place feel free to get it from the history and add an external or sisterproject link to its new home from here. Plugwash 17:34, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
This page could use a section on switch bounce— Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.112.84.15 ( talk) 14:44, 12 August 2005
One way to alleviate switch bounce is if the non-moving contact yielded a little to absorb some of the energy, but this will cause some abrasion which could be an issue after a number of actuations (no abrasion if both pivoted at the same axis/shaft). Charlieb000 ( talk) 02:23, 29 June 2016 (UTC)
I would suggest that the first two columns of the table listing the various switch types be swapped since abbreviations are generally introduced after the concept is described. This would also make the titles easier to grok going from the unwieldy "Electronics Abbreviation | Expansion of abbreviation" to just "Type | abbreviation" --
Hooperbloob 19:53, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
I do not think the switching article should be merged with switch. In my opinion, the former should cover the different ways of breaking a current (in air, oil, SF6, vacuum) and so on, together with the difficulties in swithing inductive currents, small capacitive ones....These are differente topics.
Shouldn't this be here too? Found this text online: The "knife switch" (rarely seen nowadays) is the type that most easily demonstrates the functioning of a switch. Old sci-fi movies ("Frankenstein (1931)" or "Young Frankenstein (1974)" , for example), made extensive use of these switches in the laboratory scenes. Today, use of knife switches has been confined to 1) heavy-duty industrial applications and 2) demonstration purposes - science projects for example. The knife switch has a metal lever, insulated at the 'free end' that comes into contact with a metal 'slot'. Since the electrical connections are exposed, knife switches are never seen in household wiring. Wadsworth 22:38, 20 April 2006 (UTC)
Looking at the hefty 'toggle switches' depicted here, confirms my belief that the name originated from the (fastening) toggle-like external lever. However the article attributes the name to the mechanism ... is there any evidence for the stated name origin ? Or even my suggested origin ? 217.24.204.11 ( talk) 15:00, 11 December 2013 (UTC)
A handful of comments, not meant to be snarky, I just don't have time to go in and edit:
It seems to me that a the page is relatively heavy on AC uses; more info on switching in DC - even TTL/CMOS - would be useful. (I work with PICs and the like and so was pleased to see debouncing mentioned, but this could be beefed up).
Also, Wikipedia's main page on "switch" contains no information about DPST vs DPDT, etc? Seems like a glaring omission to me. Momentary vs. non, number of switchable inputs/outputs, etc., should all be a part of this page. Consider how many students use Wikipedia as their first (but hopefully not last!) research stop online.
Spincycle 14:03, 17 September 2007 (UTC)
There is a mistake in diagrams "3-way switches position 2.svg" and "3-way switches position 4.svg". These both show the neutral line as red, indicating presumably that it's live. But of course it's not. I don't know how to edit pictures so I can't fix this. Occultations ( talk) 23:16, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
The article has a number of undefined abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to a general audience.
There may be other abbreviations that also need to be examined. -- B.D.Mills ( T, C) 04:25, 31 July 2008 (UTC)
Are there really such things as a Mindy switch and a Jamie switch?
Biscuittin (
talk) 13:10, 31 July 2008 (UTC)
- I agree this is spam, and will remove accordingly. Jamie Switch appears to be nothing more than the name of an actor. Could find no such thing as a mindy switch either. —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
65.0.193.228 (
talk) 09:11, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
When were electrical switches invented? -- Beland ( talk) 22:18, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
"When a strongly inductive load such as an electric motor is switched on, an input surge current exists that may be several times larger than the steady-state current. When switched off, the current cannot drop instantaneously to zero; a spark will jump across the opening contacts." The high current that most types of motors draw when switched on has nothing to do with its inductance. Rather it is due to the lack of back-EMF from the stopped motor. Whatever inductance exists actually retards the rise of current for a short time. I propose to edit out all mention of motor starting, which is in any case irrelevant to the matter of arcing when the motor is switched off. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.86.92.198 ( talk) 19:44, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
expert needed. Manually-operated and electrically-operated switches. Limit switches. "Microswitch". Signal, control and power switches. Switch enclosures. Ratings. Actuators - push button, toggle, selector, whisker, lever arm. Pressure switches. float switches. flow switches. temperature switches. AC and DC ratings, physics of contact break. High voltage issues. High current issues. Light switches. History. Reed switch. explosion proof switches. contact wetting phenomena. Industrial, commercial, household wiring applications. Mercury switches and the environment (car bodies, noiseless wall switches). One minute's free-association on the topic shows there's a lot more to be added. -- Wtshymanski ( talk) 18:20, 19 September 2009 (UTC)
The contact-bounce section needed work; but I think you removed both too little and too much: The introduction to the specific methods needs have the category list removed, including "hysteresis", which no longer has a paragraph at all, with the individual methods that remain simply given without trying to fit them into categories. On the other hand, the method with the latch should be reinstated and the fact that it would most likely be done with an SPDT switch made clear. This is an important technique.
The debouncing section has described a number of complicated and expensive debouncing techniques; but I have been unable to get it to at least acknowledge two of the simplest and most effective ones:
o Simply sampling at intervals longer than the longest bounce time will effectively debounce the switch. If the bounces occur between two samples, they will not be seen. Otherwise, if one sample is taken during the bouncing, it will produce either a 1 or a 0. Either way, that sample will agree with either the sample before it or the sample after it, producing only one transition. This technique may be implemented in software, by programming the sample interval, or in hardware, by passing the signal through a flip-flop clocked at the appropriate sample rate.
o When an SPDT switch can be used, it can be wired to drive one or the other inputs of a set-reset latch, which can be constructed, for example, from two simple two-input nand gates, each connected with its output to one of the other gate's inputs. The common of the switch is grounded/earthed, while its other two terminals drive the remaining gate inputs and are pulled up to the supply rail by resistors. Any bouncing as the first contact opens has no effect on the latch, while the first closure of the second contact changes the latch's state. Further bouncing of the second contact has no further effect. Similar results can be arranged with nor gates. with the set-reset inputs of more complex flip-flops if convenient, and in software, by treating the two switch contacts as separate discrete inputs:
bool switchon = switchon ? !offcontactclosed : oncontactclosed;
Bob Nelson —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.54.95.229 ( talk) 20:23, 12 December 2009 (UTC)
Now that a lot of relays are latching, traditional ordinary (non-latching, non-rotary, non-centering) relays are sometimes described as 'single side stable' —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.206.162.148 ( talk) 05:26, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
Looking at those 60617 symbols I don't see where the wires connect. I've seen a large number of European electrical drawings ranging from steel mills to hydro plants to VW cars, and I have never seen these "flag" symbols used in a schematic. Unluckily our office doesn't have access to this IEC standard, but I don't think these are meant for use in electrical schematics. Perhaps they are meant for architectural layout drawings, that is, to show where a light switch would be in a room; not for use in a schematic diagram. Can anyone authenticate the use of these symbols? They look very wrong. -- Wtshymanski ( talk) 14:03, 18 May 2010 (UTC)
No consensus to move. Vegaswikian ( talk) 20:06, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
Switch → Switch (Electronics) – There are an awful lot of potential things that "switch" could be other than electrical switches, and I don't see why electrical switches should have a full hold on the general term "switch" when many other items in that list also go by the general term switch (I came here for network switches). Considering that (I counted 36 "may means") I think it might be more helpful to users to have Switch redirect to Switch (disambiguation) and have this article renamed "Electrical switch". I won't act without consensus, though. What do you think? TheOwlWBU ( talk) 16:39, 6 December 2011 (UTC)
Where in the main page it says Similar to SPDT. Some suppliers use SPCO/SPTT for switches with a stable off position in the centre and SPDT for those without.[citation needed] In common practice, just check any vendor, a switch of this kind is liste as a *PDT, P.E. SPDT, or DPDT, and in no other way. If there is a stable central position its indicated in a note or an ON-OFF-ON switch function is indicated. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Omblauman ( talk • contribs) 03:37, 12 April 2012 (UTC)
I had a look though the article and didn't see any mention of 2 stage switches like those in a camera or some torches neither did I see the kind of switch like the buttons on the gamepads of the playstation 2 or 3 has. Pleasetry ( talk) 03:00, 9 July 2012 (UTC)
A sewing machine pedal is a poor example of a switch, since any modern sewing machine has variable speed control so the pedal is anything but a mere switch, yeah? 217.13.7.24 ( talk) 14:47, 28 September 2012 (UTC)
Does anyone know where I might find a free / CC-by / public domain image of this device, so it can be included here?
History: Motorized rotary switch, rotary solenoid, LEDEX
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=74358
DMahalko ( talk) 05:51, 30 September 2012 (UTC)
The result of the proposal was not to merge.
It is proposed that the article
Whetting current be merged into this article as it already contains a (brief) section under the US spelling of 'wetting current'. This proposal is a result of a lengthy discussion on the source article's
talk page — Preceding
unsigned comment added by
86.159.159.194 (
talk) 14:13, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
There should be a picture near ‘tipping-point mechanism’. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.139.82.82 ( talk) 11:26, 17 September 2015 (UTC)
You both have a point: as Wtshymanski says, the paragraph is an important part of the article; as Voidxor says, it is unsourced. Instead of reverting each other, why not collaborate and source it? -- Chetvorno TALK 04:07, 5 October 2017 (UTC)
Thanks for your involvement in my edit about open and closed terminology and for assuming good faith. While the present text is indeed "already very clear" as you state, in teaching electronics for 50+ years I have found some newcomers initially confused by the use of these terms. Would you be amenable to footnotes at the same location as follows?
If this is going too far, how about only using the last mentioned reference, which addresses this.
JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 19:49, 17 April 2018 (UTC)
Thanks for moving this here, I should have put it here. I spent three years teaching electronics in India. I taught in English, but Hindi uses the word "band" to mean "off" even though it means "closed". Thus in Hindi "the circuit is closed" meant no current flowing, but in English would be "the circuit is off or open". This caused my students lots of confusion, even if I didn't use the water analogy. Perhaps 50 years on, this confusion is resolved. I don't know if other languages have this issue, but I suspect some might. Even with native English speakers I have seen confusion as it is the English usage that is illogical IMHO, though well established. I certainly don't want to cause additional confusion. Comments by others appreciated. JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 20:52, 17 April 2018 (UTC)
This isn't just confusing to Hindi speakers, although it was there where I realized that it is the English usage which is illogical, based on the normal meanings of closed and open. An online textbook states, ( https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-1/resistance/</) "This terminology is often confusing to the new student of electronics, because the words “open” and “closed” are commonly understood in the context of a door, where “open” is equated with free passage and “closed” with blockage. With electrical switches, these terms have opposite meaning: “open” means no flow while “closed” means free passage of electrons." They felt it useful to include this comment along with some nice knife switch pictures.
This switch seller felt the need to clarify: https://www.theautomationstore.com/electrical-contacts-normally-open-and-normally-closed-contacts/
Stores selling switches to non technical folks might feel the need to belabour this point. I myself once sold a switch on Ebay and the buyer got it wrong at this point.
On the other hand there are many text book and online explanations of open and closed switches that don't mention this possible confusion. So I am OK with or without the clarification. There are numerous logical inconsistencies in any language that seem perfectly logical to those who grew up with them. We only see them when someone raises the question.
Riddle: When does "the north bridge is still open" mean that cars can't cross? Answer: When the "North bridge" is a drawbridge.
JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 22:39, 19 April 2018 (UTC)
Chetvorno, present lead section is too much uninformative and unstructured and was added by IP editor. I am restructuring it because it doesn't reflect article. Kindly, know your opinion on this after I am done with it.-- Harshil want to talk? 13:17, 9 December 2019 (UTC)
network switch is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device. A network switch is a multiport network bridge that uses MAC addresses to forward data at the data link layer of the OSI model. 2001:8F8:1735:1C67:35E6:7374:6B51:3111 ( talk) 13:34, 18 November 2022 (UTC)
I moved most of this article's "Electronic switches" section to an already-existing article Electronic switch, and am having just a small paragraph in this article that points to that article. So let's try to keep the scope of this article limited primarily to mechanical switches, and put switches that are electronically-controlled or are solid-state or use active devices or are otherwise are better categorized "electronic" in that other Electronic switch article. Em3rgent0rdr ( talk) 21:07, 28 June 2023 (UTC)
This is the
talk page for discussing improvements to the
Switch article. This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject. |
Article policies
|
Find sources: Google ( books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL |
![]() | This ![]() It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | ||||||||||||||||||||
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it might be useful to extend the discussion to other significant aspects of switches such as voltage and current ratings, design life, environmental requirements, etc.
It seems that we don't have anything to do with network switches. If we already have it, then we need a link to it on this page. --huwr
Is it true that underwater cameras use reed switches ? -- DavidCary 17:19, 26 Jun 2004 (UTC)
it would be great to include the schematic symbols to illustrate the various configurations too. -- Hooperbloob 05:14, 10 Nov 2004 (UTC)
i've tried to deamericanise the page and also added a load of info on names of switch types and a section on multiway switching what do you guys think? Plugwash 16:11, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
I notice you changed my table to the wiki pipe syntax is there a formally expressed preference anywhere for which syntax to use? As for the diagrams they were drawn in mspaint and im not too skilled at drawing i think the diagrams get the points accross though. Plugwash 20:20, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
[Random User Comment of Thanks: I am 57 and this is the first time I understand how the light on the stairs can be turned off by two switches, which I have been wondering about since I was a teenager in my parents' NJ house. Thanks! Pete] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.164.128.251 ( talk) 14:01, 12 September 2007 (UTC)
This is one of those bits of trivia for which I really would like to know the answer: In Britain you flick the switch down for "on" but in America you do the reverse - you flick it up for "on". I have asked no end of authoritative bods about this and no one seems to have a historical answer to explain how and why this came to be. Does anyone here know the answer? MPLX/MH 05:35, 11 Jan 2005 (UTC)
The reason why in America it is the reverse of how it is done in Britain, is the same reason as why we drive on the left side of the road in the U.S., and not on the right, it is because after going to war against Britain, and winning their independence, the founding fathers did not want to do things like their former oppressors, so everything they would do here would be the opposite of how Britain did it. And well society doesnt easily break with tradition, so since it is done one way in Britain, In tue U.S. it is going to be done the exact opposite —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.134.7.131 ( talk • contribs) 09:11, 12 November 2006
I think it pretty straightforward -- the "low energy" output of the switch corresponds with the "low physical" position of the toggle. High voltage = on = up. Low voltage = off = down = low. Fairly intuitive, no? Ergonomic principle.
Here's a British switch where the "on" position is clearly "over" the off position [1]
I will quote from "Fitting the Task to the Man" 4th edition by Etienne Grandjean ISBN 0-85066-380-6 page 140: "... to switch to 'off' it is instinctive to pull the lever towards the body or move it to the left, or downwards."
The US NEC National Electric Code mandates which way a light switch is oriented, although it doesn't explain "why" Feldercarb ( talk) 15:40, 17 June 2016 (UTC)
Please explain a terminal block and backbox and explain how cable is saved. You seem to need three cables between the boxes in both cases, in addition to the circuit from one box through the light and the power supply back to that box.-- Patrick 20:43, Jan 24, 2005 (UTC)
I have written out the wiring needed. It seems the second method always needs more. I wonder if it has any advantage.-- Patrick 08:56, Jan 25, 2005 (UTC)
I did not add it because it is so useful, related articles should always be linked. Feel free to edit it; maybe we should even change it into a redirect.-- Patrick 14:07, Jan 25, 2005 (UTC)
i have redirected Three-way circuit to here. The old content there was a very us centric howto. If you wish to move that content to a more appropriate place feel free to get it from the history and add an external or sisterproject link to its new home from here. Plugwash 17:34, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
This page could use a section on switch bounce— Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.112.84.15 ( talk) 14:44, 12 August 2005
One way to alleviate switch bounce is if the non-moving contact yielded a little to absorb some of the energy, but this will cause some abrasion which could be an issue after a number of actuations (no abrasion if both pivoted at the same axis/shaft). Charlieb000 ( talk) 02:23, 29 June 2016 (UTC)
I would suggest that the first two columns of the table listing the various switch types be swapped since abbreviations are generally introduced after the concept is described. This would also make the titles easier to grok going from the unwieldy "Electronics Abbreviation | Expansion of abbreviation" to just "Type | abbreviation" --
Hooperbloob 19:53, 2 October 2005 (UTC)
I do not think the switching article should be merged with switch. In my opinion, the former should cover the different ways of breaking a current (in air, oil, SF6, vacuum) and so on, together with the difficulties in swithing inductive currents, small capacitive ones....These are differente topics.
Shouldn't this be here too? Found this text online: The "knife switch" (rarely seen nowadays) is the type that most easily demonstrates the functioning of a switch. Old sci-fi movies ("Frankenstein (1931)" or "Young Frankenstein (1974)" , for example), made extensive use of these switches in the laboratory scenes. Today, use of knife switches has been confined to 1) heavy-duty industrial applications and 2) demonstration purposes - science projects for example. The knife switch has a metal lever, insulated at the 'free end' that comes into contact with a metal 'slot'. Since the electrical connections are exposed, knife switches are never seen in household wiring. Wadsworth 22:38, 20 April 2006 (UTC)
Looking at the hefty 'toggle switches' depicted here, confirms my belief that the name originated from the (fastening) toggle-like external lever. However the article attributes the name to the mechanism ... is there any evidence for the stated name origin ? Or even my suggested origin ? 217.24.204.11 ( talk) 15:00, 11 December 2013 (UTC)
A handful of comments, not meant to be snarky, I just don't have time to go in and edit:
It seems to me that a the page is relatively heavy on AC uses; more info on switching in DC - even TTL/CMOS - would be useful. (I work with PICs and the like and so was pleased to see debouncing mentioned, but this could be beefed up).
Also, Wikipedia's main page on "switch" contains no information about DPST vs DPDT, etc? Seems like a glaring omission to me. Momentary vs. non, number of switchable inputs/outputs, etc., should all be a part of this page. Consider how many students use Wikipedia as their first (but hopefully not last!) research stop online.
Spincycle 14:03, 17 September 2007 (UTC)
There is a mistake in diagrams "3-way switches position 2.svg" and "3-way switches position 4.svg". These both show the neutral line as red, indicating presumably that it's live. But of course it's not. I don't know how to edit pictures so I can't fix this. Occultations ( talk) 23:16, 27 April 2008 (UTC)
The article has a number of undefined abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to a general audience.
There may be other abbreviations that also need to be examined. -- B.D.Mills ( T, C) 04:25, 31 July 2008 (UTC)
Are there really such things as a Mindy switch and a Jamie switch?
Biscuittin (
talk) 13:10, 31 July 2008 (UTC)
- I agree this is spam, and will remove accordingly. Jamie Switch appears to be nothing more than the name of an actor. Could find no such thing as a mindy switch either. —Preceding
unsigned comment added by
65.0.193.228 (
talk) 09:11, 7 November 2008 (UTC)
When were electrical switches invented? -- Beland ( talk) 22:18, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
"When a strongly inductive load such as an electric motor is switched on, an input surge current exists that may be several times larger than the steady-state current. When switched off, the current cannot drop instantaneously to zero; a spark will jump across the opening contacts." The high current that most types of motors draw when switched on has nothing to do with its inductance. Rather it is due to the lack of back-EMF from the stopped motor. Whatever inductance exists actually retards the rise of current for a short time. I propose to edit out all mention of motor starting, which is in any case irrelevant to the matter of arcing when the motor is switched off. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.86.92.198 ( talk) 19:44, 20 August 2009 (UTC)
expert needed. Manually-operated and electrically-operated switches. Limit switches. "Microswitch". Signal, control and power switches. Switch enclosures. Ratings. Actuators - push button, toggle, selector, whisker, lever arm. Pressure switches. float switches. flow switches. temperature switches. AC and DC ratings, physics of contact break. High voltage issues. High current issues. Light switches. History. Reed switch. explosion proof switches. contact wetting phenomena. Industrial, commercial, household wiring applications. Mercury switches and the environment (car bodies, noiseless wall switches). One minute's free-association on the topic shows there's a lot more to be added. -- Wtshymanski ( talk) 18:20, 19 September 2009 (UTC)
The contact-bounce section needed work; but I think you removed both too little and too much: The introduction to the specific methods needs have the category list removed, including "hysteresis", which no longer has a paragraph at all, with the individual methods that remain simply given without trying to fit them into categories. On the other hand, the method with the latch should be reinstated and the fact that it would most likely be done with an SPDT switch made clear. This is an important technique.
The debouncing section has described a number of complicated and expensive debouncing techniques; but I have been unable to get it to at least acknowledge two of the simplest and most effective ones:
o Simply sampling at intervals longer than the longest bounce time will effectively debounce the switch. If the bounces occur between two samples, they will not be seen. Otherwise, if one sample is taken during the bouncing, it will produce either a 1 or a 0. Either way, that sample will agree with either the sample before it or the sample after it, producing only one transition. This technique may be implemented in software, by programming the sample interval, or in hardware, by passing the signal through a flip-flop clocked at the appropriate sample rate.
o When an SPDT switch can be used, it can be wired to drive one or the other inputs of a set-reset latch, which can be constructed, for example, from two simple two-input nand gates, each connected with its output to one of the other gate's inputs. The common of the switch is grounded/earthed, while its other two terminals drive the remaining gate inputs and are pulled up to the supply rail by resistors. Any bouncing as the first contact opens has no effect on the latch, while the first closure of the second contact changes the latch's state. Further bouncing of the second contact has no further effect. Similar results can be arranged with nor gates. with the set-reset inputs of more complex flip-flops if convenient, and in software, by treating the two switch contacts as separate discrete inputs:
bool switchon = switchon ? !offcontactclosed : oncontactclosed;
Bob Nelson —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.54.95.229 ( talk) 20:23, 12 December 2009 (UTC)
Now that a lot of relays are latching, traditional ordinary (non-latching, non-rotary, non-centering) relays are sometimes described as 'single side stable' —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.206.162.148 ( talk) 05:26, 11 March 2010 (UTC)
Looking at those 60617 symbols I don't see where the wires connect. I've seen a large number of European electrical drawings ranging from steel mills to hydro plants to VW cars, and I have never seen these "flag" symbols used in a schematic. Unluckily our office doesn't have access to this IEC standard, but I don't think these are meant for use in electrical schematics. Perhaps they are meant for architectural layout drawings, that is, to show where a light switch would be in a room; not for use in a schematic diagram. Can anyone authenticate the use of these symbols? They look very wrong. -- Wtshymanski ( talk) 14:03, 18 May 2010 (UTC)
No consensus to move. Vegaswikian ( talk) 20:06, 13 December 2011 (UTC)
Switch → Switch (Electronics) – There are an awful lot of potential things that "switch" could be other than electrical switches, and I don't see why electrical switches should have a full hold on the general term "switch" when many other items in that list also go by the general term switch (I came here for network switches). Considering that (I counted 36 "may means") I think it might be more helpful to users to have Switch redirect to Switch (disambiguation) and have this article renamed "Electrical switch". I won't act without consensus, though. What do you think? TheOwlWBU ( talk) 16:39, 6 December 2011 (UTC)
Where in the main page it says Similar to SPDT. Some suppliers use SPCO/SPTT for switches with a stable off position in the centre and SPDT for those without.[citation needed] In common practice, just check any vendor, a switch of this kind is liste as a *PDT, P.E. SPDT, or DPDT, and in no other way. If there is a stable central position its indicated in a note or an ON-OFF-ON switch function is indicated. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Omblauman ( talk • contribs) 03:37, 12 April 2012 (UTC)
I had a look though the article and didn't see any mention of 2 stage switches like those in a camera or some torches neither did I see the kind of switch like the buttons on the gamepads of the playstation 2 or 3 has. Pleasetry ( talk) 03:00, 9 July 2012 (UTC)
A sewing machine pedal is a poor example of a switch, since any modern sewing machine has variable speed control so the pedal is anything but a mere switch, yeah? 217.13.7.24 ( talk) 14:47, 28 September 2012 (UTC)
Does anyone know where I might find a free / CC-by / public domain image of this device, so it can be included here?
History: Motorized rotary switch, rotary solenoid, LEDEX
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=74358
DMahalko ( talk) 05:51, 30 September 2012 (UTC)
The result of the proposal was not to merge.
It is proposed that the article
Whetting current be merged into this article as it already contains a (brief) section under the US spelling of 'wetting current'. This proposal is a result of a lengthy discussion on the source article's
talk page — Preceding
unsigned comment added by
86.159.159.194 (
talk) 14:13, 18 November 2012 (UTC)
There should be a picture near ‘tipping-point mechanism’. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.139.82.82 ( talk) 11:26, 17 September 2015 (UTC)
You both have a point: as Wtshymanski says, the paragraph is an important part of the article; as Voidxor says, it is unsourced. Instead of reverting each other, why not collaborate and source it? -- Chetvorno TALK 04:07, 5 October 2017 (UTC)
Thanks for your involvement in my edit about open and closed terminology and for assuming good faith. While the present text is indeed "already very clear" as you state, in teaching electronics for 50+ years I have found some newcomers initially confused by the use of these terms. Would you be amenable to footnotes at the same location as follows?
If this is going too far, how about only using the last mentioned reference, which addresses this.
JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 19:49, 17 April 2018 (UTC)
Thanks for moving this here, I should have put it here. I spent three years teaching electronics in India. I taught in English, but Hindi uses the word "band" to mean "off" even though it means "closed". Thus in Hindi "the circuit is closed" meant no current flowing, but in English would be "the circuit is off or open". This caused my students lots of confusion, even if I didn't use the water analogy. Perhaps 50 years on, this confusion is resolved. I don't know if other languages have this issue, but I suspect some might. Even with native English speakers I have seen confusion as it is the English usage that is illogical IMHO, though well established. I certainly don't want to cause additional confusion. Comments by others appreciated. JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 20:52, 17 April 2018 (UTC)
This isn't just confusing to Hindi speakers, although it was there where I realized that it is the English usage which is illogical, based on the normal meanings of closed and open. An online textbook states, ( https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-1/resistance/</) "This terminology is often confusing to the new student of electronics, because the words “open” and “closed” are commonly understood in the context of a door, where “open” is equated with free passage and “closed” with blockage. With electrical switches, these terms have opposite meaning: “open” means no flow while “closed” means free passage of electrons." They felt it useful to include this comment along with some nice knife switch pictures.
This switch seller felt the need to clarify: https://www.theautomationstore.com/electrical-contacts-normally-open-and-normally-closed-contacts/
Stores selling switches to non technical folks might feel the need to belabour this point. I myself once sold a switch on Ebay and the buyer got it wrong at this point.
On the other hand there are many text book and online explanations of open and closed switches that don't mention this possible confusion. So I am OK with or without the clarification. There are numerous logical inconsistencies in any language that seem perfectly logical to those who grew up with them. We only see them when someone raises the question.
Riddle: When does "the north bridge is still open" mean that cars can't cross? Answer: When the "North bridge" is a drawbridge.
JNRSTANLEY ( talk) 22:39, 19 April 2018 (UTC)
Chetvorno, present lead section is too much uninformative and unstructured and was added by IP editor. I am restructuring it because it doesn't reflect article. Kindly, know your opinion on this after I am done with it.-- Harshil want to talk? 13:17, 9 December 2019 (UTC)
network switch is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device. A network switch is a multiport network bridge that uses MAC addresses to forward data at the data link layer of the OSI model. 2001:8F8:1735:1C67:35E6:7374:6B51:3111 ( talk) 13:34, 18 November 2022 (UTC)
I moved most of this article's "Electronic switches" section to an already-existing article Electronic switch, and am having just a small paragraph in this article that points to that article. So let's try to keep the scope of this article limited primarily to mechanical switches, and put switches that are electronically-controlled or are solid-state or use active devices or are otherwise are better categorized "electronic" in that other Electronic switch article. Em3rgent0rdr ( talk) 21:07, 28 June 2023 (UTC)