AMPs for Light Switch

dahermit · Oct 17, 2014

1948 8N, Front Mount, 6-volt.
My headlight switch (an after-market toggle switch), is getting a little shaky. Therefore, I am going to swap it out. I have a toggle switch on hand but it is only rated for 6 AMPS. With two headlights (no taillight), it seems to me that 6 AMPS is a little light for that duty. Shouldn't I get a switch that is rated for about 20 AMPS?

4play · Oct 17, 2014

That's pretty weak for a toggle switch. Are you sure that 6A rating is not for 120V or maybe 12V? Most toggle switch ratings are either considering 120V or 12V. Anyway for 6V, a 6A toggle would handle 36W, that's about the load of one conventional flood headlamp (30-35W)

If you have or find a toggle that's rated "x" for 12V, since you are using 6V you would cut the rating in half. For example a 20A/12V toggle switch would handle 10A/6V or 240watts/12V and 120W/6V. A 20A toggle would be just fine to use and more than enough, even if you added a rear lamp.

Dell (WA) · Oct 17, 2014

dahermit........the dealer installed 6-volt headlite kit used a push-pull (SPST) switch with a 20-amp glass tube fuse. Surprizingly enuff, you'd still use the same 20-amp fused switch for 12-volt headlites.

I agree with yer assessment that 6-amps is a little lite duty fer yer purposed use of 2-headlites. The PROBLEM with dash mounted headlite switch is they ain't WATERPROOF. Therefore they are commonly mounted under the corner of the hood.

Iff'n you still wanna use a toggle switch, gitta MARINE grade toggle switch.....the delighted Dell

souNdguy · Oct 17, 2014

remember when you half the voltage and keep the amps the same.. you half the wattage.

P=EI

Jimmy/N.Alabama · Oct 18, 2014

Respectfully the current rating on the switch at 12 volts is going to be the same at 6 volts. (Just like wire size has a max current rating regardless of the voltage below the max insulating rating) The voltage has nothing to do with the current rating on the switch. The contact size and material decide that (If it is rated for 20 amps at 12 it will handle 20 at 6 just as well) The voltage rating is typically the maximum voltage the switch is rated at. The 12 volt would be the DC Max rating and the 120 would be the AC max rating and I believe that is due to the circuit interrupting rating. The voltage is much lower for the DC rating than the AC rating due to the arcing potential that DC presents to a switch.

And to the OP I agree that 6 amps is not big enough for a headlight switch.

AMPs for Light Switch

dahermit

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4play

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Dell (WA)

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souNdguy

Well-known Member

Jimmy/N.Alabama

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