Repair and Maintenance of Common Electronics Appliances CHAPTER 3: INTRODUCTION TO POWER SWITCHES AND ITS FAULT IDENTIFICATION

3.1 INTRODUCTION: SWITCHES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS A. Switches: An Introduction Switches are a device for making, breaking, or changing the path in an electrical current. Switches are available in a wide variety of types and sizes. They all control the path of an electrical circuit. The amount of current and the number of circuits they switch is the only difference. B. Switch terminology Poles: the number of circuits to be switched. Positions: the number of paths a single circuit can take. Single Pole Single Throw: A switch with only one set of contacts which make or break the path of an electrical circuit. As shown in the figure 3.4 is a Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) Switch. The Switch makes or breaks the path to the light, turning it on or off.

Figure 3.1 SPST switch Double Pole Single Throw: A switch with two sets of contacts which simultaneously make or break the path of two electrical circuits. As shown in the figure 3.5 is a Double Pole Single Throw (DPST) Switch. The Switch makes or breaks the dual path to the light, turning it on or off.

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Figure 3.2 DPST switch Single Pole Double Throw: A switch that simultaneously diverts the path of a single circuit to one of two locations. As shown in the figure 3.3 is a Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) Switch. The Switch makes one path and breaks the other path to the lights, turning one on at a time.

Figure 3.3 SPDT switch

Figure 3.4 DPDT switch

Double Pole Double Throw: A switch that simultaneously diverts the path of two circuits, each to one of two locations. As shown in the figure 3.7 is a Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) Switch. The Switch makes two paths and breaks the other two paths. This demonstrates how to reverse polarity and reverse the direction of a DC motor. Two Single Pole Double Throw Switches are used to control a light. Either switch can turn the light on or off. As shown in the figure 3.8 is the two Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) Switches. The electrical path can be made or broken at either switch.

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Figure 3.5 Two SPDT switch Here, a Single Pole Four Position Switch is used to control four lights. Only one light can be turned on at a time. As shown in the figure 3.9 is a Single Pole Four Position (SP4P) Switch. The electrical path can be made to any one of the four lights. The contact rating must be large enough to handle the load current and it must be rated for the voltage.

Figure 3.6 SP4P switch The same contact ratings will be different for a Resistive Load than for an Inductive Load. A Resistive Load will have the same rating for Make, Break and Continuous amps. An Inductive Load will have a different rating for each Make, Break and Continuous amps. Always use a switch rated for the appliance. A. Types and Application of Switches 1. Tact Switches and Domes 2. Push-Button and Toggle Switches 3. Power Switches 4. Slide Switches 5. Rotary Switches 6. Key Lock Switches

1.

Tact Switches and Domes:

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Typical Applications Low power, miniature devices, digital switching - cell phones etc. Long life typically required, SMT and wash tight capability

Figure 3.7 Tact Switches

2.

Push-button and Toggle Switches: Typical Applications Medium power, bench-size devices, analog switching - audio, measurement equipment etc. Design typically has considerable amount of self-cleaning capability due to contact clean action

Figure 3.8 Push-button and Toggle Switches 3. Power Switches: Typical Applications High power, on-off switching, consumer, industrial - audio, measurement equipment etc. Mechanical latching operation typical, indicator lighting option Most are snap action type construction, with minimal contact wipe

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Repair and Maintenance of Common Electronics Appliances

Figure 3.9 Power Switches

4.

Slide Switches: Typical Applications Low power, on-off switching, consumer, industrial - audio, measurement equipment, toys, low-cost applications etc. Self cleaning contacts due to wiping action (typically)

Figure 3.10 Slide Switches

5.

Rotary Switches: Typical Applications Low power, on-off switching, digital measurement equipment etc. Several contact groupings available, up to 4 poles Self cleaning contacts, due to wiping action

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Figure 3.11 Rotary Switches 6. Key Lock Switches: Typical Applications High power, on-off switching, consumer, industrial - safety lockout capability Multiple positions available Most are sliding action type construction, with substantial contact wipe

Figure 3.12 Key Lock Switches

D. Switches Electrical Ratings 1. Switch Contact Rating Volts AC or Volts DC - measured in VAC or VDC Current Rating - measured in milliamps or amps Electrical Life (cycles under load) Contact Resistance - milli-ohm measurement Contact Material - gold or silver (typically alloyed)

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Repair and Maintenance of Common Electronics Appliances

2. 3. Switches Insulation Rating Insulation Resistance - Meg-ohms Dielectric Withstanding - Volts AC or DC Process Applications: Hand Solder 15 - 30 watt solder iron typical Typical solder iron tip temperature - 650-700 degree F Typical solder stay time - 3 seconds No-clean fluxes generally used, if not, cleaning is required (bottom-side only)

3.2 SINGLE-PHASE POWER SYSTEMS Single Phase power refers to two wire power circuits with one power conductor and one neutral conductor. In the India, 220V is the standard single phase voltage with one 220V power conductor and one neutral conductor. In some countries, 110V is the standard single phase voltage with one 120V power conductor and one neutral conductor. Power flows from power conductor through the load to the neutral conductor. Single phase power system equivalent diagram shown in the figure 3.13 The figure shows a little about the wiring of a practical single phase power circuit.

Figure 3.13 Single Phase system Figure 3.1 shown above is a very simple AC circuit. If the load resistor's power dissipation were large, one may call this a power circuit or power system instead of concerning it as just a regular circuit. B. Practical design calculation and diagnosis of power circuits

The difference between a power circuit and a regular circuit may seem subjective, but the practical concerns are definitely not. One such concern is the size and cost of wiring necessary to deliver power from the AC source to the load. Normally, one does not give much consideration to this type of concern if one simply analyzing a circuit for the sake of learning about the laws of electricity. However, in the real world it can be a major concern. If we give the source in the above circuit a voltage value and also give power dissipation values to the two load resistors, we can determine the wiring needs for this particular circuit: Shown below

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Figure 3.14 Single phase system with 120 V supply As a practical matter, the wiring for the 20 kW loads at 120 Vac is rather important (167 A). I= I= I = 83.33 A I I =I P E

10 kW 120 V

(for each load resistor) + I

= (83.33 A) + (83.33 A) I P P = 166.7 A = (10kW) + (10kW) = 20 kW

83.33 amps for each load resistor in Figure 3.2 add up to 166.66 amps total circuit current. This is no small amount of current, and would necessitate copper wire conductors of at least 1/0 gage is required. Such wire is well over 1/4 inch (6 mm) in diameter, cost over 30 rupees per feet. Bear in mind that copper is not cheap either! It would be in our best interest to find ways to minimize such costs if we were designing a power system with long conductor lengths. One way to do this would be to increase the voltage of the power source and use loads built to dissipate 10 kW each at this higher voltage. The loads, of course, would have to have greater resistance values to dissipate the same power as before (10 kW each) at a greater voltage than before. The advantage would be less current required, permitting the use of smaller, lighter, and cheaper wire as shown in figure below.

Figure 3.15 Single phase system with 220 V supply

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Same 10 kW loads at 240 Vac requires less substantial wiring than at 120 Vac (83 A). I= I= I = 41.67 A I I =I P E

10 kW 240 V

(for each load resistor) + I

= 41.67 A + 41.67 A I = 83.33 A

= (10kW) + (10kW) P = 20 kW

Now our total circuit current is 83.33 amps, half of what it was before. We can now use number 4 gage wire, which weighs less than half of what 1/0 gage wire does per unit length. This is a considerable reduction in system cost with no degradation in performance. This is why power distribution system designers elect to transmit electric power using very high voltages (many thousands of volts): to capitalize on the savings realized by the use of smaller, lighter, cheaper wire.

C.

Review Single phase power systems are defined by having an AC source with only one voltage waveform. A split-phase power system is one with multiple (in-phase) AC voltage sources connected in series, delivering power to loads at more than one voltage, with more than two wires. They are used primarily to achieve balance between system efficiency (low conductor currents) and safety (low load voltages). Split-phase AC sources can be easily created by centre-tapping the coil windings of transformers or alternators.

3.3 DUAL / SPLIT PHASE POWER SYSTEM Dual Phase or Split Phase power is often wrongly referred to as Single Phase. In the India, most households are powered with Dual Phase or Split Phase power. A Dual Phase power arrangement has two power conductors (220V, 220V) out of phase with one another and one neutral conductor. This arrangement provides 220V single phase power circuits and / or 440V dual phase power circuit. This arrangement is used in most India households because of its flexibility. Low power loads (lights, TV, etc.) are powered using either 220V single phase power circuits and high power loads (Water Heaters, AC Compressors) are powered using the 440V dual phase power circuit.

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3.4 THREE PHASE POWER SYSTEM Three Phase power has three power conductors (220V, 220V, 220V) out of phase with one another and one neutral conductor. For better understanding one can consider a 3 Phase 4 Wire 440Y/220V power circuit as three phase system. This arrangement provides 220V single phase power circuits and / or 440V three phase power circuit. This arrangement is used in most commercial building and offices because of its flexibility. Low power loads (lights, TV, etc.) are powered using any 220V single phase power circuits and high power loads (Water Heaters, AC Compressors) are powered using the 440V three phase power circuit.

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