I hate Radio Shack

From: Doc <doc_at_mdrconsult.com>
Date: Tue Jun 11 22:28:37 2002

On Tue, 11 Jun 2002, Ben Franchuk wrote:

> > Just a sanity check, here. What would be the _DC_ rating of a
> > momentary switch rated at 3A, 125VAC?
> >
> > Doc
>
> About 175 volts. Most 1 farad caps are rated at 5.5 volts.

  I was in Rat Shack yesterday, buying a momentary pushbutton for my
new-old truck. The starter contacts in the ignition switch are fried,
and my little bro has just hot-wired it for 3 years. I wanted to
hot-wire it _neatly_.
  The guy there is accustomed to seeing me come in for DE9 connectors,
hoods, & computer stuff, and always asks "What are you building this
time?" He doesn't know anything, but at least he's curious... I found
a push-button rated at 3A, 125VAC, and brought it up. Darrell says
"Building one from scratch now, are ya?" I told him no, it's a starter
switch for my pickup. He refused to sell it to me, because "Those
starters pull 20 or 30 amps, and that's *DC*, too! That switch will
only stand 1.5 amps, since it's rated at 3A *AC*!"
  I did literally have to go to the other Rat Shack to get my switch.
Which is grossly overrated for that solenoid circuit.
  Jeez.


        Doc
Received on Tue Jun 11 2002 - 22:28:37 BST