Rotary switches, what the hell?

[ThomasP]

Hello everybody,

I recently bought a 3P4T rotary switch for switching pickups and can't figure out how this thing work. I try to find information on the internet but I still can't understand.

So there is 3 poles with 4 ways connected to it but why is there 4 position on the switch if there is 3 poles?

My goal is to achieve neck pickup on position 1, bridge pickup on position 2 and both in parralel in position 3... how can I do that ? There will be wire jumping in the process but where ?

Thank you very much

[freefrog]

Related page:

https://elcom-in.com/a-comprehensive-guide-on-the-types-applications-and-operation-of-rotary-switches/

3 poles / 4 positions is pictured @ bottom left of this pic:

https://elcom-in.com/a-comprehensive-guide-on-the-types-applications-and-operation-of-rotary-switches/

1st position: pole 1 goes to lug 1, pole 2 to lug 5, pole 3 to lug to lug 9.
2d position: pole 1 to lug 2, pole 2 to lug 6, pole 3 to lug 10.
3d position: pole 1 to lug 3, pole 2 to lug 7, pole 3 to lug 11.
4th position: pole 1 to lug 4, pole 2 to lug 8, pole 3 to lug 12.

The "hardest" part of the problem is to find where is lug 1. A DMM is not even necessary : watching attentively physical contacts in the switch should give the answer... The rest should follow, logically .

More later maybe, it time permits. FWIW. HTH. :-)

EDIT- See there: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/foru...h-3-pole-4-way

[ThomasP]

Thank you I was so wrong about how this switch work.

[beaubrummels]

Basically, the center are the poles and the outside lugs are the throws. You just have to ID which outside throws go with which inside poles, simply by testing continuity as you rotate the switch.