Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Here's my thinking. On/on/on all three poles are connected together (no?). Then there is a link between the two sides. One of the poles is grounded so all poles are grounded hense all coils are grounded out.
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

On this type of switch, you never have the common, (center terminal), connected to both sides at once. on/on/on refers to "sequential" operation.

Lets say we start with the switch down. The center is connected to both bottom terminals. When you move the switch to center, the right side only, switches "up". When you move the switch up, the left side then joins.

Like this:

3-way.jpg


Edit: Added handle position to show that contacts go the opposite direction from the handle.
 
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Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Oh!!!! Thanx !!!!!I NEVER knew that!!!! Does that mean that the connections are different for the center position depending upon whether you went from up to center or down to center?
stew

Hmm!!? do those little circles with the lines extending out have something to do with the contact sequence?
 
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Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

stoo said:
Oh!!!! Thanx !!!!!I NEVER knew that!!!! Does that mean that the connections are different for the center position depending upon whether you went from up to center or down to center?

No. The center position will always be the same, regardless of how you got there.

stoo said:
Hmm!!? do those little circles with the lines extending out have something to do with the contact sequence?

Sorry about the confusion. I "cut" that switch out of one of my other drawings to post it here real quick. The next time you see this post, they'll probably be gone. ;)
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Bump . . . added the handle position to that drawing so that folks would know that it goes opposite the contacts.
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Thanx for that Artie!
when you look at one of these switches, Is there any wat to tell which contacts are N/C (no connection) in the center position?
Thanx again.
ps. Now some of these schematics make some sense!!!!
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

The only 3-way switch that I have, right now, is installed in a guitar, but I'm pretty sure its as my diagram shows. If you look at the bottom, left side is connected "down", and right side is connected "up". I'll try to verify this later this weekend.

BTW - and this is important, when you see switches that have the C/NC/NO designations stamped right on the switch, NC means "normally closed", not "no connection". NO is "normally open", and C is "common".

Might save you some headaches when wiring up a switch. ;)

SPDT.jpg
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Bear in mind that there are some import switches that have the connections reversed in the middle position ... most you find will fall into what Artie has illustrated here ...BUT, there are some that the upper left and lower right gets connected instead of what is shown here. The only real way to know is to test the contact connections with a meter. Just so you know, and don't think you are going nuts if you run across one of theose add ball reveresed switches, they are out there, but I haven't run into one in a while.
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Speaking of oddball . . . I've got a bunch of these little toggles, about half the size of a mini-toggle, where the contact position follows the handle position. I've often thought of tearing one open sometime to see how they do that. ;)

I might send you a couple so you can check them out too.
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

ArtieToo said:
Speaking of oddball . . . I've got a bunch of these little toggles, about half the size of a mini-toggle, where the contact position follows the handle position. I've often thought of tearing one open sometime to see how they do that. ;)

I might send you a couple so you can check them out too.

The double fulcrum lever toggle ... :::shudder:::, I thought those things were urban myth of something ... Oh, check your sites e-mail from me.
 
Re: Error in schematic? Or I'm confused!

Kent S. said:
The double fulcrum lever toggle ... :::shudder:::, I thought those things were urban myth of something ...

Nope . . . I'll send you a couple. :laugh2:
 
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