3-gang light switch current rating.

Don't be giving POCO's any ideas.
Which is why the UK among other places had coin operated interior electric meters.
Literally: feed the meter for heat. Poor? Heard the kids outside, beg for some coind, bring them back to turn the heat back on for grandma.

The UK has a long history of the use of coin-operated meters, which allow a customer to pay for his electricity as he consumes it. By the late 1970s there were growing problems with coin operated meters.

  • They were unreliable, the average ‘life’ on circuit being typically 4–5 years before needing attention.
  • Although the customer paid in advance, the cash stayed in his meter until collected; hence it was not true prepayment from the utility viewpoint.
  • Cash was stolen from meters during burglaries, leaving the customer responsible for replacing it (and some customers ‘stole’ from their own meter). A meter might typically contain in excess of £100 between collections.
  • Staff collecting cash were targeted by criminals in robberies, to the extent that some collections had to be carried out using armoured vans.
The electricity industry (EI) therefore encouraged research into alternative methods whereby prepayment facilities could be given without involving cash at the customer premises. Papers from that time record trials of, for instance, plastic ‘coins’ which were crushed after insertion into the meter, and magnetic card tickets being developed by London Transport for the Underground system.

 
Last edited:
I know of a few people that have their service disconnected nearly every month for non payment. They might like this idea in some ways. Sure is inconvenient when it runs out, but you maybe only need a couple dollars and some smart management of usage and can get by a day or two and can turn it back on at any time of day and not have to wait for someone else to turn it on at their convenience.
 
Can a 6A 3-gang light switch support 6 Amps on all three gangs, or is it a total of 6 amps? Let's say one gang is connected to a 3 amp light circuit, another to a 2 amp light circuit, and a third to a 4 amp light circuit. Will it damage the switch?
Depending on how you wire this circuit and how many branch circuits involved

If using one 20 ampere branch circuit and paralleling the line, you only have a maximum of 6 amperes pere paralleled line to each 3 switches. The switchs only runs 6 amperes each, while the total 1 branch sees 18 amperes and should not damage the switch
 
Depending on how you wire this circuit and how many branch circuits involved

If using one 20 ampere branch circuit and paralleling the line, you only have a maximum of 6 amperes pere paralleled line to each 3 switches. The switchs only runs 6 amperes each, while the total 1 branch sees 18 amperes and should not damage the switch
Most these I've seen only have one common terminal so only going to be used on one branch circuit. At least when there is three switches on a single yoke. Two switches, particularly the ones that take a "duplex style cover plate" typically have two common terminals but have separable tab for separate circuits similar to how duplex receptacles are commonly designed.

The old Despard devices are a different ball game though.
 
That doesn't sound correct. I have seen 15 amp 3 switch units. Do you think they could handle 45 amps? I know it isn't realistic but....


View attachment 2576719
I assumed he was referring to a 3 way switch where
That doesn't sound correct. I have seen 15 amp 3 switch units. Do you think they could handle 45 amps? I know it isn't realistic but....


View attachment 2576719
I misunderstood, I thought he was referring to a 3-way switch.
 
Top