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diy solar

DC switch for light

hdrocknr

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Joined
Sep 2, 2020
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I read somewhere ??? that you could use ac light fixtures with a dc 12 volt bulb to have a wider assortment of fixtures. I bought this fixture at Lowes, wired it to my 12v battery, added the 7w 12v bulb and had light. Put it on the wall to have instant back up light when the power goes off. I have since read that ac switches aren't appropriate for dc application. The switch on this is the one that came on the light. Am I being too cautious or is this an accident /arc-ing /fire waiting to happen?
 

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12V DC at such a low load current should not be an issue for that 120VAC switch.
 
With a low DC voltage and low current you should be fine. DC will arc (like a welder) when the switch is opening. The higher the voltage, the worse it is. Higher current puts more heat into that arc. Arcing can damage the switch and it will not close the circuit or will be welded shut. Those are the typical failures. High enough voltage and if the arc is sustained after the switch is open, then things can go downhill fast.
 
Generally arcing is not a safety issue for such low amperage. It may shorten the life of the switch a bit.
 
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