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Re: [Healeys] illuminated toggle/push pull switches -??? ideas?

To: Alan Seigrist <healey.nut@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] illuminated toggle/push pull switches -??? ideas?
From: Richard Ewald <richard.ewald@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 07:47:30 -0700
Alan,
Seriously, you need to think this the rest of the way through.
Assume you are installing driving lights which will be used for 15 minutes per
month. Wherever you install the switch you will have a power supply wire
(let's call it P) and a ground wire called G.
You say to install the switch on wire G because if there is a short to ground
the lights will stay on. This is correct only if the short is on wire G. If
the short is on wire P you get a car-b-que. (more on this in a minute)
I say to put the switch on wire P. You are correct that a short on P will
create a problem, but a short on G will not.
So you are comparing a shorted ground wire on your car to a shorted hot on my
car. Apples to kumquats comparison.
Lastly look at the exposure. On your car P is hot 24/7/365. On my car P is hot
for the 15 minutes a month the driving lights are on. Plus I can cut power to
the circuit with a switch.
An inline fuse should remove any concerns you have about a shorted power wire.
I'm not seeing an advantage to switching the ground.
$.02
Rick
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