What is the passage switch for?

The device of a special electric circuit with passage switches is a design of two or more products interconnected by electric wires and including the lighting device itself. Externally, this embodiment is no different from the standard. The main distinguishing feature is the design of its contact group. Standard models provide only a short and open circuit. In this article we will consider the device, purpose and principle of operation of the through light switch.

Operating principle

The basis for the operation of loop-through models is the switching of reverse electrical conductors. The principle of operation is as follows: when the position of the keys changes, one circuit opens, and, at the same time, the other closes. Having carefully studied the diagrams below, you can understand how the light-through switch operates:

Because of this arrangement of contacts, the passage switch would be more correctly called a switch. However, since the term has been used for a long time, official changes can only lead to additional confusion. It can also be called cross over, cross and duplicate.

Application area

The use of a passage switch allows the consumer to control both the sole source of illumination and a whole group of fixtures from a number of different places. This means that the application is advisable in areas with a large area: at the stadium, in a large concert hall, tunnel, underpass, basement, or in private multi-storey buildings with stairs and long corridors. Let us illustrate with an example from life what this embodiment is needed for.

Stairway lighting

When a consumer goes up to the second floor of a house and turns on a lamp on the first floor, when using a walk-through switch, they don’t need to return down to turn it off. This allows the tenant to turn off the light from the second floor. We talked about this option for controlling light in an article - staircase lighting schemes in the house.

Very often, the switch is placed precisely in the corridor, or in a long span, hence it has the name "passage". Also, redundant devices can be used to control street lighting in any territories.

Varieties of models

Next, consider what types are among the cross switches:

  • According to the type of wiring, models for external and hidden wiring.
  • The contact terminals inside the housing, depending on the design, can be made with screw terminals, and can also be spring-loaded.
  • Depending on the number of keys, switches with one key, with two keys, as well as with three or more, are distinguished.

Design

What does a single-key walk-through switch and a device with several keys consist of? The one-key fixture consists of three pins; it consists of one input terminal and two output.

The device of the redundant switch already with two keys is as follows: six contacts, that is, two input terminals and six output; with three, nine: three input and six output terminals, and so on.

The legend on the circuit diagram of a conventional switch is a circle from which an L-shaped or T-shaped branch emerges. The L-shaped branch means that it is turned off in open execution, the T-shaped - in hidden execution. The number of branches means the number of keys.

Duplicate switches are depicted using the same figures, however, to distinguish them from standard devices, branches of the L-shaped and T-shaped are applied from two opposite sides of the circle.

Symbol for lighting switches

It is possible to use a passage switch in electrical circuits as usual. As you know, by design, these switches should be used in pairs. If you start to operate it without a pair, then it can serve as a normal switch, simply interrupting the circuit and turning off the light. However, in this case, the usefulness and essence of the application of this particular type of execution is lost, because the main feature of the through-passage switches is their very principle of operation, based on switching.

There is also a way to control light sources, such as wireless light switching. To control the light use a special remote control. The remote control allows turning off / on using a radio signal, directing it to a control relay connected to a lighting device. This event requires the installation of a power unit, which receives the control command. The unit is placed next to the light source, or in places where wires are suitable for it.

We also recommend watching a useful video on the topic, thanks to which you will learn how the switch through passage works and how to properly connect it to the network:

So we examined the device, the principle of operation and the purpose of the passage light switches. We hope the information provided was useful and interesting for you!

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