Replacing lighted wall switch

[vcrt]

I wonder if anyone knows if a switch I just bought will work as a replacement for the original lighted wall switch that is broken (John?). The original reads: LR 2095 and the ratings are 16A 125V 12A 250VAC 1/3 HP 125-250 VAC
There are white, black and orange wires plugged into the back of the switch and it's mounted outside the bathroom door and controls the overhead light in the bathroom. I would say almost positively that the light is 12V and so, I bought a switch (the only one I could find at NAPA) that reads for 20A 12VDC 24oW.
Should I return this one and keep looking for (probably have to go to RV store) the same one, or is it safe to use?
Thanks,
Rich

[mainah]

Yes the switch would work as long as it's a 12 volt circuit. If the light comes on when the camper is not plugged in it's 12 volt. The switch ratings are different for AC and DC but either way the current rating is more then enough. The thing I don't get is how did a 120 volt lighted switch work on 12 volts? The switch would work fine it's the light that bothers me.

[vcrt]

I installed it, it works!
Thanks,
Rich

[Wannabes]

Originally Posted by mainah

Yes the switch would work as long as it's a 12 volt circuit. If the light comes on when the camper is not plugged in it's 12 volt. The switch ratings are different for AC and DC but either way the current rating is more then enough. The thing I don't get is how did a 120 volt lighted switch work on 12 volts? The switch would work fine it's the light that bothers me.

Is it possible that Sunline spec'd a switch that would handle either/or? That is, they used a component that was not DC-specific, but was rated for a certain number of amps with DC, and another with AC.

I used to encounter this quite often in my previous career with relays and contactors: they were useable with both types of current, and bore the specifications for both applications.

[vcrt]

I guess that would simplify the assembly process.
Rich

[mainah]

Yes both will work but the rating of a DC switch reflects the snap action of a DC switch because they are prone to arcing on disconnect under load more so then a switch in an AC circuit. In the case of a light switch it would pose no problem but in higher current loads it becomes more of an issue.

[JohnB]

Hi Rich,

I see you have this all working now. Good. I called Sunline one time when I added the Turbo Maxx fan to my bath wall switch. I remember the guy in engineering listing off the 125 AC ratings and amps that it had plenty of capacity and it will on 12 volts.

The light in your old switch, well that had to of been changed the bulb out some how. 12 volts into a 125 volt rated bulb will not even glow much.

[vcrt]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Hi Rich,

The light in your old switch, well that had to of been changed the bulb out some how. 12 volts into a 125 volt rated bulb will not even glow much.

That's interesting!
Rich

[JohnB]

I had to look this up to remember it right, here is a simplest explanation,

Wiki States:
Lamps designed for different voltages have different luminous efficacy. For example, a 100-watt, 120-volt lamp will produce about 17.1 lumens per watt. A lamp with the same rated lifetime but designed for 230 V would produce only around 12.8 lumens per watt, and a similar lamp designed for 30 volts (train lighting) would produce as much as 19.8 lumens per watt.[35] Lower voltage lamps have a thicker filament, for the same power rating. They can run hotter for the same lifetime before the filament evaporates.

The wires used to support the filament make it mechanically stronger, but remove heat, creating another tradeoff between efficiency and long life. Many general-service 120-volt lamps use no additional support wires, but lamps designed for "rough service" or "vibration service" may have as many as five. Low-voltage lamps have filaments made of heavier wire and do not require additional support wires.

Very low voltages are inefficient since the lead wires would conduct too much heat away from the filament, so the practical lower limit for incandescent lamps is 1.5 volts. Very long filaments for high voltages are fragile, and lamp bases become more difficult to insulate, so lamps for illumination are not made with rated voltages over 300 volts

Here is the whole thing. This insert is came from the bottom.
Incandescent light bulb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[vcrt]

Hey, my trailer didn't burn up, so I must've done it right!
Rich

[EMD_Driver]

Originally Posted by vcrt

Hey, my trailer didn't burn up, so I must've done it right!
Rich

That's always a good thing!