Single or double pole mains switch in USA?

You will probably need to comply with ISO/BS/EN/UL 61010-1:2010 which states:

I can't see anything which requires double-pole switching. I don't have copies of 60947-1 and -3 to check those however.

John

All those IEC specs are expensive, and every one refers to a few more.

Nice racket.

The 'General' specs refer to 'particulars', I think.

Cheers

Opps, its the other way around ;)

Cheers

I believe its only medical products that require double pole and 2 phase equipment.

Cheers

Not for 120V appliances, It's not even allowed, AFAIK.

Probably ungrounded (or balanced).

Not so sure about that. Pretty sure you MUST switch (and probably fuse) the hot side. That means a polarized plug and observing polarity.

I've seen equipment that has a polarized plug and also switches both, thoug h have no idea why they did it. Also I think if you use a non-polarized plu g you have to switch both.

Which brings up a mystery. Working on a DVD/karaoke player. Has a polarize d plug but uses the type of connector you used to see on alot of Technics s tereo equipment. On the back of the unit it will go in both ways. That real ly makes no sense especially since those units only switch one side of the line.

I'm pretty sure what is not allowed is to switch the neutral only.

Pretty sure what people mean when they say that they mean something that runs off 240 volts and therefore, in the US, has two hots. Electricians and the power companies don't call it that but some people do.

They also used to have four phase but I don't see any real advantage to it. Maybe they didn't either because it is apparently long been phased out. (the pun fits...)

Yes, but it is unlikely to matter to your application.

Items that use two HOT wires and ground (developing 240VAC from a pair of

If there is a local safety cutoff switch (for servicing of such items) it too must disconnect both HOT wires. Your box is described as having a removable power cord, so it doesn't need a safety cutoff of this sort.

really?

two leads 90 degree shift..

Now maybe a split phase would be closer since it uses a single secondary with a center tap to get 2 legs 180 degree referenced from the ct.

Really... But then again, I bet you can't be educated anymore than Slowman.

Jamie

There is no need to switch anything (as looking at any consumer electronics will tell you). Polarized plugs aren't required if the unit is double-insulated. I'm not sure about a switch in the double-insulated case though.

That's not safe. A fault in the switch leaves the guts hot but there is no indication of such.

Does it have UL stickers?

Which can happen in your device, above. Dumb.

Thanks all for your comments, looks like a single pole is fine if the inlet is polarised so that I can be sure (FSVO 'sure') it's switching the live.

Cheers

So then a transformer with a center-tapped secondary running on a single-phase supply is a device which converts single-phase to two-phase? You are dumber than a fence post and are much less useful.

How often have you encountered a mains supply with 90 degree phase shift, smart ass?

Equipment like AT-class PCs had an IEC input and two pole mains switch (either integrated into the powersupply or on a flying lead)

dunno why they did that.

Finally someone has mentioned Scott transformation. Beat me to it!

But, according to Philbrick, two phase voltages are only 90 degrees apart. Three phases are 120 degrees apart. Please reconcile that discrepancy.