Re: Switch Contacts at low voltages


Jon wrote:
On Jan 19, 4:06 am, "PeteS" <PeterSmith1...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Noway2 wrote:
Mark wrote:
PeteS wrote:
Noway2 wrote:
During a design review yesterday, a question was posed to me about
whether or not the customers will need to use gold contacts on the>
Cheers

PeteS- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

Leach International has a nice articel on this topic @
http://www.leachintl2.com/english/english2/vol6/properties/how4.htm
Regards,
Jon

Thank you to you both!

Pete, you have a very good point about the surge currents that would
skyrocket and a limiting resistor would be prudent.

Jon, yes that article does explain a lot about why a contact rated for
one load level is not suitable for another. Of course, in my
application I need to handle the worst case scenario, that being I need
low level of steady state current for the opto, with a high surge of
current to clean a silver contact switch.

Based on some simulations I ran this morning, yes a small capacitor
with a current limiting resistor will supply a surge of current through
the contacts while providing a low level load through the opto.

.