12v Light Switch: Can You Use a 120v Light Switch For 12v?
In the never-ending quest to cut down on expenses, people look for alternatives. One of those quests is to replace a 12 volt light switch with a 120 volt light switch. The only real question is, is the savings significant enough to do this switch?
Can you use a 120v light switch for 12v? Yes, you can use a 120v light switch for 12v. The key will be in wiring the new 120 volt light switch correctly. If you don’t the wires can get very hot and cause some problems later. It may be best to have a pro wire in those new light switches and save yourself those problems.
To learn more about replacing 12 volt light switches with 120-volt ones, just keep reading our article. It has the information you want to know about before you start wiring switches and wires together. take a few minutes and get up to speed on this important topic.
120v Vs 12v Light Switch 101
Can I Use a 120v Switch For 12v?
The numbers tell you the rating of the light switch. 12 volts is lower than 120 volts and a 120 volt light switch is rated to handle 120 volts but no more. This means that it should be perfectly safe to take out the 12-volt switch and replace it with a 120 volt one.
The key would be to make sure the wires do not bring anything more than 120 volts to the switch. However, the reverse is not true and you cannot replace a 120 volt light switch with a 12 volt one.
You have to be careful when wiring the switch to the battery. Both wires cannot be attached to the light switch or you may cause the wires to heat up and get damaged. There is a special way to wire everything together and you have to make sure the positive wire gets to the load while the negative wire directly back to the power source.
If you do not like working with electricity it is best to hire a professional who knows what they are doing to do the job for you. The money you spend hiring the professional is still saving in comparison to the money you spend if something happens later on.
Using a House Light Switch For DC
It is probably best to not even attempt this switch. There are too many complications that arise when trying to use something designed for AC on a DC system. One of those complications is that the switch would not last.
Or it will arc very badly not too long after you installed it. If you are very sure you want to use an AC switch, you have to make sure that the power wire to it is very minimal.
Then if you are using this 120-volt switch in your RV or trailer, be extra cautious. Batteries are known to send a lot of current through the system from time to time. When they do, the risk of a fire is very great.
They also do not work very well. it would be better to find a switch that worked with both AC and DC than trying to wire in an AC-only switch. Talk to professionals before you do this as the cost for an AC/DC switch is not that much more expensive than an AC-only switch.
They will give you some good pointers and let you know how much work is involved in making this switch. Along with any risks you may be taking.
Finding a 12v Light Switch (Best Options)
12-volt switches are everywhere. The most likely place you can find them will be in any top-quality department or hardware store in their electrical sections. The need for this type of switch is great due to the high number of RVs and travel trailers that are on the road these days.
The ultimate best source would be Amazon as their website is flooded with different 12-volt switch options. You may be overwhelmed by the results you get when you type in the words 12-volt switches.
Also, you can try eBay. Not sure what their selection is like but many people use that marketplace to make money through a second business venture. Their prices will vary depending on the number of switches placed in one package.
Next up would be the different stores dedicated to selling lights and lighting supplies. They should have some good 12-volt switches on hand. Not sure how their prices will be as specialty stores often have higher prices than other outlets.
Then if you can afford it, check out the different RV accessory stores that dot the landscape. This is probably your most expensive outlet but at least you know their switches are made for RVs and trailers.
Electrical supply shops are another good source and you should be able to find a few of them in your home town or even when you are in a strange city.
12v Dimmer Switch For Led Lights
The best place to start to look for this light switch is on the internet. Different companies offer different designed dimmer switches for 12 volt systems. You can have dual switches, one for on and off and the other for brightness with the latter being a slider switch.
The slider switch may give you more accuracy when you want the lights on low. Amazon seems to have more dial dimmer switches that should work for your LED lights. They do have a variety of designs but the dial dimmer switches dominate the line-up.
There are some touch panel types of dimmer switches you can get where all you need is your fingertip to touch the panel and the lights automatically brighten or darken. Then other companies have almost level dimmer switches. These light switches do not stick out so you do not have to worry about snagging them as you walk by.
They are easy to use and often have a slider control right next to the on-off switch for ease of use. The type of switch you get will depend on your living situation and preference.
Those RVs with children are not usually a great setup for dimmer switches that have knobs on them. They can get damaged very easily.
Can I Use a 12v Switch For 120v?
The fastest and simplest answer is ‘no’. The reason you can’t is in the numbers. The 12 volt light switch is only rated for 12 volts. Anything more and you will probably fry the switch and possibly start a fire.
If you try to make this switch, you may find out that the 12-volt option will not open with 120 volts. Then the arcing will erode the contacts and increase their resistance. In the worst-case scenario department, you are merely asking for trouble.
The switch may weld close or it could start a fire. The construction quality of the wall you are installing the switch will let you know how severe that fire will be. There is also a possibility that you will give yourself and your family an electric shock every time someone touches the switch.
That feeling is not very good and you will find yourself replacing that 12 volts switch very quickly. Another aspect you have to be concerned about is the insulation in the switch is not rated for 120 volts. It is rated for only 12 volts and if you wire it into a more powerful system you will find that insulation has gone in a short time.
How To Tire a 12v dc Light Switch
This is not more difficult than wiring in a 120 volt Ac switch. It is all a matter of connecting the positive to the positive and the negative to the negative. It is a very simple task if you are not afraid to work with electricity or electrical devices.
If you do not want the little LED light in the switch to turn on, all you have to do is not connect the negative wire to the negative connector in the switch. Just connect the positive only.
All a simple 12-volt switch does is either complete the circuit or breaks it so no power is going anywhere with the latter option. When you wire, all you need is the right screwdriver as the switch will already have the screws attached to it.
Just loosen the screws and place the small striped section of the wire under the screws and tighten. That is it. The key is to not make that stripped section too long or you run the risk of short-circuiting the switch.
If you need a diagram to help you this website has a few different ones to help you get your wiring tasks done. There are ways to add in switches and make zones for your LED or other lights. That website will help you locate the switches and show you where the wires go.
Hooking Up a 120 Volt Light Switch To a 12-volt System
While we have said throughout this article that it is not the best option you have available. There is one safe way of completing this task. You would have to re-rate the 120-volt switch from 15 amps down to 7 or 8 amps. That seems to be the consensus of some experts.
One reason why people are asking this question is that they want to make their RV, trailer, or conversion look more like home. It is important to them to have that look in their vehicle while they are away from their houses.
Then you have to be careful when re-rating the switch. When the voltage goes down, the amperage goes up, usually. But some people disagree with that concept. You have to know what you are doing to get the re-rate done correctly. This is not a task for novices.
Also, DC switches are not made the same way as AC switches. Generally, the DC switch will arc when you turn the switch on and keeps that arc going. When using the AC switch, your biggest worry will be if the switch will fail or not and how soon will it fail.
Using 120 Volt Light Fixtures
With all of this talk about 120 volt light switches replacing 12-volt switches, what about replacing a 12 volt light fixture with a 120 volt light fixture. Some people will say that you can only use a 12-volt replacement in this situation.
However, that concept is not accurate. it is possible to replace the 12-volt fixture with a 120-volt model. In reality, the fixture doesn't matter. It's the size of the bulb that will matter.
What that means is that after installing the 120-volt fixture, all you have to do is install 12 volt light bulbs, and you are set. That is if your power source is 12 volts. If it is 120 volts, then you can use 120 volt light bulbs.
This versatility allows you to be more creative with your RV’s, trailer’s, or conversion’s look. You can take advantage of the different 120-volt fixture designs and still get proper lighting.
Switching to LEDs is a topic for another day.
Some Final Words
It is best not to switch 12 volt light switches with 120-volt ones. The complications, despite what some people say, may cause some damage to your RV, etc. It is best to match the switch to the power source and be safe all the way around.
But if you are set on making this switch, let a professional handle the task. it will be safer for you in the long run if you do.
