Looking for specific use power switch.

V

Vapor1000

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
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I'm trying to wire a special purpose setup for a friend so that they only ever have 1 hard drive (of 2 that are hooked into the computer) powered on at a time. and what i want to do is get 1 power switch that i can wire so that in 1 position it powers 1 hard drive with 12v and 5v, and if the switch is in its other position it powers the 2nd hard drive with 12v and 5v.

Anyone know a place online i could order a switch that would meet these needs?

if you cant picture in your head what i'm needing i have a simplified visual example below.

Powerswitch.jpg
 
What you want is reffered to as either "double pole double throw" or "double pole changeover". You will find variants both with and without a center off position.

Any decent electronics supplier should be able to supply a wide choice of such switches, heck even radio shack will probably sell something usable.
 
Yeah, RadioShack will have a DPDT switch if you need it fast. You'll connect the 12V and 5V supply to the middle two pins, and the hard drives' power connectors will land on the outside pins.
 
thanks you guys, this was exactly the info i needed.

i found the DPDT switch's on wiki the night i posted this but between the limited info and terminology i wasn't for sure it was what i was looking for.
 
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