Inserting a switch within a 12v power cable?

[Pipps]

Hello

I am hoping you can help me. I need a little assistance with a minor electrical wiring project. I hope it will be a very simple matter for the experts on this forum.

I wish to add a torpedo switch to the power cable which runs to my modem router. I purchased the following budget switch. However, I am unsure of how to wire it correctly.

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As you can see, the inside of the switch comprises four screw terminals. My question is, once I have spliced the power cable, which of the four ends should I insert into which of the four terminals within the switch?

I look forward to any assistance which you can provide. Thank you for your help and for your time.

Pipps

[Biffo]

it looks like a double pole switch in which case you can switch the two wires if you want to.

However for safety sake just cut the one side of the cable for now . Seperate and cut the side with the white stripe . Feed one side of the striped wire into one side of the switch, connect to terminal and then feed the other cut wire into the other side of the switch and connect to one of the teriminals in there. See if it works - if not -move just one of the cables to the other terminal in its end of the switch . Should work now.
You will now be left with two terminals, one in each end of the switch, these you can use for the so far unbroken cable which is plain black.

[Simon (Webmaster)]

Hi

I think the switch is only single pole - having used these switches before the terminals at the side are simply for joining the neutral and earth wires if you were using the switch on a 3 core mains cable. Proceed as Biffo says, connecting the 2 ends of the wire you cut to the 2 terminals higher than the others in the middle of the switch, leaving the single terminals either side empty. Route the other core of the cable over one of the side terminals, around the central 'lump'. If you end up cutting both wires simply use one of these terminals to join the remaining core of the wire.

[Pipps]

Gents, it has worked perfectly - exactly as you suggested!

Thank you for the advice on cutting only one cable, Biffo.

And Simon, your advice from your experience on how to use this pesky little switch, was absolutely spot on!

The modem-router is now working - in the 'switch-on' position! And I'm saving a little off the electricity bill whenever my laptop is turned off.

Thank you so much for your help!

[Simon (Webmaster)]

Excellent. Remeber you'd save even more power by turning the mains to the power supply for the router off, as there will still be some power dissipated in it when not in use, but I guess getting to the mains switch isn't as convenient .

[Pipps]

You're exactly right - it's not as convenient.

In an ideal world, my house would've been built with the power sockets mid-way up the wall!