Slide Switches

A slide switch is a mechanical switch that slides from the open (off) position to the closed (on) position and allows control of a circuit’s current flow without having to manually splice or cut wire. A slide switch is a maintained-contact switch in which the switch stays in one state until it’s actuated into a new state, where it remains until it’s actuated again. Its sizes are subminiature, miniature, and standard. A slide switch is best used to control current flow in small projects. There are many terminal types for slide switches, including feed-through style, wire leads, solder terminals, screw terminals, quick connect or blade terminals, surface mount technology, and panel mount switches. The handle of the switch is either raised or flushed, depending on the actuator type. Whether to choose a flush or raised switch depends on the intended application of the switch. Slide switch features include pilot lights, illuminated switches, wiping contacts, and time delays.