Considerations in Choosing Your Pressure Switch

Pressure switches are protagonists in the most varied industrial systems. Its wide range of models and configurations make it essential for the operation of various processes and systems. The development of new models, with varying capacity and configurations, has considerably expanded its application, as well as facilitating the work in various applications.

Precisely because of the wide variety of pressure switches on the market, some essential points must be observed in defining your pressure switch, seeking the highest possible efficiency of its component in the system.

Among these parameters, one of the first points to be defined concerns the pressure switch differential. The differential is the operating range of the pressure switch. The minimum and maximum pressures where the pressure switch is actuated. The pressure switch has a gap between its performance and its trip. This space between these two parameters is called the differential. In this case, we may have pressure switches with fixed or adjustable differential. In the case of fixed, the interval is determined in the manufacture of the pressure switch, without the possibility of alteration by the customer. In the case of adjustable differential pressure switches, this value can be changed within a certain range defined by the manufacturer, allowing adjustments in the field of application.

Another extremely important factor concerns the electrical contacts of the pressure switch. There are models called SPDT and DPDT: these are the contacts on the pressure switch for connecting the component to the rest of the equipment. In the case of the SPDT model, there is one common contact, one NO contact and one NC contact. In the case of the DPDT model these contacts are duplicated.

One of the most recurrent applications of pressure switches is in air compression systems.

Air compressors are very simple operating equipment. Through a motor, they store compressed air in a container, usually a metal cylinder. This air is reserved for use in various procedures, from transfer to vehicle tires, feeding pneumatic tools, dental procedures, among others.

In this case the operation of the pressure switch effectively acts as a safety device. The function of pressure switches is to monitor the pressure in the cylinder. While the pressure in the cylinder is below its capacity limit, the pressure switch releases electric current, allowing the air compressor to operate, supplying the cylinder with pressurized air. Upon reaching the storage limit pressure determined by the cylinder manufacturer, the pressure switch opens the circuit, disrupting compressor operation.

In these applications, the pressure switches are extremely important because they control systems that act with very high pressures, with the potential to cause great financial losses, in addition to the risk to the lives of all involved.

Lefoo is constantly working to develop pressure switches that exceed our customers' expectations, with products tested and approved in the largest markets around the world. Learn more about our line of pressure switches.