7 Pin Rocker Switch Wiring Diagram [Explained]
A 7 pin rocker switch can be used in a variety of applications. However, the number of pins on these switches can be confusing when working for the first time.
Hence, it’s quite normal to look for a 7 pin rocker switch wiring diagram.
The wiring diagram of a 7 pin rocker switch is quite simple. All you need to know is what those pins do and how the switch works. The single pin on the top is for grounding. And, the 2 pins in the middle are for electricity input. And, finally, the remaining 4 pins are for connecting the devices.
That’s all about how to wire a 7 pin rocker switch. Wait, we know you’re not here to read the diagram but to visually see it. Well, that’s why we made this content for you.
Before moving directly onto the diagram, we advise you to understand how these switches work. So let’s start the discussion.
How Does 7 Pin Rocker Switch Work?
Well, a 7 pin rocker switch has an isolated pin on the top for common ground connection. Among the remaining 6, the 2 pins in the middle are for electricity input. Finally, the remaining 4 pins are for connecting the devices.
As you can see, we’ve marked those pins from 1 to 7. When you press the switch down, it activates pins 3 and 6. And when you press the switch up, it activates pins 1 and 4. And finally, when you keep the switch in the middle, it disconnects all the devices.
Now comes the question, are there any different variations of these switches?
Types of 7 Pin Rocker Switch
There are mainly two types of 7 pin rocker switches.
Type-1: Maintained or On-Off-On 7 Pin Rocker Switch
This type of rocker switch behaves like a regular switch we use in our homes. You press the switch up, it stays up. You press it down, it stays down. The same goes for the “Off” position.
These types of switches are generally used for keeping different devices on for a long time.
Type-2: Momentary or (On)-Off-(On) 7 Pin Rocker Switch
This type of rocker switch behaves like a doorbell switch. You hold the switch up, it stays up. However, the moment you release the switch, it goes to the neutral or “Off” position.
This type of switch is used for devices that you want to turn on and off for a moment.
Now, let’s jump into the real business. The wiring diagram for these switches.
7 Pin On-Off-On Rocker Switch Wiring Diagram
You can wire your maintained 7 pin rocker switch mainly in two ways. Let’s find out how you can wire it and how it works.
This is the easiest and most common way to wire a 7 pin rocker switch. With this wiring, you’ll get 2 devices to control. Let’s describe all the pins and their wiring.
Pin 1 & 4: Connect your first device to either pin 1 or pin 4. Then, connect both pins using a jumper wire.
Pin 3 & 6: Connect your second device to either pin 3 or pin 6. And connect both the pins using another jumper wire.
Pin 7: Connect your negative or grounding wire to pin 7. This will work as a common ground connection.
Pin 2 & 5: Finally, keep your rocker switch in the middle (Off) position. Then, connect your positive wire to pin 2 or pin 5. And, connect both pins using another jumper wire.
Now, your rocker switch is ready to control your devices. But we want to make sure you know how the switch works. Just look at the above picture and follow along.
When you press the switch down, your second device will be activated. We marked this position as “Device- 2 On, Device- 1 Off.”
The other two positions work similarly. The picture above should make it easier for you.
Now, that was the easiest way to control 2 devices using the rocker switch. You get the option to activate either of the devices individually. But you cannot activate both devices simultaneously.
So, how’d you activate two devices at the same time? Well, the next wiring diagram will do the job for you.
By now, we hope you understand how the rocker switch works. Hence, the second wiring diagram should be easy for you to follow.
Pin 2, 5 & 7: For this method of wiring, keep the positive and ground connections identical to the previous wiring diagram.
Pin 1 & 6: Connect your first device to either pin 1 or pin 6. Then, connect both the pins using a jumper wire.
Pin 3: Connect your second device to pin 3. You don’t need to use any jumper wire in this case.
Pin 4: Leave this pin vacant for this wiring method.
However, by now, you should be able to switch your connections to different pins.
So, after completing all the connections, this is the result you should get.
When you press the switch down, both of your devices should be activated. We marked it as “Device- 1 & 2 Both On.” However, if you press the switch down, only your first device should be activated. We marked this position as “Device-1 On, Device- 2 Off.”
And finally, the “Off” position is the same for all wiring methods.
That was all for wiring a 7 pin maintained or On-Off-On rocker switch. But how do you wire a 7 pin momentary or (On)-Off-(On) rocker switch? Let’s find out.
7 Pin (On)-Off-(On) Rocker Switch Wiring Diagram
Can you remember the main difference between these two rocker switches? Well, that was the holding/staying position of the switches. All of the other specs are identical for both types.
Hence, wiring a 7 pin maintained and momentary rocker switch is the same.
Related Viedo- 7 pin winch Switch wiring
FAQs
What Is The Difference Between Momentary & Maintained Rocker Switch?
The difference between a momentary and a maintained rocker switch is the holding position of the switch. Maintained rocker switches hold the position (On/Off) until you change it. Momentary rocker switches, in contrast, will go back to the “Off” position the moment you release them.
What’s The Max Number of Devices Controllable With A 7 Pin Rocker Switch?
The maximum number of devices controllable with a 7 pin rocker switch is 4. However, if you connect 4 devices, you can’t control them independently. At least 2 of them will work together. But you can control up to 2 devices independently with a 7 pin rocker switch.
What’s The On Position on A 7 Pin Rocker Switch?
A 7 pin rocker switch has two different On positions. They’re the top and bottom positions. The middle position is the Off position. However, there are different types of 7 pin rocker switches. Such as, On-Off-On and (On)-Off-(On) 7 pin rocker switches.
Final Words
We hope we could clear your doubts with our 7 pin rocker switch wiring diagram.
The thing is, it seems difficult to wire 7 pins on a single switch. This is because we generally use only 2 pin switches.
However, if you understand the workings of these switches, it’s actually easy to wire.
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