Sort of OT, microswitch question...

keithsarcade

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Our trusty old microwave is shorting out (I wont go into too many details on what its acually doing). Of course before I decide to toss it out, I open it up and find several microswitches like this one (see photo). I think at least one of these may be the culprit and I'm going to see if replacing all of them may help.

Although they look very much like a standard microswitch (like from an arcade pushbutton), I am assuming there are technical differences. Going by the numbers and ratings on one of the switches, I found a couple possibilities from Mouser:

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...=sGAEpiMZZMtFyPk3yBMYYC7N8d8Se1PIF9tLU/XQAQ8=

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=MLSYAE7fw6janGQYZVLarw==

Only difference I can see in the 2 is "operating force", 0.98N or 2.94N. So what Im trying to figure out is.. What the hell is "operating force", and will either of these work?

Anyone have any ideas?
 

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Operating force is just a rating of how hard you have to push it in order for it to click. The ratings are in Newtons.

So, in most applications (like a door close switch), it doesn't matter.

And, there really isn't much difference between that and an arcade pushbutton. Although, I don't think arcade switches are usually rated for 250v at 16A, but since I'm betting that came out of the door interlock, then yeah, you can probably use an arcade switch, so long as the circuit that it's in isn't high current.

-Ian
 
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