Electrical question

[charliex]

I have a RC power switch that I want to use to start a small 6 amp vac.
My question: The instruction say 125V 13 amp / 1625 watt resistive (general purpose) 8 amp / 1000 watt Tungsten (lighting) Can I use it as is or do I need to add a relay? I intend to add the relay later it's just that it requires a 60 mile round trip and I need it today. Eventually it will be for remote start for my large Ridgid shop vac. Besides I though tungsten was resistive.

I opened the case and the relay says 125 V 15 amp. I'm thinking it should work.

[pelligrini]

It should work for the shop vac with no problems.

[LCHIEN]

there are three types of load, resistive which are like things mostly heaters and stuff (hair dryers, cooking pots etc), then there's tungsten lighting and motors.

Tungsten filaments are nearly zero resistance when cold... a DMM checking a light bulb will show only a couple of ohms... They pull a lot of current when first lit so it can damage components.

Induction Motors (that's machinery that has high power motors like your table saw or dust collector, not your hair dryer) also pull high currents when started, typically 5-10 times the nameplate rating, for several cycles.

I sure there's a difference between motors and lights, I think the tungsten is more amps for a shorter time, it become much more resistive when hot.

Anyway, some components can handle higher peak currents than others and the duration is also important as well as the peak relative to the average load. That's why all the ratings.

Anyway, the vac is likely to have surge current at the start but 6A is a smaller vac, so its probably OK.