A double pole switch is like two separate single pole switches that are mechanically operated by the same lever knob or button. Single pole switch is referred as a single pole single throw switch.
Basic Electricity Tutorial Switches
How does a double pole switch work. For example you might want to turn on a bathroom light separately from the ceiling fan. A double pole single throw switch is used for turning electricity either on or off. It has four terminals. A double pole switch such as the one in fig1 is just slightly bigger than a regular switch but constructed as two single switches harnessed side by side and activated by one common toggle. Most manufacturers use the abbreviations dpst and dpdt to indicate switch types. A double pole single throw dpst switch controls the connections to two wires at once where each wire only has one possible connection.
With 2 inputs it can connect to 4 different outputs. When the switch is off the wire is open and no current can. A double pole single throw switch dpst turns two circuits on or off. The dpst switch often appears in circuit breakers where it is used for 240 volt circuits with each pole carrying 120 volts separately. A double pole double throw dpdt switch is a switch that has 2 inputs and 4 outputs. A double pole switch has two connectors poles that can control two circuits.
When the switch is on it is as if the wire had not been opened to insert the switch. In other words its like two simple switches controlled by a single actuator. These screw terminals are mounted on the side of the switch. This makes the the double pole double throw switch a very versatile switch. Each input has 2 corresponding outputs that it can connect to. Each of the terminals of a double pole double switch can either be in 1 of 2 positions.
A double switch allows you to operate two lights or appliances from the same location. A double pole switch can be used to control light and a fan or 2 lights on separate circuits. A switch is inserted in series with a single wire. A double pole switch controls two separate circuits. A double pole switch is what you need to control a 240 volt device because 240 volt circuits have two hot wires. The difference between a single and double pole switch is that the latter controls two circuits at the same time.
Two for incoming hots and two for outgoing hots. Double throw switches can divert the flow of electricity from one set of screw terminals to another. It is easy to wire a double pole switch to work as a single pole switch because only one side is used instead of both. A double pole double throw switch dpdt manages two circuits and turns both on and off together. Double switches sometimes called double pole allow you to separately control the power being sent to multiple places from the same switch.