What is a Rocker Switch?

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Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects simply to a non-technical, business audience. Over…

A rocker switch is a type of switch that rocks back and forth, an action where one end is raised and the other is depressed, much like how a seesaw works when pressed, instead of tripping or staying depressed. One side of the switch is on and the other is off; these are usually marked with a "1" for on and "0" for off. Most common household switches are rocker switches.

A rocker switch toggles between one of two states, often on or off. It is commonly used in homes for light switches because it is very easy to operate and requires little motor skills and pressure to activate, making it easy to find and use even in the dark.

As with other types of switches, a number of features can be included in a rocker switch, such as indicators or a bigger switch surface to make it easier to find in the dark. Indicator lights allow users to see the state of the switch, with most cheap switches only having an "on" indicator light. Special rocker switches that are used as toggle switches for different modes or states aside from on or off usually have different indicator lights for each mode or state.

Applications include all types of vehicles from cars, boats to military-grade aircraft, and they are also commonly found in homes and home appliances. Rocker switches are one of the most common switches used in the world.

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