Every Madison float switch contains a dry reed switch encapsulated within a stem. Reed switches are highly reliable and able to deliver more than 5 million switching cycles when operated at their rated electrical load. To ensure many years of operation, it is important to consider the electrical load conditions to which the switch will be subjected.

All reed switches are rated for resistive loads or steady state current. Devices such as motors, solenoids, coils, strobes or tungsten lights are capable of producing a capacitive or inductive electrical load. When power is applied or removed, these devices can produce a current spike that is four to ten times the steady state current. The resulting exposure to high current can burn the reed switch contacts or fuse the reeds together, causing a shortened switch life or failure.

We recommend that a circuit be used to protect a reed switch from current overload caused by a capacitive or inductive device. The commonly-used circuits shown below will allow the switch to function while preventing high current from damaging the reed switch contacts.