SINGLE POLE (ON)-OFF-ON SWITCH

1TL1-5 — Single-Pole (Spst/Spdt) (ON)-OFF-ON (momentary-off-maintained) Sealed Toggle Switch for Motorsport

The 1TL1-5 is a single-pole (SPST/SPDT) sealed toggle switch with (ON)-OFF-ON (momentary-off-maintained) action, designed for motorsport switch panel construction and high-vibration vehicle wiring applications. Sealed toggle switches are the standard choice for race car switch panels, rally car instruments, and any performance vehicle where switch reliability under vibration, moisture, and thermal cycling is required. This switch includes a momentary position — a spring-loaded lever position that returns to its adjacent maintained state when released, unlike the maintained positions which latch in place. This switch is suited to momentary-activate-and-hold functions combined with a maintained live state, such as starter motor circuits combined with ignition enable, or systems requiring a momentary activation followed by a maintained state.

Switch Action — (ON)-OFF-ON (momentary-off-maintained)

The momentary (ON) position activates when the lever is pushed and springs back to OFF when released, while the maintained ON position latches in place. This action is commonly used for starter motor switches where the momentary action engages the starter and the lever returns to off when released.

Pole Configuration — Single-Pole (Spst/Spdt)

A single-pole switch controls one independent circuit path. In a single-pole switch, actuating the lever connects or disconnects a single set of input and output terminals. Single-pole switches are the most commonly used format in race car switch panels for individual circuit control — fuel pump, fan, wiper, map select, and similar functions where each switch operates one independent circuit.

Sealed Construction for Motorsport Environments

The 1TL1-5 is a sealed toggle switch rated for the motorsport environment, with a sealed actuator body and contacts protected against moisture, cleaning fluid, and fuel vapour ingress. Sealed toggle switches are essential in race car switch panels where water spray from wet conditions, engine bay wash-down, and cleaning between events would cause rapid contact corrosion in an unsealed switch, leading to intermittent operation or complete switch failure.

Motorsport Switch Panel Applications

Sealed toggle switches are used throughout motorsport switch panel builds for ignition system enable, fuel pump circuit control, cooling fan override, pit lane limiter activation, launch control enable, map selection, traction control sensitivity adjustment, DRS/push-to-pass, data logger arming, and auxiliary system control. Selecting the correct switch action (ON-OFF-ON, ON-ON, OFF-ON, momentary, etc.) for each circuit function is an important part of switch panel design — using an incorrect action can result in a circuit that cannot be reliably isolated, or a switch that allows the driver to inadvertently enable conflicting system states simultaneously.

Wiring Sealed Toggle Switches

Sealed toggle switches are wired directly into the circuit they control, with the common terminal connected to the circuit supply and the output terminal(s) connected to the load. For panel illumination, the switch body should be earthed to the chassis ground plane at the switch panel, not through a long earth return cable that could introduce a voltage difference between the switch body and the panel. 20–22 AWG TXL or Tefzel wire is appropriate for the majority of switch panel circuit feeds; heavier gauge may be required for circuits with significant current demand.

Available from Arctic Performance Parts

Arctic Performance Parts stocks sealed toggle switches across a range of switch actions, pole counts, and mil-spec designations to support professional motorsport switch panel builds across Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Lead time is 1–2 weeks for quantities beyond current stock.