What is a pressure switch?

A question which is often asked or searched on the internet is "What is a pressure switch?" As a sensor specialist, we would like to help to answer this question.

So what is a pressure switch? A pressure switch is an electrical device which will measure pressure in any given environment. It will indicate when a system has reached a certain pressure, or lost pressure depending on the limit set by the user.

How does a pressure switch work?

A pressure switch has either one or two ports. In a pressure switch which has a single port, pressure will enter through the port and hit an internal diaphragm. If the force entering the port is higher than that the force exerted by the pre-loaded set spring, the switch contacts will make or break the circuit. This will create an alarm in the system and alert the user that the pressure has changed within the given environment.    

In a pressure switch which has two ports, the pressure entering the switch from both ports is compared. If the pressure from one port is different to the pressure from the second port then the pressure switch will alert the user with this change.

Applications and environments for pressure switches

Pressure switches are used across many industries including; Medical, Motorsport, Agriculture, Defence, Marine and many more. Some more specific applications for pressure switches include;

• Monitoring oxygen pressure levels in hospitals and on medical devices
• DNA sampling machinery  
• Indicating blocked filters on fans and kitchen extraction units  
• Drink dispensing equipment and coffee machines  
• Filtration systems in aquariums  
• Activation/alarm inside breathalysers and medical equipment  
• Agricultural crop-dusting machinery  

We can offer a wide range of pressure switches which can be viewed on the pressure section of our website.