Home › Pressure Switches › Waterproof Pressure Switch PC-500
Waterproof Pressure Switch PC-500
A sealed compact mechanical pressure switch for wet locations and high pressure. The waterproof housing keeps washdown, spray, and humidity out of the contacts, and the build handles pressures to 3600 psi.
- Working range: -14.5 to 3600 psi
- Reset range: -11 to 3400 psi
- Deadband: ± 3 to 30 psi
- Housing: sealed, waterproof
- Contact: micro-switch, 220 VAC 3 A
- Life: over 100,000 cycles
Most compact switches die from water, not pressure. A washdown, a leak, or condensation gets into the contacts and the switch corrodes or shorts. The PC-500 seals the housing against that, so it keeps switching in wet, sprayed, and humid spots, and it carries the highest pressure ceiling in the series at 3600 psi.
Overview
The PC-500 is the sealed, waterproof member of the compact PC switch series, built for wet locations and high pressure. The housing keeps washdown spray and humidity off the snap-action micro-switch, so the contacts stay clean where an open switch would corrode. It carries the family traits, including the over-100,000-cycle life, and reaches 3600 psi for hydraulic and high-pressure work.
For a stainless body at lower cost the PC-300 reaches 2200 psi; for dry, general OEM control the miniature PC-100 is the lighter choice.
Working principle
Pressure acts on a stainless element. When it rises past the set point, the element trips a snap-action micro-switch inside the sealed housing, which changes the contact; when pressure falls below the reset point, the switch returns. The seal keeps water and dust out of the switch chamber, so the mechanism stays dry. The gap between trip and reset is the deadband, set between about 3 and 30 psi to stop chatter. No power is needed for the switch action.
Technical specifications
Representative specifications; confirm the exact build per datasheet.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Output | Switch signal (dry contact) |
| Working pressure range | -14.5 to 3600 psi (about -1 to 248 bar) |
| Reset pressure range | -11 to 3400 psi |
| Deadband | ± 3 to 30 psi |
| Housing | Sealed, waterproof |
| Contact rating | 220 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 3 A |
| Ambient temperature | -40 to +85 °C |
| Medium temperature | -40 to +125 °C |
| Working life | Over 100,000 cycles |
Output and contacts
The PC-500 gives a dry switch contact rated 220 VAC at 3 A, sealed against the wet environment, so it switches a contactor, solenoid, or alarm without water reaching the contacts. Order it normally open (A), normally closed (B), or as a changeover (C). Run the cable entry downward or use a drip loop so water cannot track into the gland.
Applications
The sealed, high-pressure build suits wet and demanding spots:
- Washdown areas in food and beverage plants
- Outdoor and marine equipment exposed to spray
- High-pressure hydraulic and pump systems
- Humid or splash-prone machinery enclosures
FAQ
What is a pressure switch used for?
A pressure switch opens or closes a contact when pressure reaches a set point, to start or stop equipment, raise an alarm, or interlock a process. The waterproof PC-500 is for the same job in wet places: washdown lines, outdoor skids, pump pits, and irrigation, where spray or rain would ruin an ordinary switch. A sealed, IP-rated enclosure keeps water out of the electronics so it keeps switching reliably outdoors.
Does a pressure switch require power?
A mechanical switch needs none, but the PC-500 is electronic and needs a DC supply to run its display and switching output, with power passing through the contact to your control circuit. The sealed housing is what lets that powered electronics survive in a wet location: the supply gives you the digital readout and programmable set points, and the waterproof enclosure protects them from spray and rain.
How do I know if my pressure switch is bad?
Look for a contact that no longer trips at the set point, switching that drifts or chatters, condensation or water inside the housing, or a cracked seal or cable gland. First confirm the set point and wiring; then inspect the enclosure and entries, since a breached seal is the usual cause of failure in wet locations. If the switch will not trip cleanly at the set value with a test gauge applied, or moisture has entered, replace it and check the gland and gasket on the new unit.
Request a quote
Tell us five things and we configure one unit, not a shelf part:
- Set point (or high and low) and the deadband
- Pressure range and the medium (liquid or gas)
- Exposure (washdown, outdoor, splash) and any IP target
- Contact action (A, B, or C) and what it switches
- Connection and cable entry
Ordering example: PC-500, waterproof, normally closed (B), trip at 2500 psi, 220 VAC 3 A contact, downward cable entry.
Tell us the application and we configure one unit, not a shelf part. Have a wet or high-pressure spot we have not listed? Reach our application engineers.