Tornado Rocker Switch 15A DPDT 30472

The Tornado Rocker Switch 15A DPDT 30472 is the genuine OEM switch that selects the operating mode on the PS Series professional spotters. Tornado’s dealer catalog lists it as “Rocker Switch 15A DPDT” — a double-pole, double-throw rocker rated at 15 amps. It also fits the Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226, the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter.

Compatible Models for the Rocker Switch

• Tornado PS Spotter 98220 — PS Series professional spotter, 115V
• Tornado PS8221 Spotter 98221 — the 230-volt build of the same spotter
• Tornado PS8225 Spotter 98225 — deluxe PS Series spotter
• Tornado PS8226 Spotter 98226 — the 230-volt build of the deluxe PS Series spotter, Series D & E

Not sure this is the switch on your machine? Call us at 763-535-0770 with the model and serial number and we will confirm it before you order.

What DPDT means on this machine

The switch label on the spotter reads Vacuum Only / Off / Vacuum / Spray, and the switch itself is what makes that possible. Double-pole means it breaks both sides of the circuit rather than just one — on a wet machine that is a safety characteristic, because switching off genuinely isolates the load rather than leaving one conductor live at the motor. Double-throw means each pole can connect to either of two positions, which is how one rocker selects between running the vacuum motor alone and running the vacuum motor together with the solution pump.

The 15 amp rating is the headroom that matters. The vacuum motor’s inrush current at switch-on is several times its running current, and a switch rated closer to the running load welds its contacts or burns them over a few thousand cycles. Substituting a lower-rated rocker that physically fits is the single most common way this part gets replaced twice.

When to replace the switch

Replace it when the machine will not start reliably in one position but works in another, when the rocker has to be held or wiggled to keep the machine running, or when a position has stopped working altogether — most often spray, so the vacuum still runs and the pump does not. Intermittent operation that changes when the switch is pressed is a contact problem, not a pump or motor problem.

Replace it on sight for any scorching, discolouration or melted plastic around the terminals, a burning smell at the switch, or a rocker that feels mushy and no longer clicks positively between positions. Heat damage at the terminals means the contacts have been arcing, and a switch that has started arcing will not recover.

Before condemning the switch, check the terminal connections themselves: a loose or corroded spade terminal produces exactly the same intermittent symptom and costs nothing to fix. The electrical components cover and its gasket are worth checking at the same time, since a switch that has been living in damp air is usually a switch whose enclosure is no longer sealing.

Fitting notes

Isolate the machine from the mains before the enclosure comes off and keep it isolated throughout. Photograph the terminal connections before disconnecting anything — a DPDT switch has six terminals and getting the pairs wrong will either do nothing or do something you do not want. Transfer the wires one at a time rather than removing them all at once. Check each spade terminal is tight on its blade and not just resting. Refit the enclosure with a sound gasket; moisture is what killed the old switch.

Twin City Vacuum has been selling and servicing Tornado equipment since 1956.

You can browse every assembly for this machine on our Tornado PS Spotter 98220 parts page, and the manufacturer’s specifications are published at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Rocker Switch 30472 do on the Tornado PS Spotter 98220?

It selects the machine’s operating mode — vacuum only, off, or vacuum with spray. Being double-throw is what lets one rocker choose between running the vacuum motor alone and running it together with the solution pump.

Why does the switch need to be rated 15 amps?

Because the vacuum motor’s inrush current at switch-on is several times its running current. A rocker rated closer to the running load will weld or burn its contacts within a few thousand cycles, which is why a lower-rated switch that physically fits is a false economy.

My spotter vacuums but will not spray — is it the switch?

It can be, since the spray position is a separate throw on the same switch. Check the terminal connections for a loose or corroded spade first, then the tool jet, the solution filter screen and the pump. Replace the switch if a position has stopped working, if the rocker has to be held to keep the machine running, or if there is any scorching at the terminals.

How do I order the Rocker Switch (part# 30472) or get help?

You can add the Rocker Switch (part# 30472) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.