David,
     The VA rating is the amount of current that can be carried when the=20
power factor is less than 100 such as in an inductive circuit. The amp=20
rating is for a resistive load which always has a power factor of 100.
Thanks,
rich!

On 5/27/2015 1:04 PM, David C Brown wrote:
> You have to remember that the current carrying and the current breaking
> rating of a switch can vary, often quite dramatically.  An extreme exampl=
e
> is a bus isolator switch in an electricity supply substation, which.can
> carry 400 Amps but has a breaking spec of exactly zero.
>
> I think that the VA is the breaking capacity and the amps is the carrying
> capacity.  Voltage rating depends on the contact spacing being able to ki=
ll
> the arc, which is harder with DC than with AC
>
>

--=20
http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
.