PV4F240SS

1. Overview

The part number PV4F240SS, as cataloged, does not appear in any distributor database (DigiKey, Mouser, Newark, RS-Online, Octopart) and is not listed on E-Switch's own product pages. E-Switch is a US-based switch manufacturer (Bloomington, MN) producing an extensive PV-series anti-vandal lineup spanning 12mm to 40mm panel cutouts. The "240SS" suffix is a well-documented ordering code belonging to the PV6 series (16mm, SPST, 2A/48VDC, IP65, stainless steel), not the PV4 series (19mm, SPDT/DPDT, 2A/24VDC, IP67). The closest verified product is the E-Switch PV6F240SS family — 16mm illuminated anti-vandal stainless steel pushbuttons with solder terminals and flat actuator — with illuminated LED ring variants denoted by suffixes such as -311 (red ring), -331 (green ring), -341 (blue ring), and -3R1 (RGB ring).

2. User Sentiment

No community forum posts, Reddit threads, or user reviews specifically mentioning "PV4F240SS" were found, which is consistent with the part number appearing to be a catalog entry error. The PV6F240SS family, however, is widely stocked and purchased across major distributors with high inventory levels (hundreds to thousands of units per variant), suggesting healthy market demand. E-Switch products are described in distributor marketing as particularly popular in the medical market due to their IP65 sealing and 1,000,000-cycle mechanical life. No significant negative quality reports surfaced for the PV6 series. Among anti-vandal 16mm switch comparisons, E-Switch competes with APEM AV Series, Bulgin MPI, and Schurter, with E-Switch noted for strong RGB/bi-color illumination options and wide North American distribution.

3. Real-World Applications

The PV6F240SS family (the documented 16mm stainless flat-actuator SPST variant this part number almost certainly describes) is widely used in medical devices, industrial control panels, access control systems, vending machines, kiosks, parking management systems, emergency phones, elevators, transportation equipment, security devices, and marine/outdoor equipment. The combination of IP65 sealing, stainless steel construction, and anti-rotation mounting makes these switches suitable for public-facing and harsh-environment installations. The LED ring illumination enables intuitive status indication in low-light environments common in kiosks, control rooms, and vehicle interiors.

4. Technical Specifications

(Based on verified PV6F240SS series; PV4F240SS not directly verifiable)

• Series: PV6 (16mm) — NOT PV4 (19mm); "PV4F240SS" as a part number appears to be a mislabeled catalog entry
• Panel Cutout: 16mm circular
• Body/Actuator Finish: Stainless steel (SS suffix)
• Actuator Style: Flat, round, flush (F prefix)
• Terminal: Solder lug (2 in ordering code)
• Circuit: SPST-NO, Off-(On) momentary (4 in ordering code)
• Electrical Rating: 2A, 48VDC
• Illumination: LED ring (3 suffix) — LED color variants: White, Red, Orange, Green, Blue, Yellow, bi-color, RGB
• LED Forward Voltage: 2.8VDC nominal at 20mA
• Ingress Protection: IP65 (dust-tight, water jet resistant)
• Mechanical Life: 1,000,000 cycles
• Electrical Life: 200,000 cycles (50,000 cycles for comparable PV4 series)
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to 85°C (manufacturer); -20°C to 70°C (DigiKey listing for PV6F240SS-341)
• Compliance: RoHS, REACH

5. Ordering & Compatibility

The PV6F240SS base part number represents: PV6 series, flat actuator, solder terminal, SPST Off-(On), 2A/48VDC, stainless steel body and actuator. Illuminated variants are specified with a suffix: -341 (blue ring LED, base voltage), -331 (green ring), -311 (red ring), -3R1 (RGB ring), -3N1 (white ring). Graphic options include -M01 (laser-etched power symbol) and -M15 (illuminated power symbol). Gold contacts are indicated by a "G" before the illumination suffix. At DigiKey, PV6F240SS-341 (blue ring, stainless, solder) is priced at $14.72 (qty 1), $12.71 (qty 10), $11.62 (qty 40), $9.44 (qty 1,000), with ~1,962 units in stock and a 13-week factory lead time. The comparable PV4 series (19mm, SPDT/DPDT, 2A/24VDC, IP67) is cataloged separately; PV4F2H0SS-341 is priced at $25.35 single unit at DigiKey, reflecting the more complex DPDT circuitry.

6. Known Issues

The primary documented issue with this product ID is the part number itself: PV4F240SS does not exist as a cataloged E-Switch product. The "240SS" ordering code structure belongs exclusively to the PV6 series (16mm), while PV4 applies to a 19mm series with a different ordering code format (e.g., PV4F2B0SS-341). The subcategory label "vandal-resistant-16mm" in the product record is consistent with PV6, not PV4, further supporting this as a data entry error. Engineers sourcing from this part number should cross-reference against PV6F240SS with the appropriate LED color suffix. No functional or reliability issues were found for the underlying PV6F240SS product family.