A DIP switch is a row of tiny on/off switches in a dual in-line package, the same two-row pin layout as a DIP chip, usually on a 2.54 mm (0.100 in) pin pitch, or 1.27 mm (0.050 in) on half-pitch surface-mount parts. Each switch is one binary digit, so a bank of 9 can set any number from 1 to 511. On a DMX512 fixture, switch n is worth 2n−1, so address 37 is switches 1, 3 and 6 ON (1 + 4 + 32). These are signal switches: most are rated to switch only 25–50 mA at 24 V DC.
This article covers the switch types, how to tell ON from OFF, what the datasheet ratings mean, and three real uses with worked examples: DMX512 fixture addresses, fixed-code gate remotes and RS-485/Modbus device addresses. Ratings and conventions come from the maker datasheets and manuals listed under Sources. Every switch pattern on this page is calculated from the binary weights, not typed in by hand.
What a DIP switch is
Same Sky describes a DIP switch as a series of switches in a single package that you set by hand to turn circuits on or off, used since the 1970s. A product reads the switches to know its settings, so there is nothing to configure in software. Banks commonly have 1 to 12 positions: CTS’s Series 206 comes in 1–10 and 12 positions, and Same Sky’s DS04-254 in 1–12. The relay and switch types reference lists DIP switches among other PCB switches.
| Series (maker) | Type | Pin pitch (mm / in) | Positions | Mounting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DS04-254 (Same Sky) | Slide | 2.54 / 0.100 | 1–12 | Through-hole |
| DS05-127-SMT (Same Sky) | Slide, half-pitch | 1.27 / 0.050 | 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 | Surface mount |
| 94H (Grayhill) | Rotary, coded | 2.54 / 0.100 | 8, 10 or 16 | Through-hole or surface mount |
Same Sky gives the body length as pitch × positions plus a fixed allowance: L = 2.54 × N + 1.00 mm for DS04-254 and L = 1.27 × N + 1.57 mm for DS05-127-SMT. An 8-position switch is therefore 21.32 mm (0.839 in) long in full pitch and 11.73 mm (0.462 in) in half pitch, which matches the 11.73 mm in Same Sky’s own table.
Slide, piano, rocker and rotary types
- Slide: the most common type. Each actuator slides along the top of the body between two positions, so it works as a single-pole, single-throw (SPST) switch. Same Sky also lists three-position slide versions (on/off/on). CTS Series 206 also comes in SPDT, DPST and 3PST versions.
- Piano (side-actuated): the levers stick out of one edge and are pressed up or down like piano keys. They are useful where the switch sits at the edge of a board, behind a panel opening. CTS Series 195 is an example.
- Rocker: each position is a small rocker pressed down at one end. Grayhill’s processing guide covers both “slides or rockers” in its in-line DIP range.
- Rotary DIP: one dial with 8, 10 or 16 positions drives four output lines worth 1, 2, 4 and 8. Grayhill’s 94H comes in octal (0–7), BCD (0–9) and hexadecimal (0–F), each in standard or complement output. Complement versions have a rotor in a contrasting colour. CTS’s Series 220 offers the same choice, calling it “real code” or “complementary”. One dial replaces four slide switches and cannot be misread as a pattern.
In a complement switch, every output line is inverted: the lines that are open on a standard switch are closed to common, and the closed ones are open. That suits inputs with pull-up resistors, where a closed contact reads as 0. Calculated for the 1-2-4-8 lines:
| Dial position | Value (decimal) | Standard: lines closed to common (weight) | Complement: lines closed to common (weight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | none | 1, 2, 4, 8 |
| 3 | 3 | 1, 2 | 4, 8 |
| 7 | 7 | 1, 2, 4 | 8 |
| 9 | 9 | 1, 8 | 2, 4 |
| A (hex only) | 10 | 2, 8 | 1, 4 |
| F (hex only) | 15 | 1, 2, 4, 8 | none |
To convert between a decimal digit and its 4-bit 8421 code, use the BCD Converter.
Reading ON, OFF and position 1
Look for the marking on the body. Most switches print ON (often with an arrow) along one long edge: a slider pushed toward it is ON, meaning its contacts are closed. The positions are numbered 1, 2, 3 … along the other edge. Some switches print OPEN instead, and there the logic is reversed: pushing the slider toward OPEN turns that position off. Linear’s Multi-Code transmitter manual uses exactly this wording, “off (open)” and “on (closed)”. Product labels do their own thing: Define Instruments’ RIO-MOD termination switches are ON when pushed to the left, and ADJ’s DP-DMX20 drawing shows ON as white and OFF as black.
Two habits prevent most mistakes:
- Read the number printed next to each switch, not its place in the row. If the board is mounted upside down, switch 1 is on the right, and on a rear panel ON may point down.
- Binary is written the opposite way round from the bank. We write the biggest digit first (37 = 100101), but switch 1, the smallest, is usually at the left of the bank. Chauvet’s manual draws it in the same order as written binary, with the values 256 … 1 above switches 9 … 1.
Electrical ratings: switching vs carrying
DIP switch datasheets give two current ratings. The switching (make-and-break) rating is the most the contacts may carry while you move the switch, the moment when a load would arc and wear the contact surface. The non-switching or carrying rating is what a closed contact may carry when nobody is touching it. The gap is large, and the switching figure is the one to design to:
| Series (maker) | Type | Switching rating | Non-switching (carrying) rating | Rated life (cycles) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 206 (CTS) | Slide, through-hole | 50 mA at 24 V DC | 100 mA, 50 V DC max | 10,000 |
| 195 (CTS) | Piano (side-actuated) | 50 mA at 24 V DC | 100 mA, 50 V DC max | 2,000 |
| DS04-254 (Same Sky) | Slide, through-hole | 25 mA at 24 V DC | 100 mA at 50 V DC | 2,000 |
| DS05-127-SMT (Same Sky) | Slide, half-pitch SMD | 25 mA at 24 V DC | 100 mA at 50 V DC | 2,000 |
| 94H (Grayhill) | Rotary, coded | 30 mA at 30 V DC | 100 mA at 50 V DC | 10,000 |
CTS states its switching figure as the life-test condition (10,000 cycles for Series 206 and 2,000 for Series 195, switching 50 mA at 24 V DC). For the Grayhill 94H, one cycle is a rotation through every position and back. Grayhill gives 50 mΩ maximum contact resistance when new and 150 mΩ after the rated life. These are logic-level parts: a DIP switch belongs on a microcontroller input or a pull-up resistor, never in series with a lamp, motor or mains load. Use a relay or transistor for those.
How binary addressing works
Each switch is a bit, and each bit is worth twice the one before. With switch 1 worth 1, the setting is:
So N switches give 2N combinations: 16 for 4 switches, 256 for 8, 512 for 9 and 1,024 for 10. One combination is all-OFF, and many products give it a special meaning, as the examples below show. To set a number, start with the largest switch value that fits, turn that switch on, subtract its value, and repeat with what is left. The Number Base Converter does the same conversion and shows each bit.
Worked example: DMX512 fixture addresses
A DMX512 line carries 512 channels. A fixture starts reading at its start address and uses as many channels as it needs. Chauvet’s example is a 6-channel fixture at address 100, which reads channels 100–105. Older fixtures, dimmer packs and strobes set the start address on a 10-position DIP switch. The three maker manuals checked for this article (Chauvet DMX Mega Strobe III, ADJ DP-DMX20 and Elation DMX-16SW SYS / DP-415) all use switches 1–9 for the address, with switch 1 worth 1:
- Address 1: switch 1 only.
- Address 37: switches 1, 3, 6 (1 + 4 + 32 = 37).
- Address 233: switches 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 (1 + 8 + 32 + 64 + 128 = 233). Chauvet and ADJ both use 233 as their worked example and arrive at the same five switches.
- Address 256: switch 9 only.
- Address 511: switches 1–9 all ON (511), the highest a 9-switch bank can reach. Address 512 cannot be set on a fixture that uses switch 10 for something else.
Calculated switch settings for common start addresses:
| DMX address (decimal) | Binary (switch 9 → 1) | Switches ON | Switch 1 → 9 (■ on, □ off) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 000000001 | 1 | ■□□□□□□□□ |
| 2 | 000000010 | 2 | □■□□□□□□□ |
| 3 | 000000011 | 1, 2 | ■■□□□□□□□ |
| 4 | 000000100 | 3 | □□■□□□□□□ |
| 5 | 000000101 | 1, 3 | ■□■□□□□□□ |
| 8 | 000001000 | 4 | □□□■□□□□□ |
| 10 | 000001010 | 2, 4 | □■□■□□□□□ |
| 17 | 000010001 | 1, 5 | ■□□□■□□□□ |
| 24 | 000011000 | 4, 5 | □□□■■□□□□ |
| 37 | 000100101 | 1, 3, 6 | ■□■□□■□□□ |
| 50 | 000110010 | 2, 5, 6 | □■□□■■□□□ |
| 100 | 001100100 | 3, 6, 7 | □□■□□■■□□ |
| 128 | 010000000 | 8 | □□□□□□□■□ |
| 200 | 011001000 | 4, 7, 8 | □□□■□□■■□ |
| 233 | 011101001 | 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 | ■□□■□■■■□ |
| 256 | 100000000 | 9 | □□□□□□□□■ |
| 300 | 100101100 | 3, 4, 6, 9 | □□■■□■□□■ |
| 400 | 110010000 | 5, 8, 9 | □□□□■□□■■ |
| 509 | 111111101 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | ■□■■■■■■■ |
| 511 | 111111111 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 | ■■■■■■■■■ |
To lay out a rig, give each fixture a start address of the previous start plus that fixture’s channel count. Four 4-channel dimmer packs go at 1, 5, 9 and 13. A fixture that uses C channels can start no higher than 513 − C, which is 509 for a 4-channel pack.
Where the makers differ
The address bits agree across the three manuals. Switch 10 does not, so read it as a separate setting:
- Chauvet DMX Mega Strobe III: switch 10 must be ON for DMX mode. With it OFF, the switches set stand-alone modes instead (switch 9 ON selects manual mode, with switches 1–4 setting speed and 5–8 intensity), and with all ten switches OFF the strobe runs in sound-active mode.
- ADJ DP-DMX20: switch 10 must be OFF for 4-channel operation. ON links all four channels to one DMX channel. ADJ’s own “address 3” example also shows switch 10 ON, which on this pack also selects the single-channel mode.
- Elation DP-415: switch 10 ON selects “switch” mode, where each channel turns fully on at a DMX value of 128 or higher. OFF gives normal dimming. Elation’s example is address 17 = switches 1 and 5.
- Thomann’s retailer guide lists switch 10 as worth 512, which only applies to fixtures that use all ten switches for the address.
Worked example: fixed-code gate and garage remotes
Older gate and garage-door remotes carry the code on a DIP switch inside the case, and the transmitter must match the switch in the receiver. Linear’s Multi-Code Model 4120 two-channel transmitter (1999 instructions) has two 10-position code switches, one per receiver. 10 binary switches give 210 = 1,024 codes. With Linear’s 3021 or 3028 two-channel receivers, positions 1–9 must match and position 10 picks the channel (open = channel 1, closed = channel 2), which leaves 29 = 512 codes. Linear tells owners to avoid all ON, all OFF, and the alternating patterns 2-4-6-8-10 ON and 1-3-5-7-9 ON, because those are test settings or very common.
Fixed codes are insecure. In 2015 Samy Kamkar showed that a 12-switch fixed-code system has only 212 = 4,096 codes. His OpenSesame device used a de Bruijn sequence to try every 8- to 12-bit code in about 8 seconds, where plain brute force took about 29 minutes. Rolling-code systems (sold as Security+, Intellicode or “hopping code”) are not open to that attack, so he recommends upgrading to one. LiftMaster’s 811LMX/813LMX DIP-switch remotes still offer the old 315 MHz and 390 MHz DIP modes for older equipment, but they default to “Security+ 2.0 Encrypted DIP”.
Worked example: RS-485 / Modbus device addresses
On an RS-485 bus every Modbus device needs its own station address, and many I/O modules set it with a DIP switch. Two examples show how much the details vary:
- Delta RTU-485 (instruction sheet, 2007): eight address switches labelled ID0–ID7, worth 20 to 27. Valid addresses are H’01–H’F0 (1–240). H’00 is the Modbus broadcast address, and H’F1–H’FF are invalid. Address 37 is hex 25, so ID0, ID2, ID5 go ON. Delta numbers from 0 by bit, where other makers number from 1 by switch: ID0 is the switch called “switch 1” elsewhere.
- Define Instruments RIO-MOD-RTU (2015 manual): four switches B1–B4 worth 1, 2, 4 and 8, for station addresses 1–15. Address 11 is B1, B2, B4. All four OFF does not mean address 0. It tells the module to use a software address stored in Modbus register 40022, which is how the module reaches addresses above 15.
Once the addresses are set, an RS-485 bus also needs termination and bias resistors. The RS-485 Bias & Termination Calculator works those out. For where RS-485 and Modbus fit among other buses, see embedded communication protocols.
Practical tips
- Use a pen tip or small screwdriver, not a fingernail. LiftMaster’s manual says “a pen or screwdriver”, and Define Instruments a “fine instrument (such as a small screwdriver)” for its tiny termination switches. A plastic tool is the safer choice inside powered equipment, but better still, turn the power off first. The switching ratings above are small.
- Power-cycle after a change. Unipi’s extension modules read their switches “only at module startup (power connection, SW reset, Watchdog)”. Delta tells users to “re-power the module” after changing its communication settings. A new setting that seems to be ignored has usually not been read yet.
- Write the setting down, with the switch numbers, before you change anything, and avoid all-ON, all-OFF and alternating patterns on anything security-related.
- Soldering: CTS allows a 260 °C wave for 5 seconds (Series 206). Same Sky allows a 260 °C maximum wave for 5 seconds and hand soldering at 315–325 °C for 3 seconds (DS04-254), and 260 °C reflow (DS05-127-SMT). Grayhill allows a 260 °C wave for 5 seconds and a 350 °C iron for 3 seconds. The makers disagree on switch position during soldering: Same Sky says keep the switches OFF, while Grayhill ships its slide and rocker switches ON and recommends soldering them as shipped.
- Washing: only tape-sealed switches should be washed. Grayhill marks them with an ST or PT suffix, CTS offers a top tape seal “for board spray washing”, and its surface-mount Series 219 has a removable tape seal rated to survive IR, vapour-phase or wave soldering and board washing. Grayhill says to leave the tape on until cleaning is finished and not to use ultrasonic or pressurized-spray cleaning, which can defeat the seal. Tape materials differ: polyester rated to 170 °F (77 °C) on Grayhill’s 76 and 78 series, polyimide rated to 260 °C on its 90 series. Rotary DIP switches such as the 94H are sealed internally and need no tape.
Sources
All datasheets and manuals were downloaded and read for this article (October 2026). Switch patterns, sums and code counts are calculated on the page from the binary weights.
- CTS Corporation, Series 206 Through-Hole DIP Switch, Rev. G, 2020 — https://www.ctscorp.com (copy read: https://cdn.components.ru/media/PDF/3661159.pdf)
- CTS Corporation, Series 195 Side Actuated, Through-Hole DIP Switch, Rev. C — https://www.ctscorp.com/wp-content/uploads/195.pdf
- CTS Corporation, Series 219 SMD DIP Switch, Rev. D, 2025 — https://www.ctscorp.com/wp-content/uploads/219.pdf
- CTS Corporation, Series 220 7×7 mm Compact Rotary DIP Switch, Rev. K, 2026 — https://www.ctscorp.com/wp-content/uploads/220.pdf
- Same Sky (formerly CUI Devices), DS04-254 DIP Switch datasheet, 2024 — https://www.sameskydevices.com/product/resource/futurepdf/ds04-254.pdf
- Same Sky, DS05-127-SMT DIP Switch datasheet, 2026 — https://www.sameskydevices.com/product/resource/futurepdf/ds05-127-smt.pdf
- Same Sky, What Are DIP Switches? A Guide to Types, Functions, and Uses, 2021 — https://www.sameskydevices.com/blog/dip-switches-101
- Grayhill, Series 94H Rotary DIP Switches datasheet, with Grayhill DIP Switch Processing Information, Bulletin 1234 Rev. 08/14 — https://www.grayhill.com (copy read: https://cdn.components.ru/media/PDF/270843.pdf)
- Chauvet, DMX Mega Strobe III User Manual, 2009 — https://www.chauvetdj.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/DMXMEGASTROBEIII_UG.pdf
- American DJ, DP-DMX20 4 Channel DMX Power Pack User Instructions — https://www.adj.com/cdn/shop/files/dp_dmx20.pdf
- Elation Professional, DMX-16SW SYS / DP-415 User Manual, P/N 24-004-2352-00 — https://www.fullcompass.com/common/files/15339-Manual.pdf
- Thomann, Online Expert: DMX address (retailer guide) — https://www.thomannmusic.com/onlineexpert_page_dmx_address.html
- Linear Corporation, Multi-Code Model 4120 Two Channel Transmitter Installation Instructions, 1999 — https://www.hooverfence.com/mas_assets/theme/hooverfence/pdfs/mc412001.pdf
- LiftMaster (Chamberlain Group), 811LMX and 813LMX Programmable DIP Switch Remote Controls, 114-5565-000 — https://shopactiondirect.com/content/manuals/114-5565-000.pdf
- Samy Kamkar, OpenSesame: hacking garages in seconds, 2015 — https://samy.pl/opensesame/
- Delta Electronics, RTU-485 Instruction Sheet, 2007 — https://deltaacdrives.com/Accessories/Delta-RTU-485-DVP-S-Series-Remote-Input-Output-Module-PLC-Instruction-Sheet.pdf
- Define Instruments, RIO-MOD-RTU Manual, RIO-MOD-RTU-MAN-15V02, 2015 — https://core.instrumart.com/assets/RIO-MOD-RTU-manual.pdf
- Unipi Technology, Communication and addressing (Unipi Extension knowledge base) — https://kb.unipi.technology/en:hw:04-extensions:communication-and-addressing-of-module
Frequently asked questions
What does DIP stand for in DIP switch?
Dual in-line package: the switches sit in a body with two parallel rows of pins, the same footprint as a DIP chip. Through-hole parts use a 2.54 mm (0.100 in) pin pitch; half-pitch surface-mount parts such as the Same Sky DS05-127-SMT use 1.27 mm. Banks commonly have 1 to 12 positions.
How do I set a DMX address with DIP switches?
Switch n is worth 2^(n−1): switch 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 4 … 9 = 256. Turn ON the switches whose values add up to the address. Address 1 is switch 1 alone, 37 is switches 1, 3 and 6 (1 + 4 + 32), 256 is switch 9 alone and 511 is switches 1–9. On Chauvet, ADJ and Elation packs switch 10 is a mode switch, not part of the address.
Which way is ON on a DIP switch?
Toward the word ON (or the arrow) printed on the body. Some switches are printed OPEN instead; there, moving the slider toward OPEN turns that position off (contacts open), which is how Linear’s Multi-Code manual describes it. Position 1 is the one numbered 1 on the body, whichever way the board is mounted.
Can a DIP switch switch a load directly?
Only a tiny one. Typical switching ratings are 25 mA at 24 V DC (Same Sky DS04-254, DS05-127-SMT), 50 mA at 24 V DC (CTS 206 and 195 life tests) or 30 mA at 30 V DC (Grayhill 94H rotary). The higher carrying rating, about 100 mA at 50 V DC, applies only when the contacts are not being moved.
Do I need to power-cycle a device after changing its DIP switches?
Usually, yes. Many boards read the switches only at start-up: Unipi’s extension modules read them at power connection, software reset or watchdog reset, and Delta’s RTU-485 instruction sheet says to re-power the module after changing its communication settings. If the manual does not say otherwise, set the switches with the power off and then power up.