SPST vs DPST is a requirement question more often than a preference: an SPST switch opens one current-carrying conductor while a DPST switch opens two at the same time with one actuator, and the reason to want that is usually isolation rather than function. Breaking only the live conductor is sufficient for many normal control functions when polarity is assured. It is not the same as all-pole disconnection, which may be required by the end-product standard, the wiring system or the servicing procedure. A July 2026 catalogue-name audit found no listed Swiclick product whose title states DPST or 2P1T across 175 models. Because many product names do not state their contact configuration, confirm availability with Swiclick before treating that as a complete configuration audit. Terminal counts are two and four respectively, and the usual substitute is a DPDT wired to four of its six terminals.
Does Swiclick make DPST switches?
No standard DPST model has been identified in the current published catalogue review. A July 2026 audit of 175 product names found none stating DPST or 2P1T. Contact Swiclick to confirm whether an unlabelled or newly released model is available. Selected DPDT switches from the slide switch and latching pushbutton ranges can be wired to reproduce DPST on and off behaviour at signal and low-power levels, subject to a rating and certification review. Detail on the single pole configuration sits on the SPST switch page.
SPST vs DPST Comparison Table
| SPST | DPST | |
| Current-carrying conductors opened | 1 | 2 simultaneously |
| Terminals | 2 | 4 |
| Provides all-pole disconnection | No | Potentially, only if the switch and the installation are rated for that duty |
| Typical reason to choose it | Function | An isolation or disconnection requirement |
| Identified in the July 2026 catalogue-name review | Yes, widely | No listed product name states it. Confirm with Swiclick, or substitute a DPDT |
Decision rule: single pole is sufficient for ordinary control functions with assured polarity. Move to double pole when the end-product standard, the wiring system or a servicing procedure calls for disconnection of both supply conductors.
Where the Requirement Comes From
Three situations turn double pole from a preference into a requirement.
Equipment that must be disconnected from both supply conductors when off. Breaking only the live leaves the load connected to neutral. Whether that is acceptable depends on the product category, whether the plug can be reversed, the earthing system and the applicable equipment standard.
Floating or isolated supplies. Battery systems, isolated DC buses and equipment with no reference to earth have no conductor that can safely be left connected. Both sides have to open.
Servicing isolation. Equipment intended to be serviced while de-energised may require a dedicated disconnecting means. A normal PCB switch should not be treated as a lockout device unless it is specifically rated, identifiable and lockable for that purpose. Lockout requirements come from the machine, workplace and end-product safety framework, not from the pole count alone.
The requirement usually arrives from the end product standard rather than from the switch, and switch certification matching by destination market is worth confirming early, because a configuration that satisfies one market may not satisfy another.
DPST or DPDT
These two are frequently confused and the difference is one word.
DPST is double pole single throw: two circuits, each simply on or off. Four terminals.
DPDT is double pole double throw: two circuits, each moving between two destinations. Six terminals.
A conventional DPDT switch can often be wired to reproduce DPST on and off behaviour, provided the electrical ratings, contact timing, insulation distances and certification are suitable for the application. Wire the two commons and one throw from each pole, and leave the other two throws unconnected. The substitution adds two unused terminals, more board area, and a separate verification of ratings and approvals.
The substitution does not work in reverse. A DPST part has no second destination to route to. If there is any chance of needing one, the SPDT and DPDT comparison is the decision to run.
What We Build and What We Do Not
This is the part most supplier pages leave out.
A July 2026 audit of 175 listed product names found none stating DPST or 2P1T, in the slide switch, tact, micro switch, DIP or latching pushbutton ranges. That audit read product names rather than every datasheet, so treat it as a strong indication rather than proof, and ask before you design one in. Claiming a configuration we cannot show you would waste a week of your time at first article.
What exists and is easy to point at is DPDT, in the MSS, MSK, SK and SS slide switch series and in the PB series latching pushbuttons. Wiring one of those as DPST is a normal engineering substitution. Confirm current availability and lead time for the specific part number at quotation.
There is a second limit worth stating plainly. These are PCB-level signal and low-power switches. Published DC switching ratings on the slide bodies sit in tenths of an amp, and requirements for mechanical switches of this class are set out in IEC 61058-1-1. If the application is a mains disconnect or an industrial isolating device, this product family is not the right answer regardless of pole count. Use a purpose-built device evaluated under the applicable disconnection or isolation standard, such as IEC 60947-3 where relevant, together with the end-product standard for your equipment.
Custom development is possible where volume justifies tooling, but a genuinely new contact arrangement is a mould and qualification programme rather than a catalogue change. If you need DPST at low volume, buying it from a supplier who already builds it is the faster route.
Manufacturer-specific note: the catalogue counts and ratings quoted here reflect Swiclick models at the review date and must be verified against the exact datasheet.
What Changes on the Board
If you go with a DPDT wired as DPST, three practical points.
Pads. Six pads for four used terminals. Keep the two spares on the board and note them in the schematic so a reviewer does not remove them.
Creepage and clearance. If the two circuits carry different potentials, the spacing between the two poles matters. Check the datasheet dimension rather than assuming the body provides mains-grade separation, because these bodies are not designed for it.
Marking. Mark on the silkscreen which throw is used. A six-terminal body wired to four terminals is easy to reassemble wrongly at a later revision.
Selected part numbers may be covered by UL component files, with approval granted per model and rating. Confirm the exact model against the current certificate.
FAQ
The number of current-carrying conductors opened. SPST opens one. DPST opens two at the same time with a single actuator, which disconnects the load from both switched supply conductors.
DPST turns two circuits on or off, using four terminals. DPDT routes two circuits between two destinations each, using six.
Often yes, provided the ratings, contact timing, insulation distances and certification suit your application. Wire the two commons and one throw per pole, and leave the other two throws unconnected.
No standard DPST model has been identified. A July 2026 review of 175 product names found none stating DPST or 2P1T, though product names do not always state the contact form. Contact Swiclick to confirm. The usual substitute is a DPDT from the slide switch or latching pushbutton series.
This product family is designed for PCB-level signal and low-power switching. For a mains disconnect or an isolating device, use a switch built and certified for that duty rather than adapting one of these.
No. It is sufficient for many normal control functions when polarity is assured. It is simply not the same thing as disconnecting both supply conductors, and whether that is required comes from the standard for your equipment category.
