Questions - Power Switch EN 61058 Standard

[chyun3]

Hi..

I got some questions regarding the power switch standard EN 61058-1.
The switch that i going to use is as below:

http://www.johnsonelectric.com/mediando/index.php?IdTreeGroup=43&IdProduct=224

Under the Electrical Rating side, for the ENEC compliance, this switch comply to rating of:
250 VAC 16(4)A T100 1E4;
250 VAC 10(10)A T100 1E4;
250 VAC 8(8)A T125 5E4 ;

Questions:
Q1) Do anyone know why one switch can comply to 3 different rating?

Q2) For example, the 1st rating, 16(4)A. Based on my understanding, 16A is rated current for resistive load, while (4)A is rated current for motor load. Why got two current rating with resistive & motor load? Why motor load has lower rated current?

Thanks
Chyun3

[DTiziano]

In industrial application various category exist based on the load characteristics ex.AC1, AC-2/AC-3 e AC-4 or DC1.
Resistive ones are the simple to drive since do not have any overshoot/over voltage,
while the inductive or capacitive are the wost since they have big inrush current at start up and
over voltage at shut down (inductive).
Motor typically start at 5 to 8 times the nominal current and that the reason to reduce the switch nominal current for such applications.