Why 12 adjustable stops on a 3p4t rotary?

[seten]

Just cleared up a lot of confusion as to why my 3p4t switch suddenly has 12 positions after i clipped off that pesky tab on the washer - but now I'm confused as to why you would want any more than 4 positions on a switch with only 4 throws? It just cycles through those same 4 positions two more times. Is it just because they make all switches up to 12 throw ones in the same mold?

[davent]

The pesky tabs fits iinto one of the numbered holes in the switch body to limit the travel, number of switch positions, Same switch body in a product line is used for all switch combinations from 1x12 - 4x3, the tab sets the number of positions/throws.

[bluebunny]

Your pesky washer was upside-down!  As Dave says, the tab should point downwards - into the switch.  And expanding further on what Dave says, you can use it to turn a 1x12 switch into e.g. a 1x10 switch (i.e. limiting its travel), if that's what you need.

[anotherjim]

It's the same switch body as a 1p12t, 2p6t, 3p4t, 4p3t. There is no room in the middle for any more than 4 common contacts so no 5p2t.
If you have to switch say 5 different capacitors, you can limit a 12 or 6 throw switch to only those 5 throws.
Very flexible, but having 12 real positions means the angle of switch throw is small, even if you only want a 2 throw making panel text tricky to fit unless you have a very long pointer knob.

[duck_arse]

that "pesky tab" as you call it is right there, bottom centre, between the two holes. it's a funny thing about engineers, they seem to add things to simple designs like tabs and pips and slots in places to annoy and confound, and yet every one of the additions they make serves a very purposeful purpose. anti-rotate on a rotary switch is a dead set must have.

[PRR]

> all switches up to 12 throw ones in the same

This.

That's how they sell a fairly complicated contraption for a dollar. Minimal differences.