Switchcraft Closed Tip 12A Jacks...

[Hal]

can these be used instead of stereo for battery switching?  It looks like it...unless I'm missing something.

[ExpAnonColin]

Well, the way that the stereo jack battery switching works is that the -9v is connected to the shaft of the mono jack, and then to ground, only when a mono plug is put in, which basically connects the - side of the 9v battery to the circuit.  The switched ones wouldn't work so well-you don't want to have the -9v connected to anything but ground, not the tip.

-Colin

[Peter Snowberg]

No they can't. The switch in a #12A is closed when nothing is plugged in and it switches to the audio conductor too. It's exactly opposite on both counts.

Your other option would be the #13 which has an isolated switch.

Take care,
-Peter