How to Wire a Linear Actuator: Rocker Switch, Wired Controller & Wireless Remote

A DC linear actuator is one of the simplest machines to wire: two wires, one power supply, and a way to swap the polarity. Swap the wires' polarity and the rod reverses — that is the whole trick. This guide covers the three ways to control a 12V or 24V linear actuator — a rocker switch, a wired controller, and a wireless remote — plus the current ratings, fuse and wire choices that keep the setup safe.

The 30-Second Basics

  • Every HyHaven actuator has two motor leads. Connect them one way, the rod extends; reverse the polarity, it retracts.
  • All HyHaven actuators have built-in limit switches that stop the motor automatically at both ends of the stroke. You do not need external limit switches for normal use.
  • Your control method does one job: it connects the power supply to those two leads, in one polarity or the other.
  • Before wiring, check two numbers on your actuator's specification: the voltage (12V or 24V DC) and the full-load current. Your switch, controller, wires and fuse all have to handle that current.

What You Need

  • A 12V or 24V DC power supply sized for the actuator's full-load current (with headroom — see the current table below)
  • One control method: a DPDT rocker switch, a wired controller kit, or a wireless remote kit
  • Wire, an inline fuse, and basic connectors or a soldering iron
  • A multimeter helps, but is not required

Method 1: Wire a Rocker Switch (DPDT)

A double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) ON–OFF–ON rocker switch is the classic reversing switch for a DC actuator.

  1. Disconnect the power supply before you start.
  2. Connect the power supply's positive and negative to the switch's two center terminals.
  3. Connect the actuator's two leads to the two terminals at one end of the switch.
  4. Connect the two terminals at the other end crosswise back to the first pair — left to right, right to left. This crossover is what swaps the polarity when you flip the rocker the other way.
  5. Reconnect power and test: rocker one way extends, the other way retracts, center position stops.

Current warning: in this setup the switch carries the full motor current. Its rating must be higher than your actuator's full-load current. That is fine for small actuators — and a real problem for large ones (see the table below). For high-current actuators, use Method 2 or 3 to trigger relays, or use relays rated for the load.

Method 2: Use a Wired Controller Kit

A wired controller kit puts the switching in a handheld pendant, so the heavy wiring stays short and the control comes to your hand.

HyHaven's Wired Controller Kit ships as a complete set: control box, handheld pendant, AC power cord, and an AC/DC power adapter (100–240V AC input) — no separate power supply needed.

  1. Plug the AC power cord into a wall outlet and connect the adapter to the control box.
  2. Connect the control box's output to the actuator's two motor leads.
  3. Press the extend/retract buttons to test direction. If the rod moves opposite to the button labels, swap the two output leads.

Check the adapter's rating: the 24V version outputs 24V DC at 2.5A. That covers small actuators (U1, U2) — but larger actuators (U3, U11, U6, 508) draw more than 2.5A at 24V, so for those, use a higher-rated 24V supply or a relay setup instead of this kit's adapter.

HyHaven's Wired Controller Kit is built for exactly this job — see the kit here.

Method 3: Use a Wireless Remote Kit

A wireless kit replaces the switch with a receiver box and a key-fob remote — the receiver does the polarity swapping.

  1. Connect the receiver's input to your power supply. (The HyHaven receiver accepts DC 6V–30V, so one receiver covers both 12V and 24V systems.)
  2. Connect the receiver's output to the actuator's two motor leads.
  3. Test the remote's forward/reverse buttons. If the direction is backwards, swap the two output leads.

This is the setup to choose when you want to stand where you can see the load — an RV bed lift, a hatch, a platform — instead of standing at a fixed switch. See the Wireless Remote Control Kit.

How Much Current Does Your Setup Carry?

Size every part of the circuit — switch, controller, relay, fuse, wire — for the actuator's full-load current, not its no-load current.

Model Full-load current, 12V Full-load current, 24V
HH-LA-U1 (900N) 3.0 A 1.8 A
HH-LA-U2 (1500N) 3.8 A 2.0 A
HH-LA-U3 (6000N) 8.5 A 3.8 A
HH-LA-U11 (3500N) 6.0 A 3.0 A
HH-LA-U6 (7000N) 16.0 A 9.0 A
HH-LA-508 (12000N) 20 A 10.5 A

Practical rules that follow from the table:

Small actuators (U1, U2):

  • a decent automotive rocker switch rated 10A or more handles them directly.

Mid-size (U3, U11):

  • still switchable directly with a properly rated switch, but a controller kit is cleaner.

U6 at 12V (16A):

  • do not run this through a small switch or a light controller. Use the switch or remote receiver to drive

relays

  • rated for the motor current — the relay coils draw very little, and the relay contacts carry the load.

Fuse:

  • fit an inline fuse on the positive supply lead, rated about 25–50% above the full-load current, so a jammed mechanism blows the fuse instead of cooking the motor.

Wire:

  • for short runs (up to about 3 m), 18 AWG suits loads up to ~5A, 16 AWG up to ~10A, and 14 AWG up to ~16A. Longer runs need thicker wire — voltage drop is real on 12V systems.

Five Wiring Mistakes That Kill Actuators

Undersized switch or controller.

  1. The number that matters is full-load current — and the start-up surge above it. When in doubt, use relays.

No fuse.

  1. A stalled actuator keeps drawing current until something melts. A fuse is the cheapest protection there is.

Ignoring the duty cycle.

  1. Most actuators are rated for intermittent work (typically 10–20% duty cycle — two minutes on, then rest). Wiring it to run continuously will overheat it no matter how good the wiring is.

Loose connections.

  1. A loose terminal arcs, heats up and drops voltage, so the actuator runs weak and slow. Crimp or solder properly and tug-test every joint.

Testing under full load first.

  1. Always run a new setup through its full stroke unloaded, check the direction and the end stops, then mount the load.

FAQ

Can I wire a linear actuator directly to a battery?
Yes — a 12V or 24V battery is a valid DC source, and the same three control methods apply. Add an inline fuse close to the battery, and remember a battery can deliver very high fault current, which makes the fuse non-negotiable.

How do I make the actuator reverse?
Reverse the polarity of the two motor leads. Every method in this guide — rocker crossover, controller, receiver — exists to do that swapping for you.

My actuator moves the wrong way for the buttons. What do I swap?
Just swap the actuator's two leads at the switch, controller or receiver output. Nothing else changes.

Can one switch run two actuators?
It can switch power to both, but two actuators rarely run at exactly the same speed, so they will drift out of sync under uneven loads. For lifting platforms that must stay level, read our guide to synchronizing two actuators (coming soon) before wiring them together.

Do I need a relay?
Only when the actuator's full-load current exceeds what your switch or controller can carry — see the table above. Small actuators do not need one; a 16A load does.

The Short Version

Two wires, reversed polarity, current respected. Pick the control that fits how you will actually stand and work: a rocker switch for a fixed station, a wired pendant for a handheld control point, or a wireless remote when you need to watch the load move.

Browse HyHaven controllers and remote kits — or if you are still choosing the actuator itself, start with our linear actuator selection guide.

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