Monday 1 January 2001

Switches

Update... below is very true and very worth a read but... the latest range of magnetic switches are just fantastic and well worth a look.

Your average RC switch, used them for years, occasionally they get a bit intermittent, sometimes black wire corrosion gets right in there.


When my first Viking had rather a fast touchdown (immense crash) the switch went a bit intermittent, so I took it apart...
Even before getting a deep down to look at the state of the contacts, have a gander at the standard of the soldering, and look at the pinching where the wire entered the case.


I've now replaced three switches and the soldering on this one was actually the neatest, scarey...
This is the Maplins switch I've started replacing my switches with.
Don't know what the Amp rating is at the voltages we use, but in practice I've had no problems drawing quite a few Amps through it.
Mmmm, lots of lovely contacts...
Wire across the two sets of contacts for each position. Thread the tinned wire through the holes so that you get some mechanical strength as well as the soldering.


Make sure your battery input connection is the centre one, which means that in one position the left lead will be live and in the other position the right lead will be live (one to the Rx and one for charging).
Tin, twist and solder the negative leads together and slip a bit of heat shrink over them.
Once done, pot the lot in epoxy for strength, insulation and durability.




This method works for me. If you have a better method let me know and I'll share it here.

Boring legal bit because we live in a bizarre society where cack-handed, knuckle draggers can sue you because of their own ineptitude... Anyway, I can in no way be held responsible if you try this and it goes horribly wrong and you damage anyone, anything or yourself.