Switches

[grndzero]

madvapes has a good selection of switches but most of them are rate at 50ma, not suitable long term for 8-12 watt circuits. I've been looking all over google for 2-3A switches. Anybody have another source of 2-3A switches. I'm also looking for something that can fit into 3/4 to 1" tubes as I'm working on magnum mods and looking at copper pipe next.

 

[Matt79jd]

All you need is a regulator with a control pin. Check out switches for car applications. That's what I use.

 

[Sci]

I've bought from this site. They've got a good selection & are inexpensive. I've used this switch a lot.

 

[nickarsow]

Dear GRNDZERO,
There's NO combination of "small ( miniature ), elegant and reliable" relevant to switches.
As written in many themes, the combination of SMD ( SOT-23 ) MOSFET and tactile SMD switch is the best. Do not search the web....you'll find nothing suitable.
By the way, you could take a look at DG Subminiature series of CHERRY switches ( Cherry DG Series Sub-Miniature Snap-Action Switch ). In combination with a suitable cap, you could make the "perfect" switch, but it will be more expensive than the above mentioned combination.

 

[WillyB]

Dear GRNDZERO,
There's NO combination of "small ( miniature ), elegant and reliable" relevant to switches.
As written in many themes, the combination of SMD ( SOT-23 ) MOSFET and tactile SMD switch is the best. Do not search the web....you'll find nothing suitable.
By the way, you could take a look at DG Subminiature series of CHERRY switches ( Cherry DG Series Sub-Miniature Snap-Action Switch ). In combination with a suitable cap, you could make the "perfect" switch, but it will be more expensive than the above mentioned combination.

That's not true there are many small well made pushbutton switches with good contacts and very high mechanical life (1,000,000) and electrical ratings that work fine without a mosfet. Just because a mosfet softens the current draw those cheap tact switches were never meant for the abuse and constant pressing we subject them to.

The snap action switch you linked to although better than a tact is still only rated at for 6,000 Operations (Electrical Life at Rated Load). There are many small pushbutton switches in the $3-$5 range that are rated at 250,000+.

As far as snap switches these Omrons (< $2) are a much better choice.

Mechanical: 30,000,000 operations min. (60 operations/min) (Refer to the following Engineering Data.)
10,000,000 operations min. (60 operations/min) for SS-10 models

Electrical: 200,000 operations min. (30 operations/min) (Refer to the following Engineering Data.)
50,000 operations min. (30 operations/min) for SS-10 models

 

[nickarsow]

Dear WilliB,
I'd like to ask you to post some information ( links ) about "small ( miniature ), elegant and reliable" switches, suitable for the case.
What about the Cherry microswitches, we use them a lot of time and at 1,8A they work for years ( more than 8 ). Some of them has got across 500000 cycles and still work fine.
Also I'm not sure Omron switches are fairly different in quality.
More, the price of the combination - MOSFET+tactile switch = $0.28 - $0.34. I'll not count the attendant resistors, because their price is less than $0.01.
This combination could be seen performed in my mode here http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ransitioning-without-wires-2.html#post1560174 and here http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ransitioning-without-wires-2.html#post1725414 .

 

[WillyB]

More, the price of the combination - MOSFET+tactile switch = $0.28 - $0.34. I'll not count the attendant resistors, because their price is less than $0.01.

Well prices must be different in your country. Most mosfets recommended here are in the $1 - $2 range. And I would couple that with a high quality pushbutton like this one, not a flimsy 50¢ tact.

Digi-Key - GH1349-ND (Manufacturer - 39-401 BLK)

Grayhill, C&K and E-Switch make very nice switches of all types.

Grayhill

Switches from Allied Electronics

Pushbutton switches | illuminated pushbuttons | LED pushbutton | power pushbutton

But to each his own, I just responded to your over-reaching, blanket statement.

There's NO combination of "small ( miniature ), elegant and reliable" relevant to switches

I believe there most certainly are.

 

[Matt79jd]

I like those switches from Allied Electronics. I would love to use the illuminated pushbutton the ring style. Those would look very awesome. A little big for the 2xAA box but would definitely fit a custom. I would still agree a little with WillyB. I am still on the search for the ultimate tiny elegant switch. I need to talk to my engineer friend who designs stuff for the military and see if either he could get me one or engineer one. What switch does the 510 manual battery use?

 

[grndzero]

I like those switches from Allied Electronics. I would love to use the illuminated pushbutton the ring style. Those would look very awesome. A little big for the 2xAA box but would definitely fit a custom. I would still agree a little with WillyB. I am still on the search for the ultimate tiny elegant switch. I need to talk to my engineer friend who designs stuff for the military and see if either he could get me one or engineer one. What switch does the 510 manual battery use?

The 3 manual batteries that I have taken apart have all had very tiny switches underneath. They were all mounted directly to a PCB though so they could be using the switch to activate a regulator and essentially taking the circuit out of the heavy lifting of the circuit.

 

[Matt79jd]

The 3 manual batteries that I have taken apart have all had very tiny switches underneath. They were all mounted directly to a PCB though so they could be using the switch to activate a regulator and essentially taking the circuit out of the heavy lifting of the circuit.

I thought that's what it would be. I wish they sold those manufactured parts but they probably only mass produce them and buying less then 10 of them would be crazy expensive.

 

[grndzero]

Yeah, you would probably have to buy a run of a couple hundred if not a 1000. I have 2 dead batteries that I salvaged for connectors, I could try to pull the circuit board out but I think the reason it died in the first place is because they got flooded and shorted the circuit board.

The next mod I want to do is a copper pipe. Finding a switch that will handle the circuit, fit nicely into 3/4" pipe, and also look decent is turning out to be tough. I'm pondering trying a touch circuit, but I really don't want to put any chips the first mod while I figure out details. I really like the lighted ring and silver/chrome color flat or slight dome switches but they all seem too big to fit into 3/4" tube especially when they need a 1/2" mounting hole.

 

[DaveP]

If the switching and regulation circuitry on the original board is good, almost any SPST switch that fits will work. all they are doing is using the tiny switch to gate a control circuit on the board.