Anyone Try a Push-On/Push-Off Latching Switch?

[Rocketholic]

I've been tossing around the idea of using a push-on/push-off switch as the main power interrupt for my electronics. It would be mounted horizontally to avoid the possibility of take-off or ejection charges activating the switch. All you would need to do is stick a thin rod (preferably nonconductive) or screwdriver through the sidewall to activate/deactivate the switch.

I was a little concerned about the current being drawn through it but having seen the variety of the micro and mini switches used, I'm not sure the concern is warranted.

The electronics is an Eggtimer Quasar on a 550mAh lipo. So far just one deployment charge but I may add another as a back up.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[secretagent]

I've used all sorts of switches - rotary, pull-pin, screw, etc. - with Eggtimer Quantums and Quasars with 1200mAh 2S lipos. The pushbutton on/off were not my favorites because they are not as obvious as rockers or pull pins, but they did work just fine.

I like using external switches (those mini rockers) a bit more than internal ones that you have fuss with the alignments, screwdrivers, etc. in order to work. There is a little extra drag but I'm not going for heights normally and the convenience of just flipping a switch with my fingers is well worth the cost.

Note that I am not proud of the appearance of some of my switch bands, but they all look fine from 100'+ feet away.

 

[Steve Shannon]

I've been tossing around the idea of using a push-on/push-off switch as the main power interrupt for my electronics. It would be mounted horizontally to avoid the possibility of take-off or ejection charges activating the switch. All you would need to do is stick a thin rod (preferably nonconductive) or screwdriver through the sidewall to activate/deactivate the switch.

I was a little concerned about the current being drawn through it but having seen the variety of the micro and mini switches used, I'm not sure the concern is warranted.

The electronics is an Eggtimer Quasar on a 550mAh lipo. So far just one deployment charge but I may add another as a back up.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

My mentor used them all the time. Only once did one disassemble itself inflight.

 

[Rocketholic]

It's too late for me to use a coupling as a removable elec-bay since the only possible coupling is already glued into the aft section of the rocket body. I have been planning on an internal elec-bay that is removable/replaceable with a simple deployment mechanism (such as the APOGEE). Yeah, it's more complicated and requires more thought/planning during construction but it is what it is at this point.

 

[cerving]

We do the switch-stick thing with the EZ-DD Rocket/Altimeter, however it's not a mechanical switch... it's a push-on and hold-off electronic switch (you have to hold it for 5+ seconds to turn if off, that prevents mechanical switch glitches from turning off the altimeter).

 

[bad_idea]

We do the switch-stick thing with the EZ-DD Rocket/Altimeter, however it's not a mechanical switch... it's a push-on and hold-off electronic switch (you have to hold it for 5+ seconds to turn if off, that prevents mechanical switch glitches from turning off the altimeter).

Any chance of packaging that switch as a standalone product, or is there someone who already has? I'd love to do away tools to switch my electronics, but I don't have a lot of trust in most mechanical switches that are easy to manipulate.

 

[cerving]

Maybe, we're looking at it but we haven't made any decisions yet. It would be a smaller SMT version... the through-hole version is pretty big, but that's OK for EZ-DD rocket because we designed the rocket around the altimeter.

 

[Spacedog49Krell]

A friend uses a mechanical push-on/push-off power switch for his flight computer. I flew it 5 times in my rockets and didn't experience any issues. It did require more precision cutting the square hole in the payload bay for the switch.

 

[SolarYellow]

Maybe, we're looking at it but we haven't made any decisions yet. It would be a smaller SMT version... the through-hole version is pretty big, but that's OK for EZ-DD rocket because we designed the rocket around the altimeter.

That would be very cool. If it could be significantly smaller and lighter than typical screw switches and your wi-fi switch and double-stick-taped to something for mounting, that would be even cooler.