Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: mfv1132 on April 12, 2007, 08:09:48 pm

Title: Switches
Post by: mfv1132 on April 12, 2007, 08:09:48 pm
Anyone tell me where i can purchase a bank of 3/4 switches for my Tug?
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on April 12, 2007, 08:42:36 pm
Probably, but can you give us a bit more info, please? What sort of switches do you need i.e. manually operated or radio-controlled? If the former, what currents are you switching? If the latter, same question about current plus how many channels have you available to operate them? Are they for lights or a sound effect or a smoke generator blah blah?
Sorry to sound like a techno-nerd but all of this stuff is important.
FLJ  ;)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 13, 2007, 01:07:25 am
"Sorry to sound like a techno-nerd but all of this stuff is important.".

Don't apologise, dude. You're right - it is important. No disrespect towards MFV1132, but what the heck are people thinking when they ask such a question in such a terse way? I didn't see any offer of explanation, or specifications, no clue for what said switch was for ... no nothing. So imagine how it must feel if you were the proprietor of a model-supply shoppe, and a possible customer walks in and sez: "I need a switch. Give me a bank of 'em.". What do you do? It gives me the spooks, because I'd be thinking to meself: "Hmm... and I wonder if the same attitude applies to his lakeside etiquette? Or even his driving?"
Well, you, you're obviously more polite. And, if you were indeed the proprietor, it means you'd have to worry about making a living to pay the mortgage, keep the chap happy, give him what he think he wants and send him on his merry way.
Me, on the other hand, I'd be tempted to fob him/her off with an itsy-bitsy 2-Amp job, even when I KNOW he/she will be shoving 15-Amps up the sucker, just so that he/she would come back, hopefully with a bit more knowledge, and explain what it is he/she is trying to do. That surely would make the life of any proprietor miles easier. Mayhem members, too.
Did you read the one where I did a short stint in the chokey because I refused to cough-up for that poll-tax thing? In there one soon learns that if you don't ask, you simply don't get. Same rule applies in Freedom Street... if you don't ask the right questions, you can't really expect any help.


Just Rx'ed your PM, Dave Jacket.
Standby...
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: BarryM on April 13, 2007, 07:57:14 am
Woah, PMK! You must have had a bad day! Give the guy a break - for all you know he's a newbie who needs a steer rather than a 12-bore stuck in his ear and both triggers pulled. All the points raised by FMJ are perfectly valid but do you know that mfv1132 is also aware of them? Innocent until proved guilty and, if nothing else, this forum is about mutual help and toleration. Going in with both feet is not going to encourage others to join and contribute.

Barry M
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: roycv on April 13, 2007, 08:55:57 am
Heh can we  lighten up a bit please.  Let's assume he is a really nice guy and has come to the forum to learn.

I bought a boat to restore some years ago and inside there was a tiny 1 amp switch in series with a 15 amp fuse!  I wonder which would have given up first!

I think back with horror at some of my early efforts and subsequently learnt at the feet of some really good modellers, not forgetting Model Boats magazine.
regards to all
Roy
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Martin (Admin) on April 13, 2007, 10:50:07 am
Hi "mfv1132"

You seemed to have sirred up a hornets nest just by asking a simple question  :o
Goodnessknows why.... ::)

Anyway, lets see if we can help you....
What sort of Tug do you have?
How many Motors?
What battery type and voltage will it have?
What job will the switches do?

Martin.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: HS93 (RIP) on April 13, 2007, 11:42:31 am
This may be what you need .if you need any help I have fitted a few  .Peter

http://www.electronize.co.uk/switchers.htm
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: John W E on April 13, 2007, 08:26:30 pm
hi - my wicked sense of humour has been at it again.  Can you imagine PMK as a shop assistant in an electrical shop.   Nice shy gent walks into shop - PMK behind counter says 'WHAT DO YOU WANT' shy customer replies 'I would like some switches please' - 'WHAT KIND DO YOU WANT WE HAVE THOUSANDS' - 'WE HAVE, HOUSE SWITCHES, WE HAVE SWITCHES WITH FUSES IN FOR THE HOUSE, WE HAVE OUTSIDE SWITCHES, WE HAVE SWITCHES FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS, WE HAVE SWITCHES FOR DOLLS HOUSES, WE HAVE MODELS SWITCHES, - SO COME ON MAN - WHAT DO YOU WANT?' little shy man lying on the floor terrified....'I dint really know'.

On the other hand, can you remember the Two Ronnies sketch about the fork-handles (four candles)
so...PMK ... take your abrupt shop overall off ... or you will end up reporting to Bradders in the lookout  ;D ;D ;D That is straight to jail without passing go and without collecting £200 my friend  ;D

mfv1132 you are allowed out of hiding now, we have tamed the lions and now ask your questions my friend.

aye
no doubt someone on the forum will be able to assist you

John e
bluebird
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: b1etzc92 on April 13, 2007, 10:35:24 pm
"Sorry to sound like a techno-nerd but all of this stuff is important.".

Don't apologise, dude. You're right - it is important. No disrespect towards MFV1132, but what the heck are people thinking when they ask such a question in such a terse way? I didn't see any offer of explanation, or specifications, no clue for what said switch was for ... no nothing. So imagine how it must feel if you were the proprietor of a model-supply shoppe, and a possible customer walks in and sez: "I need a switch. Give me a bank of 'em.". What do you do? It gives me the spooks, because I'd be thinking to meself: "Hmm... and I wonder if the same attitude applies to his lakeside etiquette? Or even his driving?"
Well, you, you're obviously more polite. And, if you were indeed the proprietor, it means you'd have to worry about making a living to pay the mortgage, keep the chap happy, give him what he think he wants and send him on his merry way.
Me, on the other hand, I'd be tempted to fob him/her off with an itsy-bitsy 2-Amp job, even when I KNOW he/she will be shoving 15-Amps up the sucker, just so that he/she would come back, hopefully with a bit more knowledge, and explain what it is he/she is trying to do. That surely would make the life of any proprietor miles easier. Mayhem members, too.
Did you read the one where I did a short stint in the chokey because I refused to cough-up for that poll-tax thing? In there one soon learns that if you don't ask, you simply don't get. Same rule applies in Freedom Street... if you don't ask the right questions, you can't really expect any help.


Just Rx'ed your PM, Dave Jacket.
Standby...


RUDE, RUDE, RUDE.
I thought this forum was to give help. Yes, the info provided was very, very sparse but did not deserve that kind of rant.
Wes
Toronto, Canada
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 13, 2007, 10:45:37 pm
See what I mean? All five replies after my previous missive, they all say the same as I said already - only in a more roundabout way. It all comes down to manners. Geez, how many times have the same questions been asked over and over on the pages of this forum? The whole point of this caper is that we all help each other - without reservation. But, to me at least, it smacks of rudeness when someone comes along - especially the new recruits - and start chucking up the same old questions. Rude because, 1) even the very basic of manners learnt from childhood seem to have gone by the wayside, because what's wrong with spending a little time getting accquainted with the forum first? If they cared to read the previous postings then they would most definately find the answers to their questions AND get to learn a little about fellow members, to boot. And 2), anyone with a modicum of savvy in their bonce would surely appreciate the time and effort in running such a forum. The very fact that The Mighty Admin himself is doing a grand job has been mentioned time and time again -- which is, of course, dead true. Yet, it seems all that hard work and effort is being taken for granted. It's akin to getting slapped in the kisser: "Screw you, mate. I can't be assed with reading all them back-post in your forum... just let me at the the goodies!". . Everyone wants to get to the top of the ladder, yet no-one wants to start from the bottom rung.
Nope - I wasn't trying to rubbish ol' MVF1132. I'm the sort of bloke who could share many an hour discussing all apsects of the hobby over a few beers. Will glady share all what I've come to learn over the years with ANYBODY. But c'mon already... how many will have the balls to admit that asking the sort of inane questions, and the sort of questions that should have been learnt BEFORE even considering gettting into the hobby is just downright ignorant?
As Bluebird says, if I WAS behind the shop counter I'd probably go broke within a week. I'd probably end up giving the stock away to anyone who seems deserving. But if some wag comes in asking for switches or suchlike, but without any clue of what that someone is trying to do, then I'm going to start thinking: "Hmm... Potential pond menace.".
You get the picture.

I got me no desire to sound holier-than-thou, but you might have noticed that I rarely ask questions here. Don't need to, for if one cares to get off one's butt and take a look, then everything you need to know can already be found within.


"Four candles, Sir? Certainly.  Grab a couple ESC's while you're at it. Here... take this super-swanky transmitter too. On the house.".
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 13, 2007, 10:53:11 pm
I think it's a question of make or break myself....
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 13, 2007, 11:35:39 pm
I think it's a question of make or break myself....

Damn!... I wish I thought of that!

Cento, did you read what that chap from Toronto said? He's right - I did go over the top with this rant.
By way of an apology, would you be happy if I were to build you three or four switchers?
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Martin (Admin) on April 13, 2007, 11:47:23 pm
I was quite upset too, can I have one?

Martin ::)

PS. Mayhem updated this evening - 392 pictures of  London Model Engineering Exhibition in  January.
     http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/ (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: omra85 on April 13, 2007, 11:52:45 pm
Proops Bros who appear at most shows seem to have a goodly selection of switches. Often ones that work ;D
Then there's always B & Q ::)
And Colin, don't take failure so hard!  We know you try your best with your models but saying it's a question of "make" or "break myself" is taking it a bit too seriously ;D
Danny
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 14, 2007, 12:02:55 am
Comes naturally. I make it - it breaks.... ;D
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: b1etzc92 on April 14, 2007, 12:49:03 am
I think it's a question of make or break myself....

Damn!... I wish I thought of that!

Cento, did you read what that chap from Toronto said? He's right - I did go over the top with this rant.
By way of an apology, would you be happy if I were to build you three or four switchers?

You know, I left most of the U.S. & Canadian sites because of nonsense like this. All the British sites always seemed to be calm, cool and helpful to ANYONE who asked. To call a person or person's LAZY because of not reading the thousands of postings on the site is ludicrous. I'm sure that when you started out in this hobby, you had many questions too. I have been building models for over 25 years, and, unlike you, I still don't know everything. It's nice to know there is someone in the hobby  that knows everything but is too pig headed to help someone else without insulting them SHAME.
Det.Lt. W. Trimble
Chief of Detectives
Homicide Division.
Toronto Police Sevice.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: banjo on April 14, 2007, 02:45:26 am
 :)

I didn't realise Canadians were so sensitive.... :)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: b1etzc92 on April 14, 2007, 03:14:41 am
:)

I didn't realise Canadians were so sensitive.... :)

We're not. Just reasonable.
Wes
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 14, 2007, 07:53:25 am
To call a person or person's LAZY because of not reading the thousands of postings on the site is ludicrous. I'm sure that when you started out in this hobby, you had many questions too

Mr. Detective, Sir, with all due respect, did you not detect my way of trying to amend matters by offering to build Cento his needed switches? There was no mention of the word 'lazy'. The emphasis was on ignorance. When new recruits, such as yourself, start throwing their weight around and misreading what is being said, then we Limeys tend to ask ourselves how a person with letters after his name could attain such a high status -- especially when his detecting skills are not up to par.
You will please forgive me, but we have Sherlock Holmes. Ergo, our powers of deduction and detecting skills are infinitely superior. For instance, we detected that you have used an apostrophe between the 'n' and 's' in your spelling of "person's", when there shouldn't be. (Not to mention your omission of a hyphen between 'pig' and 'headed').
But just for the record, one does not need to trawl through "thousands of postings on this site" (your words). One merely narrows one's search to the particular group of threads of interest. In this case, Cento only had to look through a dozen or so postings in the Electrics & Electronics pages in order to find what he was looking for.

We hope you enjoy your visit. And welcome to the English way.


PMK.
Chief of Non-Politically-Correct Brigade.
Acting for and on behalf of King and Country.
Somerset,
Great Britain.

Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 14, 2007, 08:07:22 am
I was quite upset too, can I have one?

Martin ::)



Sure.
What specifications? Relay output, or MOSFET? Latching, or non-latching? Amperage rating?........
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Model Boats Website on April 14, 2007, 08:31:02 am
Quote
Anyone tell me where i can purchase a bank of 3/4 switches for my Tug?

Just going back to the original question, I presume when you say 3/4 switches you mean 3-pole 4-way?


(http://s2.excoboard.com/forums/18666/user/212951/382880.gif)

These can be purchased at Maplin in the form of a rotary switch see the link below, if you want it radio controlled it will be more complicated but I'm sure PMK will think something up. You could on the other hand link it up to a servo. ;D

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2417&criteria=rotary%20switch&doy=14m4 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2417&criteria=rotary%20switch&doy=14m4)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: BarryM on April 14, 2007, 08:52:27 am
Memo to self. Never, never go to Somerset unless you want terminal overstress of the aural cavities.

Memo to PMK - remember the 1st Rule of Holes.

Barry M
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: tigertiger on April 14, 2007, 08:55:32 am

We hope you enjoy your visit. And welcome to the English way.


Not my way.
I'm English. ::)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 14, 2007, 09:07:58 am
Just going back to the original question, I presume when you say 3/4 switches you mean 3-pole 4-way?

I too got thrown by that.
3/4 could mean three-quarters. But I think he means three OR four switcher units.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 14, 2007, 09:19:21 am
Memo to PMK - remember the 1st Rule of Holes.

Aw mate, I do, I do. But living around this dump of a county is enough to make even the most saintliest of folk cynical.
Is that how I come across? Rude?... cynical? Don't mean to. I still stand by what I say, but I just wish I had the noodle to say it without sounding like I'm mouthing off.
You, Doug 99, FLJ, Sweeper, Welsh Druid, Bluebird, etc...  all have the gift of making their point without causing offence. I'll try to do ditto henceforth.

Apologies.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Faraday's Cage on April 14, 2007, 09:21:29 am
To get this thread back on track,

mfv1132,

As previously stated, you'll have to be more specific with your needs.

Do you want switches controlled by your radio set or ordinary click type switches.

We need to know what items you want to switch on and off.

Please put us all out of our misery as we're up to reply 24 now and still cant help you.

Terry.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: b1etzc92 on April 14, 2007, 12:00:14 pm
To call a person or person's LAZY because of not reading the thousands of postings on the site is ludicrous. I'm sure that when you started out in this hobby, you had many questions too

Mr. Detective, Sir, with all due respect, did you not detect my way of trying to amend matters by offering to build Cento his needed switches? There was no mention of the word 'lazy'. The emphasis was on ignorance. When new recruits, such as yourself, start throwing their weight around and misreading what is being said, then we Limeys tend to ask ourselves how a person with letters after his name could attain such a high status -- especially when his detecting skills are not up to par.
You will please forgive me, but we have Sherlock Holmes. Ergo, our powers of deduction and detecting skills are infinitely superior. For instance, we detected that you have used an apostrophe between the 'n' and 's' in your spelling of "person's", when there shouldn't be. (Not to mention your omission of a hyphen between 'pig' and 'headed').
But just for the record, one does not need to trawl through "thousands of postings on this site" (your words). One merely narrows one's search to the particular group of threads of interest. In this case, Cento only had to look through a dozen or so postings in the Electrics & Electronics pages in order to find what he was looking for.

We hope you enjoy your visit. And welcome to the English way.


PMK.
Chief of Non-Politically-Correct Brigade.
Acting for and on behalf of King and Country.
Somerset,
Great Britain.


Point taken. But over here the we have taken on the stupid mix of the Queens english and the U.S. english. You should see some of the different spellings and puntuation's we have over here, just to keep from being ridiculed by the Americans. Sorry, but I've been using the U.S. sites for so long I still have my spell check set for U.S. english. My apology's. BTW, I'm not throwing my weight around or misreading your statements. What it all boils down to is the mix between the British and U.S. ways of thinking. I am a CANADIAN and am proud of it. I value the links between Britian and Canada and would much prefer to do things your way instead of the American way, but, they are our biggest trading partners and we have to do things their way. Even my formal  criminalistics courses had to be taken at the FBI school in Quantico, Virginia. I have a Masters degree in criminology, and am the highest ranking homicide detective with a conviction and closure rate of 97.3%. I have run the Homicide Squad here for 22 years and am a 42 year veteran of the force. Do not get me wrong. I'm not bragging, just trying to point out the differences in our cultures. Forgive me if I have offended you for that was not my intent. If my statements are going to be misconscrued in this manner, I guess I had better withdraw from the group and go back to the U.S. groups. When I have been in London on business to continue investigations there, I have never been treated so well. The Yard opens there file and records to us like we were one of them. AGAIN, let me apoligize for any hard feelings I have caused. It's not a matter of rudeness, but one of cultural differences.
Wes
Toronto, Canada
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: OMK on April 14, 2007, 01:00:33 pm
Takes a big man to say that.
Seems we started on the wrong footing. Apology accepted. And welcome to the fold, so to speak.
I shan't hog this thread longer than neccessary, other than to say that I've never yet met a bad American (even though they send us all that Hollywood TV hog-wash). Conversely, neither have I ever met a bad Canadian. You have to realise that us Limeys are in awe of you and your great country. We are fully aware of the animosity that exist between Canada and the US, but imagine the scene: a Canadian, an American and a Brit all together in a pub... all talking modelling hobby-speak. Chances are we'd all of us get along pretty slick. 'Twould be spot on if we kept it that way.

For what it's worth, if you ever find yourself this side of the pond again, there will always be a welcome... as long as you teach OUR police how to achieve such a high conviction closure rate.

Thanks again.
Best regards from Blighty.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Model Boats Website on April 14, 2007, 02:52:46 pm
Quote from: PMK
Quote from: Fireboat
Just going back to the original question, I presume when you say 3/4 switches you mean 3-pole 4-way?

I too got thrown by that.
3/4 could mean three-quarters. But I think he means three OR four switcher units.


Yep, you could be right.... I'm giving up now! C'mon mfv1132 tell us a little more!
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: anmo on April 14, 2007, 03:10:18 pm
I think we should all be nice to Wes from now on, his talents could come in very handy. There have been a few times recently when I've thought there was going to be a murder on this forum.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: DickyD on April 14, 2007, 04:47:35 pm
b1etzc92 
Dont apologise Wes you just said what most of us were thinking.
A word of warning though, we do have some very amiable and helpful Yanks on the forum.

Richard ;)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: BarryM on April 14, 2007, 04:53:14 pm
Welcome Wes and don't mind PMK - his batteries must run down soon, won't they? Please? Surely they must? Dear God, they really must! 

Cheers,

Barry M

PS. PMK must be the only guy who can delay a bus for an hour just by asking for his ticket..
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: mfv1132 on April 14, 2007, 06:42:29 pm
Oh boy what have i done !! Will you all please  accept my apologies for all the trouble i have caused. As has been pointed out i should have given a little more info. in my request
My 4  Ch. switcher is taken up with a Hooter ,Fire pump, Foghorn and Searchlights.What i now require is to purchase a bank of 3/4 click switches to switch Nav.lights,Radar and perhaps flood lights.

It is not an excuse but i must have had a Senior moment when i made up my inital request (age 77)

Thank you all in anticipation.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Model Boats Website on April 14, 2007, 06:50:12 pm
Quote
What i now require is to purchase a bank of 3/4 click switches to switch Nav.lights,Radar and perhaps flood lights.

You're after 3/4 click switches do you mean 3 or 4 toggle switches? If so have a look at the link below. ;)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2340&criteria=toggle%20switch&doy=14m4 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=2340&criteria=toggle%20switch&doy=14m4)
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: mfv1132 on April 14, 2007, 07:18:47 pm
Thanks FIREBOAT, just what i require. For easy installation do you know if thy produce them in  banks. of 3 or 4
 Ican't see them in the Cat.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: John W E on April 14, 2007, 07:20:03 pm
PMK listen to ya fathor and just behave yersel or the monkey gets it  ;D ;D ;D  

Wes, welcome to the Forum my friend, you certainly havent joined a 'savage' forum - a mad one maybe, but certainly not 'savage' - slightly senile and forgetful at times yes definitely  :P

Hey, once you get to know the characters on the forum 99.9% mean you no harm

Skin like a rhino is what you have to have  ;D

mfv1132 I bet you PMK will be able to sort you out with a set of electronic switches,  ;D, to make his peace.

aye
john e
bluebird

Title: Re: Switches
Post by: gribeauval on April 14, 2007, 07:45:35 pm
Thanks FIREBOAT, just what i require. For easy installation do you know if thy produce them in  banks. of 3 or 4
 Ican't see them in the Cat.

Try these switches, I use them all the time on my lifeboats for switching lights,radar etc on and off.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?MenuNo=77633&MenuName=DUAL-IN-LINE+SWITCHES&FromMenu=y&doy=14m4 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?MenuNo=77633&MenuName=DUAL-IN-LINE+SWITCHES&FromMenu=y&doy=14m4)

Mike
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: BarryM on April 14, 2007, 08:30:23 pm
..... and peace once again broke out in the forum.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Colin Bishop on April 14, 2007, 08:39:49 pm
Yeah, but as I said, it was make or break for a while... :D
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: Model Boats Website on April 14, 2007, 08:43:01 pm
Quote
Thanks FIREBOAT, just what i require. For easy installation do you know if they produce them in banks of 3 or 4 I can't see them in the Cat.

No, you can't buy them already in a bank, if it's only for low current applications go for Mikes idea with the DIL switches, the other option is to buy a seperate box/enclosure and pop all the switches in that (see this link (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1666)) and make up your own bank. :)

Hope this helps.
Title: Re: Switches
Post by: mfv1132 on April 19, 2007, 07:54:41 pm
Thank you  " cribeauval" and "fireboat"  ,I have decided to go for the Toggle switch and fit them into  a small black box. I am so glad to see that peace has been restored once more :: I will be more careful in future to spell out , in more detail,what i require.