Hi guys;

Just an fyi...

Two alternatives to the plunger switches (which I have never been fond of):

1. Mercury switch ( remember what was inside your old home heating thermostats?)

2. Glass-encased reed switch & magnet.

I'll leave it to your respective imaginations w.r.t implementation, but both are cleaner; require no drilling, & have no exposed switch stuff showing. PFM

Cheers
Bubba

 

Magnetic reed switch is a great idea for this. They're cheap, easy, and perfectly clean. I'd suggest Cherry parts, MP201901 reed switch and AS201901 magnet. I use them for a project at work and they work great. They have about .7" actuating distance, which would probably be perfect. And they're readily available at Digikey.com.

 

Ahh, okay. That makes sense on the switch. I'm going to get this one rolling right now -- going to Oznium as we speak.

Again, thanks for the write up, Luke!

BTW, I did get your email this morning but, I haven't been able to read it due to the 'lockdown' on webmail here w/GE (I'm in my field office today). I need to remember to forward that mail on these days... oh well. I'll pick it up tonight in the hotel in Bowling Green.

-RP-

 

Yea, I got your e-mail. I just got free'd up here at work, so i'm sketching it out now. I'll post it up soon.

 

The magnetic switch thingamabob sounds like a FANTASTIC idea. Can someone link me to one of these things -- I'm looking at www.digikey.com and have found them in their catalog but still don't really know what I'm looking at... I like the idea of no-drill on the switch. They simply activate when exposed to the magnetic field? They filled with some kind of gas or something that spins poles when put into the mag field?

Off to do some research -- all links appreciated!

 

Absolutely no biggie man. I haven't ordered the parts - yet. I really appreciate your help!!!!!!!!

 

are you using the resistors to lower the total resistance to get more current to flow, so the LEDs will be brighter? Or are you using them as the load, since technically an LED is just a diode and isnt a load.

You can wire a switch either hot or ground, makes no differnce as far as system performance and saftey.

And this is pretty cool. I ask these questions b.c not too long from now ill be tearing through my whole dash and replacing all the bulbs with LEDs.
-Patrick

 

Here's what I did. Pretty simple.

 

I really love wikipedia...



So, that capsule is hermatically sealed and, in most instances, would be inside a plastic housing. That part, when mounted, would come down near the magnet. The magnet will make the contacts meet (due to the charge of the gas that is in the capsule) and thus open/close the circuit.

That simple eh? So, Now it's just a matter of finding one that will fit in that VERY tight tolerance between the lid and the compartment?

vtron, are you pretty sure that the one that you mentione - with associated magnet - will clear that area?

Also, dumb question here, I assume the switch has leads out of both sides of the switch? Or at least posts to solder to?

 

Nice schematic, Luke! Again, thanks for all the help.

 

Hi RP.

Yeah, but Wiki can take you for a real nice ride down BS Lane if you're not careful .

In a reed switch, it's not the gas, it's the properties of the metal 'reeds' that cause them to 'flex' (and touch)in the presence of a magnetic field.

You need only to find one with the right size and sensing distance to fit the application.

That's why I also mentioned the mercury switch - no distance problems; only need to run 2 very thin flexible wires from the lid. Choices, choices....

Cheers
Bubba

PS, RP - congrats on your snotsucker in progress. Can't wait to hear the detailing stories around this new addition.... " ... but I've found that this diaper was softer unlike Brand X's microfiber. Also, this skin lotion really made the pink cheeks 'pop' ..." ,and so forth.

 

Hey Fellas,

Well this looks like a cool and relatively easy mod.

My only suggestion would be to put the LEDs in the bottom portion of the compartment. This is because if they're in the top arm rest portion of the compartment and you go to reach in for something, you could potentially block your own light.

Granted its a small detail, but still one worth thinking about. Great writeup Luke and thank you for sharing!

What is the reason for putting the switch on the negative instead of the positive?

I'd be a little hesitant to put a mercury switch in my truck. I'd steer clear of that and either use a reed switch (if we can find one small enough) or a plunger switch and put it up top like Luke did and then the LEDs somewhere in the bottom portion of the center console.

If you want pictures of how the center console comes apart, just check out my gallery. I have quite a few pictures there from when I took it completely apart for my Z1 iPod controls.

Duke

 

Hi.

Well the mercury switches I have (in the bin right next to the reed switches ;-)), are not at all what I'd call fragile, contain very little of the stuff, & if you got hit hard enough to compromise the switch mounted within the centre console lid, I submit you'd also have much bigger problems to contend with.

Setup with mercury switches is less finicky - simply senses a gross change in lid angle. Two wires to the rest of the circuit (concur in lighting location below, not in the lid) & you are done.

I can respect your aversion to the stuff though. But, remember - you used to have a thermometer stuck in your mouth... guess what was in it?

I don't have any issues, as the lead from the solder fumes got me first, a loooong time ago

Cheers
Bubba

 

Yep... I realize that about Wiki -- and just about everything else online!

That said, I like the idea of a mercury switch but, hate the thought of Hg in the truck. Hg is actually kind of a nasty player and, as such, I will probably dodge that one -- god knows I get enough exposure to 'unknowns' with my job in the environmental world as it is -- any dosage that I can avoid is good for me.

I wish someone would come up with something to replace Hg switches... heck, they're nearly impossible to buy now aren't they?

 

RockPick

Here are some links for you
reed switch datasheet
It's a normally closed (NC) SPST switch. It has tinned leads about 12". Just connect one end to ground and the other to the LED. The one listed below MP201802 is closed anything closer than 0.25" and releases at 0.7". They have one's, MP201901, that have looser tolerances but it's harder to find as NC. You can use NO, it's not as clean.

The magnetic actuator is in the same housing (the flange can be cut off of either if needed).

Here's the
Magnet Link

Switch Link