Pilotdog, those Omten 1288’s are tiny or those forward clickies are massive.
The 1288 is what is used in most of the Convoy lights
if it's any consolation my 4.4amp mtg2 build uses a solarforce forward click and it hasn't stopped working yet...
On the Digikey site they list switches as on-off, off-on, NO, NC, etc. I assume the first two are either forward or reverse clicky operation but not sure.
I have used a few of the eBay 6A switches, and so far anywhere a 1217 would fit, they have too. I’ve pushed more than 8A through one without issues. There was a test done that pushed it over 10A without failure.
Small they aren’t, but they fit.
Rufusbduck, I understand the confusing off-on, on-off to be their reference as to possible configurations for single pole switches. Then it gets more confusing with multiple poles. That is if I understand that correctly. I’m not sure if they describe forward or backward.
Now, perhaps, you may also understand why I have been such a stick-in-the-mud over the recent trend of using silly WWWebsite nicknames like “forward clickie” and “reverse clickie” when standard nomenclature has existed since before even I was born. Yeah, yeah, yeah — “standard nomenclature” [roll eyes] is geeky, “old timey” and boring, but maybe now you can see why it’s useful…
And the term “pole” describes the number of circuits that are controlled by a switch. The number of ways they’re controlled is called “throw”, as in “SPDT”, which is “Single Pole, Double Throw” — a single circuit through that SPDT switch has two different outputs. It may make more sense if you look at switch schematics. (I should warn the timid that, in the vocabulary of switches, we’re not even scratching the surface yet! Make, Break, Momentary and Normal aspects determine “forward” and “reverse” behavior…) Sparkfun has a decent explanation for the curious.
(Try to imagine old Dimbo, building a radio or a robot controller, trying to characterize 64 switch plates on a rotary actuator by “clickie”… I would be fired on the spot!)
(As a reward for reading this far, our tailcap switches are SPST. “Forward” (as I understand it) is “Make before Break” or Normally Open and “Reverse” is “Break before Make” or Normally Closed. But I am also confused by “forward” and “reverse” nicknames…)
It would be nice if digikey also were as adamant about nomenclature. I get NC vs NO with regard to momentary switches, it’s the on-off vs off-on that’s a bit unclear. Are you saying that on-off is NC (normally closed) and therefore a reverse clicky(sorry!) as we flashboobs would call it? 1st state being the normal one.
I must disclaim that I started buying from DigiKey when there was no WWWeb, but their catalog was mostly “throne room” entertainment and a place to hold their phone number. Whenever I needed a part, I had to call & let their rep. dig it up. NOT shilling for them, as I see them as a “last ditch” supplier when I just can’t live without some part & no one else can find it.
When I browse to their modern WWWeb catalog, it looks like the same guy made it who made the paper one.
No offense, I like them just fine, but we all need to remember they’re a supplier to hobbyists, mostly. And they sell EVERYthing electronic-related, which means they probably don’t spend much time on any category. They seem to be the model FT, DX, Manafont, etc. have based their businesses on, except DigiKey claims (seems?) to actually stock some of the things they sell.
My opinion of their switch lookup page is that they seem to want to provide any characterization any of us might imagine, the better to shrink the 20,000+ switches (and that’s just the PushButtons) they list…
They do use SPDT, etc. as well as a (maybe less than successful) stab at characterizing the operating modes & specifications. But I can’t find anything I can use in a tailcap there, so I’m really the last person you should ask about them.
I know that doesn’t help much, but it’s all I got on DigiKey. Call ’em!
Dim
EDIT: and yes, their “Switch Function” column is just-about gibberish.
ok so just got two of the 6A switches off eBay today
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141172162679
they work find on solarforce circuit boards but the switches are HUGE! i cant get one to fit in my convoy m1 or m2 host :( so now i have to find else where for a forward high amp switch to use in the convoy hosts.
The 3amp switches from that same seller are smaller, appear to be the same as solarforce uses.
3amp is just not enough
That’s just a name really. I have a omten 1288 that runs at 6amps even though it’s technically only rated at 1.5amps.
I measured my spare ShiningBeam Caveman switch and the measurements are identical to this one: this The pictures on the URL also look identical to my Caveman switch.
That would depend on the V.
A 1A, 115kV switch wouldn’t fit in your hand, nevermind a flashlight.
OTOH, a 3A, 250V switch should pass a lot more than 3A at the ~12v or less levels we usually work with around here…
Most of the switches in my flashlights (the ones that have the ratings molded in) are rated at 125v - 250v, meaning I don’t expect problems from them at <5v for any current I’m likely to deliver.
I have some stock switches I’d send to anyone with a reference power supply who wanted to smoke-test one to Know…
That makes sense, so a 250v 3a switch probably is equal to 6v 20a that's just a theory, pretty dumb of me to turn down a 3a 250v switch for a 9v 6a setup. I guess I need freshen up my engineering knowledge and lighten up my mind
I’m with you on that one!
It’s likely the wee spots where the springs touch the battery will protect your entire circuit from overcurrent damage anyway, IMNERHO. When I put solder braid on mine, I left a lump of lead at the battery end, and even that isn’t big enough to flow “too much” current, IRL.
You could just “do as I do” and solder in the one that tickles your fancy, battery up & see what happens. Not that I’m in your league, Ampere-wise.
I wanted a “NOW, dammit!” radiator fan switch for SWMBO’s car & used one from a PC case (DPST N.O. “Break Before Make” (meaning no Momentary state) rated 2.5A / 120V). It wouldn’t see 5A / 120V in its worst nightmare, yet if flows ~18A / 12V without even getting warm.
However, comma, if you DO smoke a switch, I’ll go out on a limb and posit that ALL of us here would love to hear every single minute detail…
Any new input on where to buy an omten 1288 sized forward clicky in 2018?