[Amps] Amps Digest, Vol 93, Issue 16

[David Cutter]

Hi Bill

UL recognised microswitches have been around for quite a while but they rely 
on the correct conditions like any other: mostly it comes down to not 
over-stressing either the contacts or the lever.

Anyway, it's almost academic because most folks these days would use an opto 
interrupter into a buffer and relay of some kind.  They are popular in a U 
shape with a screw to fix to the chassis at about $1.  I once used a plastic 
lid from a deodorant bottle to do something similar.

David
G3UNA


> ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
>
> On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 10:39:25 +0100, "David Cutter"
> <d.cutter at ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>>Make a simple plastic cap to fit over the EHT coax connector with a shaped
>>lug to operate a microswitch inside the cabinet.
>
> REPLY:
>
> David, I agree with your basic concept except that in my experience,
> microswitches are among the most unreliable switches ever made. They
> ar4e notoriously prone to fail just when you  need them the most.
>
> In all fairness, my experience with them is several years old. Perhaps
> newer production units are better, but I remain suspicious. If the
> newer ones are UL recognized, that would be a good sign.
>
> Bill, W6WRT