ThePurplePrimer Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I am getting started building a control panel and I need some SPST momentary push button switches for it. Right now I have some of those that can be found in just about every model shop and while they work ( at the moment ) they are not of the quality I was looking for. They were cheap but they feel cheap and look even cheaper. I would also prefer tactile buttons too but those I can see ( on ebay ) all seem to be PCB mounted types. Where should I look to find some decent quality and small buttons please Or - is there a way to panel mount the PCB types ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 http://m.rapidonline.com/Catalogue/Search?query=*&filterCategoryPathROOT%2FSwitches=Push-Button+Switches&filterCategoryPathROOT=Switches&channel=RapidElectronics Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 One can get really chunky push buttons, about 10mm diameter, with metal button face and surrounding bezel. They look like the sort of thing that might be used to fire a machine-gun in a Spitfire! Try either Maplin or Halfords. I fitted one to my ancient diesel Landrover, to power-up the glow-plugs that are used when cold-starting. Can't remember the rating, but probably 10A+, although I used it to energise a contactor, rather than run poorly-protected heavy current wiring up to the dashboard. Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpman46 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Have used these on two panels made for a customer. From Rapid Online http://www.rapidonline.com/Search?query=78-1550&filterSearchScope=1 Mike C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff park Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I would say the Rapid ones at about 12-14 p each are very low quality. There is a 50/50 chance that soldering a wire on will destroy them, and they won't last long. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Hi Rob, I've used hundreds of these in the past - http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Diptronics-DTS-644K-Square-Button-6-x-6mm-Tactile-Switch-78-1150 for other electronic devices, and you can get coloured knobs for them. They do have a nice tactile feel, but you will need to mount them yourself. Depending on the size of your panel/number of switches you may not need a large sheet of copper clad. For example you could mount them onto small squares of pcb or strip-board, which could be screwed to a plywood backing sheet, if wood suits your method of construction, or even solder them to brass screws. I have not found the small panel mounted push button switches to be as reliable, and they are not tactile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I am getting started building a control panel and I need some SPST momentary push button switches for it. You haven't said what you will use them for, in terms of the voltage and current rating requirements. For example few, if any, of the smaller types will last long if you use them to switch solenoid coils directly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePurplePrimer Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Thanks everyone for all the replies so far Actually that's a good question Gordon I don't actually know the rating I need but I 'think' it's very low I will be using these to operate a CML Electronics DTM30 and I suspect the actual current flowing through them is very low. http://www.cmlelectronics.co.uk/index.php/dtm30 I am using a 9v input into it but I have no idea what flows through the switches Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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