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Need Specialty Toggle Switch...dont even know if this has a name — Parallax Forums

Need Specialty Toggle Switch...dont even know if this has a name

FlyingFishFingerFlyingFishFinger Posts: 461
edited 2010-08-30 08:23 in General Discussion
Hi all-
I'm looking for a special switch, I don't know what you call it and not even whether it exists.
What we need is a plain toggle switch (on-off) that can ALSO be sprung back to the off position with an electrical signal. Sort of like a latching relay, but one that you can move manually as well.
Does this exist?


[Btw, first time logging in to the new forum, noticed a couple things:

"Welcome, FlyingFishFinger.
You last visited: 12-31-1969 at 11:00 PM" :):):)

Also, neither my avatar nor my bio nor my PM inbox got ported. Is that correct?]

Rafael

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,260
    edited 2010-08-29 23:32
    Sounds like a circuit breaker to me...
  • FlyingFishFingerFlyingFishFinger Posts: 461
    edited 2010-08-29 23:58
    Exactly, except we don't want to trip it by drawing too much current. Merely a signal from a microcontroller...

    R
  • pacmanpacman Posts: 327
    edited 2010-08-30 00:17
    Breaker with a shunt trip coil.

    Though most are of industrial size.

    How about some form of normal switch (spring return to off) driving a relay and having the micro de-energise the relay at the correct time?
  • FlyingFishFingerFlyingFishFinger Posts: 461
    edited 2010-08-30 00:30
    If the relay were de-energized by the micro, the manual switch would still be in the on position.

    I'll look into those breakers, they're of the right principle. Anything smaller than breakers exist? We're only switching 12V at fractions of an amp...

    Thanks though!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,260
    edited 2010-08-30 00:34
    Sounds like a latching relay plus a momentary NO "on" switch might be your best bet.

    Alt: or a spring return to center-off SPDT toggle switch that energizes and de-energizes a latching relay, which is also controlled by an external circuit.
  • pacmanpacman Posts: 327
    edited 2010-08-30 00:49
    FlyingFishFinger wrote: »
    If the relay were de-energized by the micro, the manual switch would still be in the on position.
    Thanks though!

    Hence the spring return to off (sometimes also called a momentary switch).
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2010-08-30 06:08
    The 'devil in the details' seems to be that you require a toggle switch to mechanically seek the off position as your indicator of status. I doubt if you will find one.

    But the obvious solution is to use something else to indicate off - such as an LED. And then use a relay that latches the circuit in the on position. By having an SCR crowbar the relay to off, you have a trigger than a microcontroller can pull.

    I doubt anyone is manufacturing what you want. Why so? The switch makers probably have to make 10,000 units before they are cheap enough for demand to possibly kick in.

    I also suspect that abandoning the toggle for a push button might be a better choice. You might find some sort of push button that is release to an off position by a solenoid. Mechanically, it is easer to have a push button revert to an off position than a toggle.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-08-30 08:23
    The solution is obvious. Adapt one of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw2Bq0HYu1M&feature=related.

    -Phil
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