Cheap Little Ball Switches
erco
Posts: 20,257
in Accessories
Vibration Sensor Double Ball Rolling Electronic Shaking Switch
10 pcs for ~80 cents US. I tested some, very sensitive to tilt. Works just like a mercury switch with much less hysteresis (stiction), not to mention more environmentally friendly. I measured ~0.5 ohms at a very slight tilt. I'll hoard more of these "poor man's accelerometers". When shaken (not stirred) you can hear the balls inside a bit. ~0.500" long x 0.150" dia.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272706541370
Related: just saw these and ordered. Sounds like it has a vibration contact spring inside instead of balls. 20 for a buck is worth checking out IMO: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201070228446
10 pcs for ~80 cents US. I tested some, very sensitive to tilt. Works just like a mercury switch with much less hysteresis (stiction), not to mention more environmentally friendly. I measured ~0.5 ohms at a very slight tilt. I'll hoard more of these "poor man's accelerometers". When shaken (not stirred) you can hear the balls inside a bit. ~0.500" long x 0.150" dia.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/272706541370
Related: just saw these and ordered. Sounds like it has a vibration contact spring inside instead of balls. 20 for a buck is worth checking out IMO: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201070228446
Comments
The free shipping bit should be of concern to all Americans. It's the dreaded ePacket 5 oz. package, something brokered between the USPS and Chinese government years ago. Add in a tad bit of Chinese subsidy and they can fill our landfills for free, while we pay for it. This falls into the category of a "bad deal" and should probably be fixed by our government.
Another interesting factoid I just discovered is that the ball switches are not magnetic. I'm using them near a large magnetic speaker and I was sure it would be a problem but not so. My backup plan was to use mercury switches, but fortunately I can save those for another day.
(Psst, yes, mercury switches can still be bought from Ebay China.)
I hope we have evolved for a need for such a thing, with it's rep and all.
I remember a classmate in grade school brought a perscription bottle(snap lid), with about a tablespoon of Mercury in it. He never told the teacher, nor did anyone else.
I don't remember handling it or know of anyone else that did.
But I wonder what ever happened to the kid that was messing around with that nasty stuff.
˙ǝuᴉɟ ʇsnɾ ʇno pǝuɹnʇ I
Howja do dat?
or http://www.upsidedowntext.com/
Looks a little rusky.
˙ɔᴉɥdɐɹƃ ǝɥʇ ǝʌo˥ ,erco