Hot Rods I Need Better Toggle Switches!

I used to take them from scrapped equipment at a place I worked at, and have ordered a couple of them from McMaster Carr when I needed to.

 

Back in my trucking days, I was having toggle switch problems. Clearance light switch was good for only a couple months. One day, with the lights on, I was checking circuits and grounds. A jumper I was using for a ground litterly burned my hand. I was checking from the cab/body to frame. Had a ground cable made to ground the cab to frame, where the batteries were grounded. Drove that truck another ten years, 100000 miles per, and never replaced another switch.


Ben

 

As much derision as I'll recieve for this - 50's and 60's 90° Lucas toggles (hard thermoplastic bodies) are made well, with a good positive action.

Avoid the later ones with the soft plastic bodies (can be dented with a fingernail) because those ones were made to much more of a price point than the originals.

Phil

 

Aircraft Spruce…

 

We had a switch upgrade on a piece of military equipment at work. I asked the planner... what are you doing with the old ones, he said they were low cost and would not be put on the scrap manifest and could not be re-stocked. So I have some of them, real sexy with that flip-up red guard thing on them.

 

New word for me! Thanks, Phil, I will use it! But you are right, Lucas, is the prince of darkness!






Bones

 

Hello,

Recently, we got an Audioengine S8 Subwoofer and on the back was a cool toggle switch. It reminded me of the earlier style of flip switches and also the later model switches like the one on the subwoofer we used on our panel switch locations. They were smooth, flat black and did not stick out.


My brother and I installed a couple of standard metal flip toggle switches. At the time, no one had any other styles, so, it was aircraft look and functioned well. But, the switches did stick out. Years later, we used some newer switches with the flat toggle switch that was on most stereo equipment and also sold at auto parts stores. They made the switches look as if they came with the car from the factory.

For the short term memory people, the new switches had an on/off side designation, which made it certain that it was on or off. Looking at a row of steel pole switches was a little confusing.

Jnaki

The latest Audioengine S8 Subwoofer switch is similar to ones anyone can get locally at parts stores or electronic stores. Obviously, they come in all sorts of designs from designated on/off to smooth face ones with no designation.

It also is well built and makes a solid clunk when flipped to either position. They are a nice design, fits on any flat surface and looks like a custom factory switch application. YRMV

Similar switches: