Make Your Own Switches

[Kiwi_Roy]

When I did my Eldorado I tried to restore the old Pillbox switches, they were both toast so I decided to make
new ones, not because I am cheap, well that too. I just like making stuff and the bike is not a restoration more
like an experiment.

I started out cutting a baseplate for the switch to fit on the plastic base. I used 1/8" Aluminum, the way to cut
this is with just a regular coping saw, like a hot knife through butter.


Try it on the bike for size


Here's my first attempt at a direction indicator switch, it's been working flawlessly for over 6 months

The only moving part is the lever you can see, the pivot point is fixed. I left room for the headlight H/L but I
will start another from scratch when I do that.

So, how does it work?
Here's the guts Charlie

It's just a magnet in the lever that operates a 1 Amp reed switch under the plate.
The 3 small spots you see are steel threaded thru the plate for the magnet to latch on to, like the indent in a
normal switch. Cost ~$3 for the switches

[Kiwi_Roy]

Reed switches are incredibly reliable, billions of operations but the current they will carry is limited so
for anything high power you need a relay. I will use a relay for the headlight and starter of course but
my indicators are LED so they are well within the switch rating.
I may use several switches in parallel for the kill switch.
I have lots of ideas for the actuating levers.
For the cable to the headlight bucket I use a bit of Cat 5 4 pair so lot's of wires there.

Another real nice feature of reed switches, they are hermetically sealed which makes them perfect for wet places like
brake switches, side stand etc, they can be actuated by a magnet or piece of steel in conjunction with a magnet.

[charlie b]

I love this!

What do the guts look like?

[Arizona Wayne]

This is like Popular Mechanics DIY.   

[Kiwi_Roy]

Needs mosfets and hall sensors. 

Too complicated, reed switches and Mosfets in place of relays perhaps.
This would allow the use of low current switches.

I like simple stuff, that's why I ride a Guzzi LOL

[JayDee24ca]

Genius, Roy, pure and simple.
JD

[lucky phil]

Interesting Roy, but just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Ciao

[Chuck in Indiana]

If I can I will

I like your attitude, Roy.. 

Oh, pay no attention to Phil.. he's just upset because you don't have classy red gaiters on it. 

[chuck peterson]

Great stuff  :1:

[Sasquatch Jim]

Since reed switches are so weatherproof, why don't bike manufacturers use them?
 Many use relays to lessen the electric burnout factor on switches, why not just begin with reeds at manufacturing point?  Relays can be in a more protected from weather area of the bike and can be more waterproof than handlebar switches anyway.

[John A]

Where can I get me some reed switches to play with? Maybe a selection, I never have fooled with them but I believe I will now.

[John A]

OMG, are diodes on the relays to stop any  backflash when the relay is turned off? The reason I ask is that years ago I dual plugged my Bassa and put relays on the coils. The coil power from the ECU powers the relays but I don't remember if I used relays with a built in diode or not and is it worth taking it apart to find out. It's been on there for over a 100K miles with no troubles but I wonder about it. One time it coughed about fourty miles out from Miles city, that's all, just coughed but that in the middle of nowhere.
 OMG your post disappeared , it was that I was responding to, you had mentioned putting diodes on the relays. Which leg of the relay?

[Kiwi_Roy]

Since reed switches are so weatherproof, why don't bike manufacturers use them?
 Many use relays to lessen the electric burnout factor on switches, why not just begin with reeds at manufacturing point?  Relays can be in a more protected from weather area of the bike and can be more waterproof than handlebar switches anyway.

If you get a short on a reed the contacts can weld together, that would be one reason perhaps but I expect it all comes down to cost. They never should have routed the heavy headlight current through those tiny wires to the H/L switch, we all know adding relays there improves the lighting.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Where can I get me some reed switches to play with? Maybe a selection, I never have fooled with them but I believe I will now.

I get mine from Digikey, heres a link sorted by cost. current rating is on the far right.
http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en/switches/magnetic-reed-switches/1114199?FV=fff40011%2Cfff80057&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=1000011&page=1&stock=0&pbfree=0&rohs=0&k=reed+switches&quantity=&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25
You will have to scroll to page 2 where you will find the minimum quantity is = 1
Grip the leads in a pair of needle nose before bending or the glass will break.

Radio Shack used to sell the little door/window switches for security systems, they contain a reed.

[Kiwi_Roy]

To prevent arcing, you can put a diode ACROSS the coil. Cathode side (the stripe) to positive. Doesn't sound like you need it. It is most important if the switch contacts are low voltage.

No the Guzzi relays don't have a diode, they may have a resistor across the coil, it's usually only larger coils that need a diode then you have to make sure the polarity doesn't get
reversed. As the field collapses it generates a high Voltage spike, that's how ignition coils work.
Yes, made of glass they are a bit fragile as OMG says but encased in epoxy or silicon or protected by metal as mine are they are quite safe.

[Moto]

Roy,

I like it a lot. Tell, me is it self-canceling? (It looks like bumps might dislodge the switch from the on positions.)

If it were polished up I'd say you were heading for steampunk territory, but as is, it's pure practicality.

Moto

[Kiwi_Roy]

Moto
No, its not self canceling. It would take a huge bump to dislodge, the magnet latches onto the 3 steel inserts through the plate. Actually i was thinking
the kill switch should trip off with a sudden stop.
I agree it's not pretty, I'm artistically challenged, good thing I have no taste eh!  I will polish up the next version, try to make better looking levers,
The point is with a simple reed switch and a magnet you can pretty much build any thing, my only aim was to use the original mounting arrangement.

Kill switch and Start button are next, front and rear stop switches, replacement, Indicator/headlight

[charlie b]

Thanks Roy.  I like it.

I am thinking I could either use Al diamond plate, to match my dashboard, or use brass.

Magnet and steel is good idea.  No springs or detents needed.  I have a ton of rare earth magnets in a drawer.

I feel a project is coming on.

PS there are two other varieties of reed switches listed in the link above.  Molded body (no glass) and the other ones which are really steel sensitive vs magnetic (they have a steel ball that reacts to nearby steel).  Those are probably not good for on a bike handlebar :)

PPS could also use two Al (or brass) tubes.  One smaller for the body that is big enough to house the guts and still fit over the bars.  Second that slip fits over the first, like a ring.  Rotate (or slide) the ring to make contact or not.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thanks Roy.  I like it.

I am thinking I could either use Al diamond plate, to match my dashboard, or use brass.

Magnet and steel is good idea.  No springs or detents needed.  I have a ton of rare earth magnets in a drawer.

I feel a project is coming on.

PS there are two other varieties of reed switches listed in the link above.  Molded body (no glass) and the other ones which are really steel sensitive vs magnetic (they have a steel ball that reacts to nearby steel).  Those are probably not good for on a bike handlebar :)

PPS could also use two Al (or brass) tubes.  One smaller for the body that is big enough to house the guts and still fit over the bars.  Second that slip fits over the first, like a ring.  Rotate (or slide) the ring to make contact or not.

I suspect the molded body encloses a glass switch
I like the ring idea, some of the magnets I have are very tiny 1/8 x 1/8
If you bias the switch on with a magnet in parallel when you approach it with a bit of steel it will turn off.

I made a fuel level switch for my EV with a reed inside a brass tube, and magnetic float, problem is it's hard to get a float small enough to fit thru thru the hole in tank.
A good source of small tubing is an old telescopic car antenna

[charlie b]

Lots of different ideas here.  I have magnets from 1/8"dia and 1/16" thick to 1"x1/2"x1/8".  Lots of different sizes of brass and Al tubing.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I agree it's not pretty, I'm artistically challenged, good thing I have no taste eh!  I will polish up the next version, try to make better looking levers,

Looks to me that you could put your guts into an original box and have reliable switching that looks original.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I had a bit of time on my hands so I decided to make some Mk II switches for the old girl.
I thought brass would look better than aluminum so I started out with 16 gauge for the base and
made the levers out of 1/8 x 1/2 bar with SS bicycle spokes at the pivot point.


The plan is to replace the SS bolts with some nice countersunk brass ones, here in Vancouver it's
hard to find those in anything but Robertson. The levers lift out for polishing.


This one is L & R indicators with headlight H & L. The headlight will require a relay because the tiny glass reed
switches are only rated at 2 Amps, they are fine for the LED indicators.


You can see here the slim profile, the switches fit inside the old pillbox base.

[Lannis]

Since reed switches are so weatherproof, why don't bike manufacturers use them?
 

Because, in my experience, manufacturers use the cheapest POS switches they can get away with that will let the motorcycle out the dealer's door.    That strategy works because (present company excluded) the average motorcycle gets almost no real-world usage, a few thousand miles over a few years and they're junk or a collector's item.

Building good, solid, relayed, weatherproof switches would only be noticed by people like us - and there aren't many of us.

Lannis

[swooshdave]

I have an inherent aversion to fingering electrical switches made out of metal. I'd rather pay $5-15 for an aftermarket switch from eBay.

I like the DIY attitude. I'd probably save it for making unobtanium parts.

[Lannis]

I have an inherent aversion to fingering electrical switches made out of metal. I'd rather pay $5-15 for an aftermarket switch from eBay.

I would too if I were switching a 440 volt 50 amp circuit.    But you wouldn't even feel a tickle in the worst case on a bike unless you decided that the HT lead of the coil needed a switch for some odd reason .....

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

I would too if I were switching a 440 volt 50 amp circuit.    But you wouldn't even feel a tickle in the worst case on a bike unless you decided that the HT lead of the coil needed a switch for some odd reason .....

Lannis

I knew a kid that decided it would be a good idea to shut off a Gravely tractor by peeing on the spark plug..
No, it wasn't me..

[swooshdave]

I would too if I were switching a 440 volt 50 amp circuit.    But you wouldn't even feel a tickle in the worst case on a bike unless you decided that the HT lead of the coil needed a switch for some odd reason .....

Lannis

Rationally I know what you are saying. It's my irrational side that doesn't want to get too familiar with the electricity thing. 

[Moto]

The plan is to replace the SS bolts with some nice countersunk brass ones, here in Vancouver it's
hard to find those in anything but Robertson.

I bet you can get McMaster-Carr to mail screws to Vancouver. Here are some countersinks:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-screws/=13ur7l0

I like the look of your contact levers, which I assume you filed by hand.

Maybe a good coat of polyurethane on the handle ends of the contact levers would keep them shiny. Or gloss black paint.

I'd like to see a photo of the final assembly, with the original switch box in place.

This kind of project reminds me of one of my very favorite books, The Sensuous Gadgeteer.* Now out of print, it describes the properties of useful materials, and methods of making what you want from them in a wide range of contexts. The author had made a lot of physical models and apparatus for psychological/biological experiments, I recall.

Moto

* Fair warning: My other favorite books are Moby Dick, The Origin of Species, and Science Made Stupid. So consider that before taking my recommendations seriously.

[EDITED to remove evidence of my initial misunderstandings.]

P.S. I like the project a lot, in case that wasn't clear.

[lazlokovacs]

respect!

love it...

[pete mcgee]

All these years I have been operating under the assumption that Heath Robinson was a pom.
Roy thanks for the this post and your email regarding my starter issues.
This is interesting keep it up.