What do you call that switch thingy?

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ahramin
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What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by ahramin »

I want a little electrical switch that will close a circuit (1.5W max) when power is applied to it. Transistor? What is the name for something like that and any idea where I can get it locally in Calgary?
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carbeerater
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by carbeerater »

Pretty sure you are looking for a relay, although a transistor has similar functionality as a switch. Typically a relay uses a relatively low voltage (ie 12v) to switch a higher voltage circuit on or off.
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DanWEC
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by DanWEC »

Relay. For micro applications, MOSFET, etc. All ranges of amperages and types are avail. I think even amazon carries them. Lots of canadian online electronics suppliers have them. Very common.
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ahramin
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by ahramin »

Thank you. Looking at relays the smallest I could find was 3A. That's way more power than I need but that's ok. They all seem to be designed to plug into something specific though. Do they make these things with terminals that can be soldered or something?

http://www.be-electronics.com/product_p/50-333-0.htm
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photofly
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by photofly »

Relays come in all sorts of sizes. The larger ones are socketed because they fail and need to be replaced.

Lots of the smaller ones are PCB mount, and you can solder to the pins:
http://ca.mouser.com/Electromechanical/ ... B/_/N-5g38

The smallest ones are typically reed relays:
http://ca.mouser.com/Electromechanical/ ... s/_/N-5g37
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LousyFisherman
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by LousyFisherman »

ahramin wrote:I want a little electrical switch that will close a circuit (1.5W max) when power is applied to it. Transistor? What is the name for something like that and any idea where I can get it locally in Calgary?
Try Active Electronics, 32nd Ave and 19th Street NE. They are a good small electronic supply shop

LF
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HiFlyChick
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by HiFlyChick »

Is anyone else a wee bit scared that someone who is playing with electricity doesn't know what the hardware he wants is called or if certain variants exist?

Not that I know the answer, but I'm not about to try and build something electrical.....
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photofly
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by photofly »

I"m going to guess it's not going to be attached to an airplane.

Is it?
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HiFlyChick
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by HiFlyChick »

photofly wrote:I"m going to guess it's not going to be attached to an airplane.

Is it?
That's what has me worried....
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ahramin
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Re: What do you call that switch thingy?

Post by ahramin »

It is indeed attached to an airplane: an RV-6. The owner wants a light to come on when the electric boost pump is on (so he doesn't forget it on), and the way the light was wired it needed to be grounded when the pump had power. I was hoping there was something small that could close the circuit when the pump was powered but in the end everything I could find at the electronics store was too bulky. I took the panel apart and rewired the light instead.

Thanks for all the help everyone.
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