Hommade selector switch.

V

volt01

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 8, 2009
Messages
196
Basically what I want to do is wire a switch so that when I have it in the "ON" position the LED rope light turns on. I have never done this with circuititry that was operating above 5V and a few mA.

My question is what do I need to watch for so that I don't build a suicide button. Would I just be better off building a predesigned selector switch and or just unpluging the light when I was done.

I kind of wanted to get a switch with a cover so that when i flipped the switch red lights would turn on. To signify entry into defcon gaming.

Blue would be for hanging out with the ladies of course. ;)
 
After looking into this more, does anyone know where I could find inline switches, worst case scenario I can use the ones that usually come with lamps. You know the rotating disc as shown here .

Like I said earlier I'd really like if I could create a unit that performed the same job and was just a simple cut and strip job but gave me a switch like this doesn't have to be illuminated, but you get the idea.
 
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I'm not really sure what you're asking here, can you clarify what you need help with? A switch like the one you link to will work with appropriately sized crimp-on quickconnects, should be very easy to use. Cut the wire, strip both ends, crimp on the quickconnects and plug them in. There's not really much to screw up.
 
So what you are saying is I can wire the selector switch shown in the second link inline with a 120VAC electrical line using crimp-on quickconnects. How will I insulate the quickconnects so that I don't electrocute myself?

Basically what I want to do is add and inline toggle switch to an LED rope light.
 
volt01 said:
So what you are saying is I can wire the selector switch shown in the second link inline with a 120VAC electrical line using crimp-on quickconnects. How will I insulate the quickconnects so that I don't electrocute myself?
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Yep. Buy shrouded connectors and it will be quite safe, they are preinsulated and you just crimp them through the insulation. You should be able to find them at Lowes or Home Deport or whatever. Make sure you get the right size for the blades on your switch. Ones like this: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=095-302

Just be sure the switch is rated for at least 120VAC operation, but most that are this size will be.

Basically what I want to do is add and inline toggle switch to an LED rope light.
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LEDs are low-voltage DC devices, where is AC involved and would it be possible to switch the low voltage instead? This would be safer.
 
I'm sorry, you're right about the LEDs. I haven't used led rope lights in a while. I forget if they have a acdc rectifier on them for a wall plug, if they do this will be even better.
 
Either way, the switch will work. I've seen them in use for a table-lamp, so the LED's will be fine. It basically just breaks the circuit...shutting them off - connect circuit..on. BTW: Even if you had AC wall voltage coming to two bare leads, and you twisted them by hand to turn it on, you wouldn't kill yourself.

Oh....you could get a nice toggle like those in a on/off/on, and put one lead for red, and one for blue.....IE: red/off/blue.
 
Monkey34 said:
you wouldn't kill yourself.
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You easily could if you grounded your other hand by accident.

120VAC can kill. Don't underestimate it, and certainly don't go around spreading 'wisdom' like this to people who don't understand safe practices or the risks involved.

Using an on-off-on is a good idea, hadn't noticed he wanted two colours. For safety, please use something like the insulated quickconnects, or if your quickconnects are uninsulated or you want to solder them, cover them in heatshrink or that paint-on electrical tape goop after plugging them in and before applying power. If you must test with live 120V exposed, keep one hand behind your back and don't try and manipulate the switch with the power plugged in, unplug it, change the setting and then test again.
 
Yeah I was thinking about getting three a red, green and blue and wrapping them in a bundle so that I could try and make different colors.
 
I would not use a an inline switch but rather a relay.... and on the 12v side for sure.

120V definitely can kill... that guy who said it cannot is living a dream....

you hope a GFI or breaker switches off fast enough....
 
Adidas4275 said:
120V definitely can kill... that guy who said it cannot is living a dream....
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Technically, it's the amps that do it, not voltage (even though they usually are tied together). The likelihood of dieing from a dry hit of 120 on a lead is relatively LOW. Drop your extension cord in the tub and it's a different story.
 
Monkey34 said:
Technically, it's the amps that do it, not voltage (even though they usually are tied together). The likelihood of dieing from a dry hit of 120 on a lead is relatively LOW. Drop your extension cord in the tub and it's a different story.
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You have no idea what you're talking about, please stop spouting this nonsense. It takes only a few mA through your heart to cause cardiac arrest. It may be the 'amps that do it', but it's not amps, it's milliamps, and almost any source of sufficient voltage to produce that current in the body will be able to supply it. You can hold a 12V, 1000A power supply lead all day and it won't affect you. Grab a 480V 500mA supply with both hands and you will die. Read this: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/98-131/overview.html

Here, I'll quote it for you:
If current exceeding 20 mA continues to pass through the chest for an extended time, death could occur from respiratory paralysis. Currents of 100 mA or more, up to 2 Amps, may cause ventricular fibrillation, probably the most common cause of death from electric shock.
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They're talking about standard 120V utility current. Please be careful, we aren't kidding around. If you get shocked in the wrong way by a live utility line, you will likely die. Treat it with respect.
 
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keenan said:
You have no idea what you're talking about, please stop spouting this nonsense. It takes only a few mA through your heart to cause cardiac arrest. It may be the 'amps that do it', but it's not amps, it's milliamps, and almost any source of sufficient voltage to produce that current in the body will be able to supply it. You can hold a 12V, 1000A power supply lead all day and it won't affect you. Grab a 480V 500mA supply with both hands and you will die. Read this: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/98-131/overview.html
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And why don't you quit spouting scare tactics? I'm talking likelyhood not technicality. A dry hit of 120 is not likely to kill him, so stop trying to scare him out of it. Same goes for the 12v power supply - witch is not 1000A, but 1000W. The 1000W supply will likely have about 40A max on one of the rails - not 1000A.
A safe base standard is 100mA across the head or chest.

But again, he's not likely to kill himself mounting a switch. It's possible for me to go outside and die from stray cometary debris too, but not likely.

Just go ahead and mod your lights while unplugged, not standing in the tub, or sticking a fork in the outlet, and you'll be ok.

I don't know why people have to make a federal case out of something so easy..............:rolleyes:
 
I think the issue here is that it is better to be over cautions than under...

I use insulated screw drivers when using any AC power

btw if the OP is asking how to make a simple switch it is safe to assume that he is not an electrician and therefore should be over cautious when working with power


there was a fun mythbusters on the topic of how many amps it takes to kill
 
Monkey34 said:
And why don't you quit spouting scare tactics? I'm talking likelyhood not technicality. A dry hit of 120 is not likely to kill him, so stop trying to scare him out of it.
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I'm not trying to scare him, I'm trying to urge caution to someone who likely has no idea of the risks or how to work with live voltage safely. If you don't respect utility power it can kill you, I don't think that's something to be laissez faire about. Is it likely? Probably not, but plenty of people die every year due to carelessness (not respecting best safety practices) or just ignorance of the danger. It's not hard to be safe, and I'm sorry, but advocating anything other than what I've suggested he do is just plain irresponsible. Yes, an electrician with 20 years experience can probably work safely with live wires without much more risk (though an off day when he's not paying attention could still kill him, where just turning the circuit off would have saved his life...). However that is a choice he makes with full knowledge of the danger and how to be as safe as possible about it, not one he makes because someone on the internet told him it was safe when it clearly is not. If he wants to ignore my advice and hook the switch up uninsulated and hold it in his hand with live contacts sticking out while he flicks the switch, I'm not going to stop him or give him a hard time about it, but I will certainly make him aware of the risks of doing so before hand.

Beyond 'be careful' I wasn't going to say much about safety, but your statement about the safety of holding live wires could not go unchallenged, this is not something you tell someone who has no experience or knowledge of the dangers or safe practices.

Same goes for the 12v power supply - witch is not 1000A, but 1000W. The 1000W supply will likely have about 40A max on one of the rails - not 1000A.
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I'm just taking about a hypothetical supply here. It doesn't matter how many amps you have if the voltage is too low to drive them through the very high resistance of the body. You could have a supply capable of 10,000A and it wouldn't hurt you below 48V or so, so while it is 'the amps that kill', voltage is the far more critical parameter since it determines the current in almost every case; even at relatively high voltages, supplies not capable of 100mA burst current are fairly rare, most can deliver amps easily.
 
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