How to make use of spare switches?

Hi guys,

This is a question for the electrical wizzes on here.

As I have an aftermarket stereo my radio control buttons are redundant. I would like to use these buttons for driving lights override(as they are connected to main beam), and to enable / disable relay for split charge system. Problem is they are push to make not toggle. Can I use some electrical wizardry or am I just complicating things?

It just seems a shame to waste the button locations and cut the dash for additional switches.

All ideas welcome!

yes yu can use them, but it involves a PCB and latching gates (IC's, nt wrought iron). not that simple.

Thanks for speedy reply Mad Hat Man

Ok so would be better buying rear fogs etc from eBay as they toggle already? And just swapping them out.

The headunit remote controls on the dash pod are just varable resistors not switches.

Ok definitely gonna forget that idea cheers discool...

Jobus said:

Ok definitely gonna forget that idea cheers discool...

Click to expand...

Remove one of the buttons and then find a latching switch that will fit and stay in the hole... there that's a little project for you, and you only need four

Use them as power feeds to latching relays, from there you can control anything that is switched.

Ok green hornet, so am I right in saying that if I change the relay used by my driving lights to a latching one then the switch will send its pulse and the relay will latch.

Confused as discool said they are variable resistors not switches or is that the same thing as long as it sends the pulse to make the relay latch?

I'm not professing to know what the switches are exactly, but if the indeed supply a feed or connection to something, then a latching relay can be introduced.

A latching relay is used where the switch to turn on or off is nothing more than say a push button. Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs lol

No not heard of latching relays before you mentioned them but after a quick google I am now familiar. But the entertainment switches may not be upto the task as discool stated before.

Hmmm, me thinks I might knock this idea on the head and just label up a couple of rear fog light switches. eBay here I come!!!

Thanks for your help guys!

Latching relay

use a radio switch as normal switch first push turns on second push turns off

got a couple on elmer, doing exactly the same

Jobus said:

No not heard of latching relays before you mentioned them but after a quick google I am now familiar. But the entertainment switches may not be upto the task as discool stated before.

Hmmm, me thinks I might knock this idea on the head and just label up a couple of rear fog light switches. eBay here I come!!!

Thanks for your help guys!

Click to expand...

Ok a bit of mis-information from me.
200 series are resistors but the 300 is a switch to provide an earth path for the reletive circuit on the head units pcb. As you would expect there isn't a great load a few milliamps if any on the switch contacts, whether the contacts will be ok 'in use' in switching a relay..errrr maybe.
Sorry for the confusion Jobus

You can use either to switch a logic front end, but as stated, tiz a bit fiddly.

discool said:

Ok a bit of mis-information from me.
200 series are resistors but the 300 is a switch to provide an earth path for the reletive circuit on the head units pcb. As you would expect there isn't a great load a few milliamps if any on the switch contacts, whether the contacts will be ok 'in use' in switching a relay..errrr maybe.
Sorry for the confusion Jobus

Click to expand...

Discool on the contrary thanks for your help!!!

Thanks all might get me a switching relay and give it a try first... Will let you know how I get on.

Jobus said:

No not heard of latching relays before you mentioned them but after a quick google I am now familiar. But the entertainment switches may not be upto the task as discool stated before.

Hmmm, me thinks I might knock this idea on the head and just label up a couple of rear fog light switches. eBay here I come!!!

Thanks for your help guys!

Click to expand...

The audio control switches are momentary switches (don't latch) that switch to earth.

They might not work with a latching relay, as these often require a live pulse to toggle them.

Anyway, when you look at the price of latching relays, it would be cheaper to replace the audio control switches with NEW front fog lamps switches, which are latching, live-switching, on/off switches, with a 'tell-tale' warning light, costing only £9.82 inc VAT -

AMR4138 Front Fog Lamp Switch

Central Panel Switches - Fog Lamp - Front - Genuine Land Rover at www.rimmerbros.co.uk





AMR4138's switch cap shape is the same as the ones on the binnacle switches but, it is a vertical switch for the facia (below the hazard switch), rather than horizontal switch for the binnacle so, the symbol will be 90° 'out'.

You will probably have to 'pare-off', with a sharp knife, the moulded keyway on the back of the switch's body (see pic. above), so that the switch will fit into any of the binnacle switch positions.

AMR4138 uses the Green switch connector, which can be bought on eBay (see my signature, or PM me) or, you can modifiy your existing switch connectors, by paring-off the moulded keyways on the bottom of the connectors, with a sharp knife. If you don't want to splice your new wiring to the old wires/terminals in your existing switch connectors, and would like new terminals to crimp to your new wires, I have these as well.

AMR4138 is wired, as follows -




It switches the live from pin 1 to pin 4 but, if switching heavy loads, should be used to switch a relay (standard on/off relay), rather than switching the load directly.

.

PaulMc said:

The audio control switches are momentary switches (don't latch) that switch to earth.

They might not work with a latching relay, as these often require a live pulse to toggle them.

Anyway, when you look at the price of latching relays, it would be cheaper to replace the audio control switches with NEW front fog lamps switches, which are latching, live-switching, on/off switches, with a 'tell-tale' warning light, costing only £9.82 inc VAT -

AMR4138 Front Fog Lamp Switch

Central Panel Switches - Fog Lamp - Front - Genuine Land Rover at www.rimmerbros.co.uk

AMR4138's switch cap shape is the same as the ones on the binnacle switches but, it is a vertical switch for the facia (below the hazard switch), rather than horizontal switch for the binnacle so, the symbol will be 90° 'out'.

You will probably have to 'pare-off', with a sharp knife, the moulded keyway on the back of the switch's body (see pic. above), so that the switch will fit into any of the binnacle switch positions.

AMR4138 uses the Green switch connector, which can be bought on eBay (see my signature, or PM me) or, you can modifiy your existing switch connectors, by paring-off the moulded keyways on the bottom of the connectors, with a sharp knife. If you don't want to splice your new wiring to the old wires/terminals in your existing switch connectors, and would like new terminals to crimp to your new wires, I have these as well.

AMR4138 is wired, as follows -

It switches the live from pin 1 to pin 4 but, if switching heavy loads, should be used to switch a relay (standard on/off relay), rather than switching the load directly.

.

Click to expand...

That's what I think I will do thanks again everyone for your help!