REFLECTOR: Switch guards, switch locks, locking switches??

Darrell & Nora Kufalk kufalk at wi.rr.com
Sat Jul 14 23:13:58 CDT 2007


Chris,

 

If you are looking for low cost switch guards, check out
http://periheliondesign.com/  

 

I got the $12 replica of the $800 Space Shuttle switch guard for my starter
switch.  Very nice quality and almost as light as the real titanium one.

 

Darrell

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Christopher Barber
Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 8:32 PM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list; Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: REFLECTOR: Switch guards, switch locks, locking switches??

 

As most of y'all may know, my project is an all electric bird (Velocity SE)
with a rotary engine.  Since if I loose power things get quite I am using
Bob Knuckls' duel alternator/duel battery set up.  What I am curious about
is the switches in the cabin.  Currently I have all the switches up high on
the panel a bit right of center towards the co-pilot position.  I hope to
not have a passanger who would inadvertanlty flip a switch down and off,
HOWEVER, you never know what may get tangled or a stray move may flip a
switch. If my coil switch or primary injectors get switched off I will start
sweating.  Also, I don't really mind the switches where they are, but I do
have a couple of other places I would like them, but I placed them here as
to minimize being bumped.

 

My question is what other options do I have to either guard against
accidental deactivation.   I have purchased a couple of aviation locking
toggles from ebay, but they are kinda small and may not be up for the task
(but at $13.00 for twoI couldn't go too wrong...they may work for my coil
switch and primary fuel).  The regular priced DPDT (for my contactors and
injectors) seem to start at close to $60.00 a piece..a bit much for my
police salary if other options will surfice.

 

I have also considered installing some of the switch guards you see in old
nuclear missle bunker movies that they would open to expose the firing
buttons for the big ol' missles.  I considered installing them upside down
(which is really easy) so that they are on when the cover is closed thus
making the switch impossible to turn off by mistake. This seems really fool
proof, however, the guards, while cheap, are pretty big and do not look all
that, well, elligant.

 

 Also, I was watching the Astronaut Farmer last night on PPV and saw the
little hard wire loops that where installed next to the switches on each
side of the individual switches in his space capsule and this reminded me of
the ones NASA used to use....maybe still do.  Donno.  These seem to be just
half circles that make grabbing the switch very deliberate and minimizes
potential knocks.  Finally, it seems as if I have seen bars held in by
springs that lay across a series of switches to keep them in place.  

 

What say ye?  Insight?  Wisdom? Warnings? Observations?  WAG's?

 

Thanks.

 

All the best,

 

Chris Barber

Houston

 

crossed posted on Reflector, FlyRotary, Aeroelectric Connection email list &
Canard Aviation forum

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