MobiFlight Community Support

Hello fellow builders.

If you are building a 737 cockpit or another aircraft that uses rotary switches with a 45 degree index/throw angle (IRS, wipers, electrics, autobrake) you're probably aware that they, in my experience, are hard to come by unless you buy them from the cockpit parts website in which case they can be very expensive.

I have found these on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pc-4-8-Way-Selector-16mm-Rotary-Switch-15mm-Knurled-Shaft-Used-PCB/112073905103?hash=item1a182013cf:m:mKodlaIT0S5kRDMajqmEHsQ

Although the buying option says "a lot of 1 piece" the seller has assured me that I will receive 2 switches per order as per the description. I have ordered 6 lots, which means 12 switches for £20.82 or £1.74 per switch!

When they arrive, I'll report on the quality. They're coming from the far east, so based on previous experience they'll be here within a couple of weeks, and will work well. Fingers crossed!

I don't know if this is a long term ebay item or if they only have a limited amount. Also, there are 4, 5, 6 and 8 pole versions available, but if you buy more than one type you'll have to pay postage for each different type, so I just ordered 8-pole to make sure all my bases were covered.

Nice Catch !

I still see that this 45° Switches are rare and not often available ( or verry expensive as you said)

For my final cockpit i personaly think about a Cogwheel System.
Here i always will use the cheap 12 Position 30° Switches for ALL Selectors....
I Also will build a little housing where the Shaft ( i will turn by a knob) is mounted into a cogwheel.
Nearby there is the Standard 30° Switch ( also mounted with a cogwheel on the shaft.
NOW the cogwheel rosolution is the key.... For example a 45° Switch get a 3:2 Gear. For example 30 on the Switch and 20 on the used Shaft.
Now a turning of 45 Degrees of Knob-Shaft will turn the the Switch only 30° .
Same with a 90° System.... Here you can use 3:1 e.g. 30-10

Big benefit.... You not need to crack the switch and remove the detents etc.... You not need to driill holes in shafts.
AND You not need to work with 3-4 different Switches.... then ALL Switches in Cockpit are the same ( Easy to remove if one is broke)

Sounds like an intriguing system, I'd like to see that in action. What kind of gears do you use? 3D printed, Lego, metal?

I not figure out this myself until now....

Just got this picture from a webside for example http://www.fagerjord.org/cockpit/other_img/rotary_with_encoder.jpg

In that case this is a dual encoder build with a shaft in shaft system and a encoder and a rotary switch.....
But same way we can build a "compiler" Switch too.... Only diffence is in the right side there is no encoder... only a Cogwheel... And the cogwheels are not 1:1 in my idea.

Hello fellow builders.

If you are building a 737 cockpit or another aircraft that uses rotary switches with a 45 degree index/throw angle (IRS, wipers, electrics, autobrake) you're probably aware that they, in my experience, are hard to come by unless you buy them from the cockpit parts website in which case they can be very expensive.

I have found these on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pc-4-8-Way-Selector-16mm-Rotary-Switch-15mm-Knurled-Shaft-Used-PCB/112073905103?hash=item1a182013cf:m:mKodlaIT0S5kRDMajqmEHsQ

Although the buying option says "a lot of 1 piece" the seller has assured me that I will receive 2 switches per order as per the description. I have ordered 6 lots, which means 12 switches for £20.82 or £1.74 per switch!

When they arrive, I'll report on the quality. They're coming from the far east, so based on previous experience they'll be here within a couple of weeks, and will work well. Fingers crossed!

I don't know if this is a long term ebay item or if they only have a limited amount. Also, there are 4, 5, 6 and 8 pole versions available, but if you buy more than one type you'll have to pay postage for each different type, so I just ordered 8-pole to make sure all my bases were covered.

Thanks for sharing this!

Just a quick question regarding the SP8T that you chose. For example on the autobrake selector you have six throws; RTO, OFF, 1, 2, 3 and MAX.
How are you planning on stopping the knob from turning farther when the switch has 8 throws?
I hope I have made it clear enough.

Hi Apeshaft,

Normally, such a rotary switch below the nut has an additional ring with a nose.

This nose engages in the underlying openings and thereby limits the rotation.

If, as with the switch shown, these openings are not present, you can rotate it by 360 °. This is irrelevant as long as no parameters are assigned to the non-used positions.

If you want to stop, you have to buy a switch that has these locking options.

Hi Apeshaft,

Normally, such a rotary switch below the nut has an additional ring with a nose.

This nose engages in the underlying openings and thereby limits the rotation.

If, as with the switch shown, these openings are not present, you can rotate it by 360 °. This is irrelevant as long as no parameters are assigned to the non-used positions.

If you want to stop, you have to buy a switch that has these locking options.

That's true, but judging by the picture on ebay, these don't. But at that price, I'll put up with it!

Update:

The switches have arrived. Well, the first thing you notice is that they're tiny. My standard 30 degree switches are 26mm in diameter and these are 16, so they are considerably smaller. However, despite this, the shafts are the same size (6mm) and they work brilliantly



I think the reaosn they're so small is that they don't have the locking feature of the larger switches that allows you to limit how far round it can be turned, but I've already used one of the switches on a panel and it's not a problem. They also fit perfectly onto standard vero board and I had no problem soldering them in place.




Overall, I'm very pleased with them and they've saved me a considerable amount of cash. If you're after 45 degree switches and you want to save some Pounds or Euros, you can't go wrong.