"Rheo-Switch" Question

[Baronvonrex420]

I am in need of a low cost 10 position switch but I need to keep the cost below
the $30 each USD cost cause this project requires 3 switches.

Can I use discreet components to make a 10 position switch using a rheostat?

When the resistance level reaches a point, the next one triggers to make.
Bounce or shorting is not a problem but I need one to make and the previous to
quit times 10.

Any help would be appreciated and any other lowcost, "basic" ideas would be
appreciated.

Voltage is 12 VDC and current is low, say 200 ma.

 

[Robert Monsen]

"Baronvonrex420" <baronvonrex420@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030728174626.13017.00000563@mb-m10.aol.com...

I am in need of a low cost 10 position switch but I need to keep the cost
below
the $30 each USD cost cause this project requires 3 switches.

Can I use discreet components to make a 10 position switch using a
rheostat?

When the resistance level reaches a point, the next one triggers to make.
Bounce or shorting is not a problem but I need one to make and the
previous to
quit times 10.

Any help would be appreciated and any other lowcost, "basic" ideas would
be
appreciated.

Voltage is 12 VDC and current is low, say 200 ma.

It depends on your application, but you could use dip switches, which are
cheap, and a demux chip. Put a sticker near the switches 'reminding' the
user of binary notation. Certainly easier than using a rheostat, which would
be easy to bump and move inadvertently.

Regards

 

[Baronvonrex420]

Thanks for the help people, I'll check a few more sources!

 

[Rich Grise]

no_spam@aol.com (Bob Masta) wrote in message news:<3f266aac.2479084@news.itd.umich.edu>...

Latest All Electronics catalog has 1 pole 12 position switches
for US$1.75 each. (Cat # RS-117) <www.allelectronics.com
I can't tell from the illustration, but many rotary switches have
a means to set the number of positions by breaking a tab
or something, to allow you to turn these into 10-position.
If these don't, I'm sure you could find something at Mouser,
Digi-Key, Jameco, etc that does, at not much more money.
Certainly *way* less than $30.00 !

Bob Masta

I've seen modular rotary switches where you buy the shaft,
the wafers, and the necessary spacers in a sort of kit form,
so you can stack them up and get as many poles as you want.
And I've seen a couple of different techniques for limiting
the number of positions. But I don't think they're of the same
order of magnitude price-wise as $1.75. )-;

Good Luck!
Rich