Looking for small, surface mount (as in mount on a surface, not SMD) switches

[Chris Green]

I'm looking for some small switches that I can mount on a surface, i.e. on flat walls (mostly wooden panels, possibly metal in a couple of cases). They can't be mounted in a hole at all because the other side of the same panel is also an 'outside' surface.

They don't need to be safe for mains, they are only switching 12 volts at quite a low current (LED lighting, maximum an amp or so).

Can anyone suggest anything suitable? Part of the trouble is that searching for 'surface mount[ing]' just produces an overwhelming number of SMD components which doesn't help at all.

An architrave switch in a matching box is about the best I can manage at the moment but they're far bigger than I really want.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Very unusual. Mostly what happens in this case is a small wooden box with a front plate is made to to mount the switches on

Try a scrapyard - you shuold be able to find something from an old car.

Or better, I've just found all sorts or stuff for sale for boats and caravans.

[Theo]

I assume you want locking switches, ie not push buttons?

How about a conventional rocker in a wooden surround? eg

Just take a piece of wood of appropriate thickness and drill out the necessary hole to flush-mount the rocker, and use that as the surround - sort of like this:

Slide or non-latching buttons can go a lot thinner. Even the SMD switches can be mounted on something.

Theo

[Graeme]

In message , Chris Green writes

Have a look at switches sold for model railway or dolls house use, although be aware some are decorative (non working) only. See eBay item

111403815322

[Tricky Dicky]

Why not simply use standard rocker or toggle switches mounted in a suitably deep enclosure. As an alternative especially if you have several to make, use cut up lengths of PVC trunking and fit end caps to make a complete enclosure.

Richard

[Dave Plowman (News)]

All sorts of switches available from the likes of CPC. But you'd need a suitable enclosure too. And the work of fitting the switch to the box.

And architrave one is likely to be the cheapest and easiest, though, due to being made by the million.

[Chris Green]

Because the result is too big. I can't find any enclosures which are significantly smaller than a standard architrave switch (80mm high,

35mm wide, 20mm or so deep). I guess the trunking idea is possible but it's hardly good to look at and this does have to look half decent.

My current (no pun intended) solution is to use 'inline' switches, the trouble is that there's no way to hold the top on if you screw the bottom onto a surface (the screws go in from the back). I guess I could glue the top on but that's a bit difficult to fix if anything goes wrong.

[Chris Green]

Yes, I guess this is one approach and one can make a piece of wood look quite good. I already use some similar rocker switches in a panel where they *can* mount in holes in the panel so I can try the idea out at least without too much trouble... *and* they'd be matching :-)

[Chris Green]

Now that's an idea, thanks! The above are OK but I can get googling to see what else I can find.

[Roger Hayter]

They used to make miniature versions of the old round lightswitches, about an inch and a quarter in diameter, which could be modified to take side-entry wires. But I haven't seen them for half a century. Have you tried Maplin?

[Brian Gaff]

Come back Woolworths. They used to have some mini toggle switches ideal for low voltage use like this. I wonder if anyone still produces them.

One thing though, 12v dc can be more annoying than mains as the contacts can be tarnished as they get in some old style bell pushes you can get and then they just flicker or don't work at all. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

I guess one could get mini toggle switches and mount then in a piece of plastic trunking and solder the wires on inside directly. Its a bit fiddly but could be done if the trunking was quite large and you glued the two halves together. Brian

[Bill Wright]

I've previously used miniature toggle switches in either ABS or diecast boxes. I prefer diecast.

Bill

[newshound]

Some of the shallowest are the slider switches which used to be used for things like band changing on radios. Must still be available in Maplins. Yes, here is one:

They should be fine for 12 volt, and would fit easily inside trunking.

Here is another slightly different type

[dennis]

Make sure the supply is an isolating one or you may have mains potential on the 12V output and you will need better switches.

[Tricky Dicky]

I think the switches Roger was referring to are called tumbler switches, see below;

A warning though these are strictly low voltage and if there is any risk of mains voltage appearing on these then use something else.

Richard

[Harry Bloomfield]

newshound formulated on Saturday :

That seems to be a potentiometer rather than a switch..

[Harry Bloomfield]

Chris Green brought next idea :

A USA site, but it might give you some ideas...

[newshound]

Yes sorry, didn't look properly. Several in Maplins though.

[newshound]

Gosh are they still around?