3" Darkstar DD Switch Question

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Green Jello

Green Jello

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So I'm doing a little pre-planning on my 3" Black Darkstar with the avionics bay.

Coupler Bay.jpg
(Photo Courtesy of Jim Hendricksen)

I bought this switch from Aerocon:
tmss.jpg
https://aeroconsystems.com/cart/switches/through-mount-slotted-switch/

So my question is this:
I was thinking about surface mounting it on the V band. It seemed easier than the various methods of poking through a vent hole to access a switch, plus I'm not hugely concerned with altitude on this one, so a little extra drag is no big deal to me. I was thinking about trying to countersink it a bit though. Has anyone ever tried to do this? What bit would you use? Are there any potential problems I'm not thinking of?

tmss-1.jpg
 
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Depending on your sled design it may be hard to work around the protrusion into the space - that's a deep switch.
 
That shouldn't be an issue I don't think. The 0.6" depth should be fine.
 
DM1975 just built a 4" DS Extreme with 3 of those switches mounted on the switch band. Looks like it came out pretty nice. Check out post #81:

www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?41421-Look-Out-Level-3-Here-I-Come/

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I grabbed a couple of those Featherweight screw switches from Tim. Man, those things are tiny! I will take a bit of head-scratching to figure out how/where to mount them, but I'll be able to go through a vent hole with a small screwdriver when I'm done.
 
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Dad Man Walking said:
DM1975 just built a 4" DS Extreme with 3 of those switches mounted on the switch band. Looks like it came out pretty nice. Check out post #81:

www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?41421-Look-Out-Level-3-Here-I-Come/

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I grabbed a couple of those Featherweight screw switches from Tim. Man, those things are tiny! I will take a bit of head-scratching to figure out how/where to mount them, but I'll be able to go through a vent hole with a small screwdriver when I'm done.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much. After seeing this post:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?41421-Look-Out-Level-3-Here-I-Come&p=404641#post404641

It's EXACTLY what I was looking for.
 
Just curious,... are you going single altimeter or redundant altimeter set-up?

I ask as I am debating this issue on my 3" DarkStar.
 
I think I've decided on just one. If you go with two, do you need separate switches?
 
Quaranta said:
Yes. If you go with 2,... they should be completely redundant. Separate switches. Separate batteries.
Click to expand...

I'm leaning just 1 myself... but want to hear what others are doing / have done in similar size / weight rockets.
 
I just realized a big potential problem with doing the switches like this. I'm not sure I can access them from the inside to hook-up, tighten, etc.
 
For ours, we are going to start with a single altimeter, a Featherweight Raven that currently lives in our Darkstar Jr. With one altimeter we will probably run motor deployment backup on all flights, and that may limit our choice of motors a bit...we haven't run any sims yet to see what kind of delays we will need. With motor backup at apogee and a modest sized drogue, I'm confident that we can get it back reasonably safely, if not as slow as we would like, in the event of a failure of either altimeter-controlled event.

If we're going to do anything crazy (i.e. beyond what we can back up with motor deployment) we will add a second altimeter to the project.
 
you just need to solder really long leads on them so you can pull the sled out and still work on it.
 
Green Jello said:
I just realized a big potential problem with doing the switches like this. I'm not sure I can access them from the inside to hook-up, tighten, etc.
Click to expand...

That's one of the disadvantages to doing it that way. One other is it makes it a bit more work to swap the sled to other rockets, not an issue if you plan to dedicate it all to one rocket though. I prefer to take the slight inconvenience of static port access to switches for the convenience of modular mobility, because I have a couple bays that are made to utilize the same sled.
 
Green Jello said:
I just realized a big potential problem with doing the switches like this. I'm not sure I can access them from the inside to hook-up, tighten, etc.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you may need to pick up one of my automatic inside-the-body-tube sanding devices and modify the business end...it should work.

DSC_0094.JPG

That's a pretty decent-sized 11-year old in the picture. A scrawny one could probably get in past his elbow. I don't think you'll have too much trouble screwing the retaining nut onto the back side of the switch. You'll need to have it soldered up first though, and you'll want to use connectors or wire splices to get them hooked up after they are installed.
 
Dad Man Walking said:
For ours, we are going to start with a single altimeter, a Featherweight Raven that currently lives in our Darkstar Jr. With one altimeter we will probably run motor deployment backup on all flights, and that may limit our choice of motors a bit...we haven't run any sims yet to see what kind of delays we will need. With motor backup at apogee and a modest sized drogue, I'm confident that we can get it back reasonably safely, if not as slow as we would like, in the event of a failure of either altimeter-controlled event.

If we're going to do anything crazy (i.e. beyond what we can back up with motor deployment) we will add a second altimeter to the project.
Click to expand...

That's essentially my plan. 4 Gr 54mm motors. Altimeter deploy at apogee and main,... with motor back-up for the apogee event.
 
Here's the first class way to use switches. Gary uses push button ones, mounted ON the sled. Reach through holes on vent band to arm. Push in with screwdriver.
As simple as switches can get. [back of sled photo #12post]

If your going "all the way" this is how to do it. Connectors are just Trailer light harnesses.https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?28937-VORLON-5-New-Scratch-Build
 
I think I've seen switches like that at Radio Shack. Do you know where they are from Jim? (I asked him in his thread as well)
 
Gary:
"These are the switches I've used for years. I have never had a bounce problem and have never had to replace one. Mounts right on my Av-Bay sled and I'll either line it up with the static port hole or drill another small hole to access it."

https://www.delcity.net/store/spst-on-off/p_8062

GJ ya need to learn how to search threads. It took me 2 minutes to find.

First click on Forum name,then view profile..... you will see "find latest posts" or "Threads started by"
Click to expand...
 
blackjack2564 said:
Gary:

"These are the switches I've used for years. I have never had a bounce problem and have never had to replace one. Mounts right on my Av-Bay sled and I'll either line it up with the static port hole or drill another small hole to access it."

https://www.delcity.net/store/spst-on-off/p_8062

GJ ya need to learn how to search threads. It took me 2 minutes to find.
Click to expand...

LOL

You found that because he just posted that answer as a response to me asking him.
 
Green Jello said:
LOL

You found that because he just posted that answer as a response to me asking him.
Click to expand...

Nope....I found it as I stated.....actually in another thread about av-bay switches. I didn't even see the Vorlon thread.
I've seen them in his rockets personally & discussed the merits off them at great length.

Link here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?46329-Prefered-Swtich-for-AV-bay&p=448487#post448487


patelldp said:
View attachment 111860
Click to expand...


LOL.......Yuuuuup!
 

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Oh weird. He copied and pasted that exact post when he answered me.

Anyway...sorry Jim and thanks for the help as usual.
 
Yuup.....I do the same thing all the time. We go to our profiles & look at the original posts. Saves a bunch of typing,since many of the same questions continue to pop up over long spans of time.Lol
 

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