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Basic Question About Switches

tickers

Jul 5, 2011
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I'm wiring some switches for a linear actuator, and I need to generate signals to go to both a control unit and the actuator. There are two switches: one for in and one for out.

The control unit requires a voltage signal, with thresholds set for in and out (ie voltage normally sits at 2.5V, but goes up or down depending on button pressed). The linear actuator uses two digital signals, where each switch connects a pin on the actuator to ground.

Is it possible to send both of these signals from a single switch? The switch I have has contacts for both N/O and N/C, so I'm guessing I can do something whereby the analogue signal is changed by the N/C and the digital signal is completed by the N/O, but my knowledge of applying things this basic is limited.

At the risk of sounding lazy, can anyone make a quick circuit diagram to show how something like this can work?
 

daddles

Jun 10, 2011
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If you need two different voltages when the switch is pressed, one method would be to use a couple of resistors to drop the power supply voltage to the level you need. These would need to operate into a reasonably high resistance though.

Another way would be to use a double pole switch; this is the most straightforward way.
 

tickers

Jul 5, 2011
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I've found some DPDT switches small enough to fit now.

I'm trying to work out a potential divider style circuit now, where I have three states: 2.5V = no direction, 5V = direction 1 and 0V = direction 2.

I think the attached image should do it, have I made any glaring errors?
 

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  • Switch Wiring.jpg
    Switch Wiring.jpg
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davenn

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Sep 5, 2009
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hi there tickers
welcome

just a little point this is how a voltage divider is usually wired see the two 1.5k resistors at the bottom of your diagram that I modified

attachment.php


The voltage is taken from between the two resistors
the same should really be done for you other output as well, Why do you need one with 0V out, you already will have a 0V rail from the PSU be it battery or whatever ??

Dave
 

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  • Switch Wiring1.jpg
    Switch Wiring1.jpg
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tickers

Jul 5, 2011
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I think this would be a simpler way, it removes the need for 2 dividers
 

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  • Switch Wiring 2.jpg
    Switch Wiring 2.jpg
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