On/Off switch

James Tiberius Kirk · Post by **James Tiberius Kirk** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:47 pm

Would you guys recommend a switch like this one

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062509

to turn off and on leds for a model thats going to be lit?

I have a 9v power battery clip, but I'm not sure how to turn it on/off without having to take the battery out every time which I dont' really want to do.

Also how would I hook the clip up to this and make it work.

Sorry for all the newbie questions and Thanks!

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 4:42 pm

Personally, I like metal toggle switches like this one. Very solid and reliable. I like to put my power source into the display base and then wire one of these switches into the positive side (works on negative side, too) with a plug at the end of the tube to interface with the model. This is a SPST (single-pole, single-throw) switch, which means it's perfect for a simple on-off application.

For your 9V battery clip, you'll have two wires coming off of it, usually red and black. The red is positive and the black is negative. Attach (solder) your red wire to one side of your toggle switch and use another length of red wire to go from the other side of your switch to your model's lights. The negative (black) side of your 9V clip should go to the model's negative side as before. Flip the toggle on, the circuit through the battery is made and you have lights. Flip the toggle off, and you break the circuit.

I really recommend you do some basic research into electricity and how things work the way they work. Have a look at YouTube for some basic instructional videos.

Here are a couple of my models where I've used a toggle like this to operate the lights, note the toggle switch on the wood bases:
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m72/ ... ropped.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m72/ ... 171518.jpg

robiwon · Post by **robiwon** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 4:42 pm

That switch will work. All you have to do is cut your negative wire and solder one end to each pin on the bottom of the switch. I have done it on the negative and postive side on different models, but usually the negative.

So you would have negative wire coming from the battery to one pin on the switch. Then another negative wire going from the other pin on the switch to your lights.