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Thread: Which Toggle Switch Used With Breakout Box

  1. #1
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    Which Toggle Switch Used With Breakout Box

    Hello,
    I'm having difficulty understanding the control hardware required to be used with the Breakout Box. I read a post showing the use of a toggle switch box. There's also a BRS video showing the installation of the control panel, however, it's not clear to me what specification of the toggle switches. I checked the ebay link in the post I read but that link was from 5 years ago.

    If I search ebay for "dry contact toggle switch" I get zero results and it offers instead many pages of switch panels having lighted toggles and other fancy displays, none of which look anything like what is seen in the BRS video. These all seem to be for cars/RVs/boats.

    The ebay link is https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...panel&_sacat=0

    Can someone have a look at these and advise if any of these switch panels be used for basic ON/OFF?

    If a more basic switch box or switch panel is available elsewhere can you offer a link to the product? Ideally a panel that comes complete with wiring would be ideal.

    My second question is that of how to use these switches to control a pump? Clearly there is no wiring from the pump (in my case a COR-20 and Varios-4) to the breakout box so how can the switch be wired to interface with the pump?

    Similarly, if I wanted to de-power the heater with a switch, how can this be accomplished?

    Any help offered would be appreciated.

    Cheers,

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    You want simple SPST (single pole single throw). Anything with an LED will not work. What you choose is really up to you as long as it's a SPST.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  3. #3
    Frequent Visitor rkpetersen's Avatar
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    To address your second question, all any switch does here is communicate to the Apex whether it is in the OPEN or CLOSED state. This applies to manual switches like you're describing as well as float switches and other magnetic switches (optical sensors are wired differently but also operate similarly.) The Apex will then do whatever you want with that information. If you want to control your return pump with a particular switch, say turning the pump off when you flip the switch on, you just need to add a line of code to your return pump programming: If [Switchname] CLOSED Then OFF and it will turn off when the switch is closed. You can use the same switch to control multiple devices, and/or you can use other switches to control other devices like your heater.

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    Hi rkpetersen,
    Thanks for the explanation. So for pump/heater control I can just wire the switch directly to the breakout box ground-to-ground and positive-to-positive?

    Having a very difficult time finding switch panels or boxes that do not have lighted switch. I found this box http://sirennet.com/store/product/ab...ch-control-box which uses a 12V supply for the back lights in the rocker switches? The kit is complete with wires. Could I not simply omit the 12V power and use only the ground and switch leads?

    Cheers,

  5. #5
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    You wire up the dry contact of the switch to your desired switch input on one side and to ground on the other. Some illuminated boxes can work if the light is on an independent contact of a DPDT (double pole double throw) powered by a seperate power supply. The link you gave broke for me, so I can't check that one in particular.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  6. #6
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    Hi zombie,
    Thanks a lot. Sorry for being so dim. I'm not sure how to fix the link as it takes me to the sirenet.com page directly. let me try this:
    In case that new link doesn't work I attach some data from the page. The schematic looks to me that the 12 supply line for the lights is on an independent pole on the switches (pole 2?). It looks like they are all ganged together and the red lead is a battery supply.

    Is it possible to simply cap and stow that line and then just get on with poles 1 and 3?

    Thanks again for the help.

    http://sirennet.com/store/product/able-2-four-switch-control-box


    top view.jpg

    back view.jpg




  7. #7
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    Looking again at the webpage it does say that the switches are SPST.

    Cheers,

  8. #8
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    No, you would use 1 & 2. 3 is the ground for the internal light.

    T1 - Load
    T2 - Line
    T3 - Not Used

    To use this switch box to turn outlets/devices on and off then
    T1 would go to terminal 1-6 on the BOB
    T2 would go to the common terminal.

  9. #9
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Member No 1 View Post
    No, you would use 1 & 2. 3 is the ground for the internal light.

    T1 - Load
    T2 - Line
    T3 - Not Used

    To use this switch box to turn outlets/devices on and off then
    T1 would go to terminal 1-6 on the BOB
    T2 would go to the common terminal.
    The schematic blows, but I would concur that that is most likely. Double check with a multimeter on the conductivity (buzzer) setting. It should "ring" with the rocker on and not ring with the rocker off.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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  11. #11
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    OK, thanks guys. I think, looking at MemberNo1's links, a switch box can be assembled for 1/10th the price, so will attempt to do that instead.
    Greatly appreciated!

    Cheers,

  12. #12
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    Switches for break out box

    Quote Originally Posted by orebro View Post
    Hi rkpetersen,
    Thanks for the explanation. So for pump/heater control I can just wire the switch directly to the breakout box ground-to-ground and positive-to-positive?

    Having a very difficult time finding switch panels or boxes that do not have lighted switch. I found this box http://sirennet.com/store/product/ab...ch-control-box which uses a 12V supply for the back lights in the rocker switches? The kit is complete with wires. Could I not simply omit the 12V power and use only the ground and switch leads?

    Cheers,
    Try Led Switch they have small switches that are inexpensive.

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