What do you 1/2A folks use typically for the Rx switch in your planes? Do some folks run without them?

Pondering a few of the Radical RC micro switches and then soldering a charge plug to the battery side or just going with a standard switch. They don't list the weight of the standard switch but I like that it comes with a charging jack. This will be initially for a Herr Pitts Special.

somegeek

I have used a very small single pole double throw switch like in the pics. I attach 3 leads to it - female plug for battery, male plug for Rx, and another male plug for charging. For wiring, I just attach all the negative leads together. The positive battery plug lead gets soldered to the centre post of the switch, the positive Rx lead goes on one of the outside posts and the positive charge lead goes to the other outside post. I put heatshrink over the leads before soldering, then shrink it over the solder joint.

I'll often use a standard switch (the weight difference for sport use is negligible). I've also used an aileron extension as a switch...with a male plug that's had the leads soldered together. Lightweight and positively fail-safe (unless you accidentally snag the plug out on hand launch). I used one of them very effectively on an Ultra Sport 40, I had it mounted behind a flip-up hatch.

I have used a micro 3 pin stereo female and male plug. When plugged in it would open the circuit and when removed it would short the circuit. On the male plug I would attach a streamer so I knew visually it was active. No slip ups on launching with open circuit on the battery.

Richard

I was half-way pondering doing this in the cockpit area.

Remembering the quote RainDave posted - 'Don't find one way to save an ounce, find twenty ways to save a gram'

This isn't an ultra-light build but anything helps.

somegeek

I build a flat platform inside and fit the switch to it. Then I put a 1/2" 'L' bend in a 2" piece of .015 MW. That 'L' goes into a small hole drilled in the switch 'lever' or handle, and the short extending end gets bent back into a 'Z'. After the fuse is covered, the long end of the MW gets jabbed through the fuse wall, on an angle downwards and 'backwards' about 15 degrees, about level with the platform. Cover the sides and top of switch with thin balsa and glue. The little wire hanging out gets a 1/8" bend downward. [easier to touch your finger under the wing and push the wire 'IN' [on] or pull it 'out' [OFF]. Now all the 'juice' from the .049 runs down and back on the wire. Just my 1.5 cents.

Yep, that's what I do, and to expand a little, you can then solder up a connector and lead to the male plug and use that as the charge jack!