Well in 35 years of R/C Modeling I'v never seen this.

Back story.

I bought some new switches from an online vendor, I'm not going to name names because many Companies are selling the same Chinese made switch under different labels it's the style in the picture below I'm sure many of you use.

Anyway, I installed 2 in my New Extra 300, one for the Rx, one for the ignition battery, with brand new Nimh batteries

First day out with the plane after charging over night, no problem, Madiened the plane without any issues
Second day out I had charged the plane but it sat a day or two before I headed to the field, normally this isn't a problem, but I get to the field and the Rx battery is dead???
I figured I left the Rx on. So I charged it with my Hyperion EOS0606i charger and fly a couple times,, no apparent battery issues.

Today a week later I go to work on the plane and the battery is dead dead again?? WTH?

So after doing some checking with my volt meter I come to find the switch is bleeding voltage when in the off position. With a full charged 5 cell pack the volt meter reads .295 volts when off. With full charged 4 cell pack .190 volts when off. I couldn't believe my eyes so I checked with a couple other of the same style switchs, those have no issues.

I only post this as a warning to others, check your equipment with a voltmeter, the quality of products isn't what it once was

good luck

I agree, we trust the safety of our airplanes flight control system to a switch that costs $0.05 or less to mfg. I use two in paralel on my larger planes and do a functional check of both on every outing. Overall, they are cheap junk and I know it.

That is not supposed to happen, obviously. Something in that switch is creating a load. Have you opened one up to see what is inside? Perhaps some contacts are touching each other with solder flux or something.

Well that's great !!!! I just bought two today for a friends plane I'm working on. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure and check them out a couple of times.

Tom,
Yes apparently it's shorted internally or in one of the plugs,, It's going in the round file either way



You know this particular problem I'm sure is a fluke, the other one on ignition is fine, what look to be the same exact ones I bought from a different vendor seem to test out fine too so far

This is just something to keep an eye on so you don't head to the field with a low or dead battery
I check my batteries before every flight so I don't feel this caused a dangerous situation

Just now I've run down a brand new battery to dead dead twice,, I'm sure not happy about that at all.

Is there something to be learned here about getting what you pay for and trusting a large investment to components chosen by cheapest price?

Yep.

Bob,
True,
I choose these for the built in charge jack feature not necessarily price alone, my first time using these, normally I've always used the oem switches

I think and I think many will agree, even the OEM switches are the weak link in the radio systems,,
They all feel cheap for what we have relying on them

I have taken apart a few swithes sold by JR and futaba, they are of fairly low quality, chinese made toy grade cheap junk.


What do you use Bob?

I got a couple good flights in with the replacement switch installed this afternoon,, No switch/battery issues

Still something I'll check into the future

Since you're gonna trash it anyway, it would be interesting to open it up and see what was causing the problem. Obviously, there is a short somewhere and you will probably be able to see it.

I cut the leads off, If I have a couple extra minutes I'll play with it and see where exactly the short is.