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My switch pack
Mark G - 5/6/08 at 07:25 PM

I managed to get hold of a standard MINI switch pack. With a moment of inspiration I decided to try and modify it to house toggle switches.

Standard MINI switches...


Take it to pieces...


Fit the toggle switches one by one (No modification required, the holes are exactly the right size!)


Fit the rest of the switches...


Finally refit the switch protectors and remove the markings on the body (I haven't removed the markings yet, Photoshop's great isn't it!)


Plenty of room to accomodate the switches behind the cover...


Not a bad looking switch pack for the cost of 6 toggle switches.

donut - 5/6/08 at 07:30 PM

nice!

chris_smith - 5/6/08 at 07:35 PM

thats excellent
switch pack £60 notes on ebay

Mark G - 5/6/08 at 07:36 PM

Ha, Cost me £13.50

hoots_min - 5/6/08 at 07:55 PM

nice! looks awesome!

indykid - 5/6/08 at 08:47 PM

forgive my ignorance, but haven't you taken nice round toggle switches out to put sort of....agricultural ones in?

why are the original switches unusable?

it's a really cool idea and one i've toyed with before when sat in minis, but i'm curious.
tom

bassett - 5/6/08 at 08:52 PM

Great idea and one of my favourite features on the mini's along with the supercharger

Mark G - 5/6/08 at 09:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by indykid
forgive my ignorance, but haven't you taken nice round toggle switches out to put sort of....agricultural ones in?

why are the original switches unusable?

it's a really cool idea and one i've toyed with before when sat in minis, but i'm curious.
tom


A good question. My intention was to use the switch pack as removed from the mini, the problem is that the original switches are on springs and always return to the center so you are only temporarily operating a microswitch, as soon as you let go the switch is no longer operated. I would therefore need to work out a way to operate a circuit when it just recieves a signal rather than a simple switch which just completes a circuit.

I then attempted to work out which pin on the back of the switch pack relates to which switch, not a problem but some switches have resistances of 1.1 ohms and others have resistances of 1.2 Mega Ohms. It was just getting too complex as I'd need to get a control unit aswell and it worked out much easier just to ditch the rounded switches and go for the toggle switches that I did.

iank - 6/6/08 at 08:50 AM

Nice job, and I prefer the chunkier toggles myself.

Of course a true locoster would have made one from a scrap plastic plumbing pipe and some exhaust clamps

02GF74 - 6/6/08 at 08:28 PM

yep - was wondering why.

to re-use the originals would have required some electronics so is more complex than what you have done.

nice to see some recycling done.

my only gripe is the hex nuts - you can get circular ones with 2 slots that would in my opinion look better. Series Land Rovers have these.

just fond these from maplins; notice circular nut as well as illumination.

Mark G - 6/6/08 at 09:39 PM

I'll have to keep my eye out for some circular nuts then if they are available as I'm not too keen on the hex either.

orbital - 24/7/08 at 10:47 PM

Mark I take it this would be SVA compliant as the radius tool wouldn't come in contact with the toggle switches due to the switch protector do dah's?

Cheers

Dave

Mark G - 25/7/08 at 08:23 PM

I bloody hope so!

Its basically the same as on a MINI so I can't see there being a problem.

Mark G - 25/8/08 at 10:31 PM

Ideas please,

I've sanded the switch pack down ready for spraying now as the symbols on the body of the pack are etched into the black paint I can't just rub them out.

Shall I go safe and paint it matt black again or go crazy, I'm wondering if Kawa green would be a bit much as it'll be the only green on the dash?

Ideas on a post card please?



Mark

Mark G - 31/8/08 at 11:06 PM

Decided to go safe and paint matt black again.

Finished article...