Reddit mentions: The best automotive switches & buttons

Intro

This is an overview of how I made a roughly 60% scale AIM-9L Sidewinder floor lamp for my little brother's 9th birthday.

My wife and I didn't just want to get him yet another Lego set, so this is what we decided on after trying to think of something unique, somewhat useful, and relatively inexpensive. This project ended up grossly over-budget and took about 2 weeks of working in the evenings after my real job to put together. Most of that time was spent watching paint dry and figuring out how to make this thing look decent. This was definitely a labor of love, and I would have given up almost as soon as I started if I hadn't known that he was going to absolutely love it.

I got the idea from this website, but I did not purchase or follow their plans in any way. I pretty much just looked at the photos on their website and walked around the hardware store figuring how I could make somethig like this work. This being the case, I cannot in good conscience post the exact numbers, drawings, plans, or templates I made in the process of making this lamp. If you would like to build something like this but are uncomfortable with working these things out on your own, I encourage you to check out the website mentioned above.

I do feel comfortable sharing the reference images I found with simple google searches like this, so I compiled the images that I found most useful in this imgur album..

Overall, apologies for less than stellar photo quality, I have an infamous HTC M9 with a cracked lens cover and I would drastically improve the lighting in my shop area if I owned the space. I think most of the photos get the point across though...

Outline of the project gallery:

0. Overview

1. Materials
   
2. Cutting and joining fins
   
3. Wiring electrics
   
4. Painting (macro)
   
5. Painting (stencils)
   
6. Assembly
   
   Materials
   
   Item | Qty | Price | Link
   -----|-----|-------|-----
   3" PVC Pipe | 8' | $12 | Fleet Farm
   4" PVC Pipe | 4' | $8 | Fleet Farm
   3"-3" PVC In-line Coupler | 1 | $1.37 | Home Depot
   3" PVC Flush Drain Cover | 2 | $5.88 | Home Depot
   3" PVC Threaded Adapter | 1 | $3.43 | Home Depot
   Polycarbonate Neck Shade | 1 | $3.97 | Home Depot
   12' 2-Prong Extension Cord, Polarized | 1 | $5.96 | Home Depot
   Lamp Socket | 1 | $5.27 | Home Depot
   Socket Retaining Rings | 1 | $3.47 | Home Depot
   SPST 120V AC Switch | 1 | $3.04 | Fleet Farm
   Switch Safety Cover | 1 | $2.04 | Amazon (Cannibalized from a 10-pack of 12V Switches)
   Misc Spray Paint & Clear Coat | 3 | ~$10 | Fleet Farm
   Total Project Cost | |~$60 |
   
   Observations
   
   If I were to do something like this again, I would try to improve in the following areas:
   
   

• Be better at painting.
  
• Make sure the flat panels are totally flat, I had one with a rounded edge that made fitting the slots difficult.
  
• Seriously, I suck at painting.
  
• Drill switch mounting hole after painting stencils.
  
• Cut some slots in the front fins - inside the pipe - to wrap wire around for strain relief without wasting so much length of wire.
  
• Find a better way to cut the longitudinal slots for fitting the fins. You can see some gaps between the pipe and the fins.
  
• Find a better solution for the stencils. Not everybody has access to a CNC laser and mine didn't work all that great anyways.
  
• Different yellow paint for the front stripe.
  
  Conclusion
  
  Overall, I consider this project to be a success. It took him a second to figure out WTF is this thing, but after he got over that he absolutely loves it! I heard him say that he's going to put it by his desk and use it when he's building his model airplanes :)
  

Based off Inkbird ITC-106RL


Parts:

Controller: Inkbird ITC-106RL
This is 12v so it is easy to use with cheap computer fans and has a built in relay to make for less wiring. Can also be ran off of a battery. Downside of the built in relay is the life span is a little lower, but it is cheap enough and easy enough to replace that I will take the trade off.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MS138DM


Power Supply: 12v. Can be a “wall wort” converter or hooked up to any 12v battery. I used an old power adaptor from an external power supply. Just make sure it is 12v output with at least 1 amp.

https://smile.amazon.com/Adapter-100-240V-Transformers-Switching-Adaptor/dp/B019Q3U72M/


Fan: At least 5 CFM needs to get to the drum, but keep in mind a lot will be lost going down a valve/pipe/elbow. With this controller it will run the fan as need to maintain the temp, so larger will be fine, but too large can cause problems. I did 80mm computer case fan (with LEDs) with a 3” to 1.5” ABS adaptor hacked up get it funneled into my box. I did this because I wanted the look of a big LED fan and a 80mm LED fan was cheap. I think a lot of the 32 CFM of the fan I used is being wasted with my setup with the funnel and riser pipe, and I am OK with that as I love the look. My 32 CFM fan is running about 30% of the time to maintain temp. I want to be able to glance from the house and see it light up. If you are just going for ease of build I would do 2 40mm fans screwed into the cover of the box. Then you don’t need to make the funnel/adaptor which was hard to make.

Mine: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S396YU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Easier:https://smile.amazon.com/2packs-0-15A-Brushless-Cooling-AB4010M12/dp/B01CZFUOD0


Temp Sensor: Any “K Type” sensor will do. The controller supports a ton of different types, but a K type is the easiest. I picked this one for the length of the sensor and the spring wire guard for having it on the side of the drum.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00899A4LY/

This one looks great if you want to be able to remove it quickly.

K Type Adjustable Compression Spring Bayonet Sensor Thermocouple 5M https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018HX0DLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ls-VzbD60N3WS

I plan on adding a clip using it on the grate as the sidewall is running about 50 degrees hotter than the air around the meat on the top grate. I think I wouldn't make this one my first choice if you going to have it on the grate because of the spring guard and size.

https://smile.amazon.com/BBQ-Butler-Meat-Thermometer-Probe/dp/B01AS23FHE/


Case: 2" Type LB PVC Conduit Body with a pvc plumbing reducer on the bottom to get down to 3/4” pipe thread that connects to my valve (kept so I can shut it down after cooking) and a solid plug on the back drilled out to allow for a wire connector. I didn't glue either of the plugs in so I could take it off the smoker easily and for future upgrades. The holes in the face of the case were cut with a hole saw and jigsaw.

https://www.menards.com/main/electrical/conduit-conduit-fittings-raceways/pvc-conduit-fittings/carlon-reg-2-type-lb-conduit-body/p-1444444974150-c-6424.htm

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/fittings/pvc-fittings/nibco-reg-2-plug-pvc-schedule-40/p-1444449168970-c-8557.htm

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/rough-plumbing/pipe-tubing-hoses-fittings-accessories/fittings/pvc-fittings/nibco-reg-2x3-4-spigot-x-female-pipe-thread-reducer-bushing-pvc-schedule-40/p-1444449164005-c-8557.htm

https://www.menards.com/main/electrical/conduit-conduit-fittings-raceways/metal-conduit-fittings/sigma-3-4-nm-connector-3-bag/p-1444430908358-c-9538.htm  


Wiring: Image from facebook.com/boganbbq

The ITC-106RL has the same wiring.



I didn’t add the switches as I am just plugging it in or unplugging it. I think I will add a switch for the fan in the future. https://smile.amazon.com/AutoEC-Rocker-Toggle-Switch-Control/dp/B012IJ35VQ/


I had to flip my probe wiring.


You may need to use a multimeter to figure out which wire is hot vs common coming from the power adaptor. Set your meter to 12v and touch the probes to the wires from the adaptor. If you get POSITIVE number close to twelve your positive/red probe is on the positive/”red” wire. If you get a NEGATIVE number on the multimeter you have them switched. I tested the adaptor on the fan first. My fan would not spin/light up with the wires switched.


My final wiring (not in the case):





Controller Settings:

The manual for the ITC-106 is bad. Luckily the IPC-16 is the same system and the manual is much better.

See: http://pmod79883.pic31.websiteonline.cn/upload/IPB-16UserManualA42.pdf


Press SET button for 3 seconds to enter into the main menu, there are Input Parameters, Output Parameters, Alarm Parameters, PID Parameters and Unit Parameters can be selected. Then press shift button to enter into the submenu if need to change the settings.


Here is what I changed to get it working. Everything else is left on the factory settings.


IP -> SC (Sensor Calibration) AS NEEDED. Once you have it running turn it on and put the sensor in the some boiling water. Use this setting to adjust as needed, keeping in mind water boils at different temps depending your elevation. I had to do a + 3.


PID -> CTL (Control Period) to 15 seconds. Basically, the system will check the temp every 15 seconds and then run the fan for the amount it guesses it will need to keep the temp correct. Lower time is more accurate temp, but on/off cycles for the relay, and it is only rated for 100,000 cycles. I think I will test this at 30 seconds and 60 seconds in the future. 15 worked well and had about a 1-2 degree swing. I am ok with more of swing if it means less wear and tear on the built in relay.


UNITS TO F if think in those terms.


In the future I will play with the autotune/self-tuning function and will add an update for that if I can figure it out and get noticeably better results.


You are done. Light your smoker, power up the controller and set your temp (you can hold the up and down buttons or use the select button and move the decimal point to change by 100s, 10s or 1s). Bottom number is your set point, top is the current temp.


I leave my 2nd valve open till 200 degrees to help the drum get to temp faster, then I closed it and let the controller do the rest, but you can start with just the fan open and walk away if you want. Exhaust open all the way. It ended up running the fan about 5 seconds on, 10 seconds off to maintain 225 degrees.

You can do a lot with an arduino, but that requires some basic knowledge of how to wire one up have it interpret your inputs, convert those into outputs, and wire up lights and such.

To get started, there is an easier way. First, you need one of these($12), then something like this($9...ish) in a size that works for you, then a couple of packs of momentary switches ($15 for 20 of these or find some you like better).

That brings us to $36 for a basic control box that can support 12 general buttons and 4 directional buttons (Up, Down, Left, Right).

Plan your layout on a piece of paper and move the buttons around until you have a setup that looks ok, drill or cut holes in the project box (this is easier if it is the plastic kind) that are the right size to insert the buttons and tighten the nuts on the back to hold them in place, attach the provided wires to the buttons (there isn't a backwards so you can't mess up) and plug the other end in the board (it has a plug so you can't mess up). Once everything is connected to the board, make a cut at the edge of the box at the back for the USB cord to come out of, screw the project box together, and plug it in and set your bindings in ED.

DONE!

If you want to get fancy, I put something like this on the side of the box (counts as two buttons for the board) and use that for vertical (up/down) thrust. I put in one of these instead of directional buttons and glued one of these on top, but for that you will need to figure out a little simple wiring (it isn't too hard if you feel up to it). I also replaced one of my buttons with this FA toggle with a light (need to wire the light to an unused pin on the board that has power, but not too hard).

Yes, those options add some work and raise the price, but I love the thing. It is easy to use, responsive, far better than a flight throttle in my opinion.. I will never give it up. I am already planning the next version, which will probably use the same board, but require a little more technical know how to build.

For now though, start with the $36 version. You can always buy another $9 box down the road and a few more buttons to improve and rebuild it as you gain skill and confidence. Maybe someday you will move on to an arduino, which can support a lot more buttons, interaction, and customization, but you don't need to start there.

Check out the Work In Progress topic on /r/spaceonly. You can try your hand at processing the filtered images in that topic.

• Total exposure time : 23.5 hours
  
• Red zone for light pollution (this is a narrowband filtered image, so no fucks given)
  
• Orion ED80T CF
  
• Stock focuser replaced with MoonLiteFocuser + High Res Stepper Motor w/ MoonLite Mini V2 Controller
  
• Orion Atlas Pro EQ Mount
  
• STF-8300M CCD - FW5 -20c Temperature
  
• Astrodon 3nm HA - Here is a topic I made comparing the 3nm HA Astrodon filter to a 7nm HA Baader filter
  
• Orion Field Flattener for Short Refractors
  
• TheSkyX Pro with Camera-Addon for image acquisition and automation
  
• PemPro v2 for getting an accurate drift align (drift aligned explained here)
  
• 10 x 15 minute dark exposures at -15c
  
• 11 x 20 min & 24 x 10 min of OIII
  
• 11 x 20 min & 24 x 10 min of SII
  
• 49 x 10 min of HA
  
• 30 SII and OIII Flats for 3 nights each
  
• 50 HA flats
  
• Total 230 flat frames using Spike-aTM Flat Fielder
  
• 50 bias frames
  
• 2 pixel dithering
  
• SBIG ST-i CCD for auto-guiding using OAG-8300
  
• Pixinsight for basic histogram stretch and curves adjustment - They have a Free Trial, use it!
  
• Dew Heater with heater band
  
  
  Processing was basically:
  
  
• PixInsight PixelMath to combine roughly (Red: 85% SII 15% HA) (Green: 85% HA 15% SII) (Blue: 100% OIII) , which gives the colors a bit more pleasing look compared to straight 100% maps
  
• Color calibration and DBE to fix the purple background caused by the 20 minute subs for OIII and SII
  
• Curves Transormation to bring out the colors and more clearly show the different bands. HA is fairly dominanent in the area it shares with OIII, so OIII is bumped up to compensate
  
• The pixelmath formula posted here in order to remove most of the purple stars caused by the OIII and SII subs
  
• Basic ACDNR for a bit of noise reduction
  
• Resampled to 1920 pixels wide because the original size is too large for imgur
  
• Because I messed up on rotating the camera properly one night, I had to patch up the bottom left corner of the sky in order to make up for the missed data
  
• Here is the non-patched up version at 90% size
  
  My thoughts on the image:
  
  Overall I'm very pleased with how it came out. I know I could have done a better job with the processing aspect of the image; however, this is an area I have a lot to learn. In general I'm pleased with it though.
  
  The actual exposure stack came out really, and I got a lot of clean data; which allows me to process this again at a later date once I'm better at Pixinsight.
  
  I learned a lot during this process, so I'm confident my next image will be even better. I've come to find there is a ton of liberty in how people process these narrowband images, causing them to each look different. Please feel free to provide your criticism or feedback :-)
  

I don’t have WiFi so I’m not going to google search, but I’d be willing to bet google or amazon would have the car plug adapter for mobile ih.
As far as 18650, all I know is it can be done, and without TOO much effort.
With the box I’ve made, I’m going to add a bottom compartment that can be latched on to the bottom, and hold 4 18650’s which should be tons of use.

My best recommendation is YouTube, google, amazon/eBay for parts and going to the forum f***combustion , google search that forum, they have a huge thread on induction diy, as well as vapcap stuff, and there is a user there named pipes, he will sell you ready to go fully built portable and tabletop setups that are legit and very reasonably priced. Building my own I saved maybe 40 bucks, however his are better than what I’m able to cobble together, and for a true portable I’ll be going to him for his Portside mini as it’s the best.
Good luck my guy, I’m in the same boat.

Just order an induction driver with coil, a psu, and a switch of some sort.

SainSmart 5V~12V Zero Voltage Switching ZVS Induction Heating Power Supply Module + Coil Power Supply heating power supply module https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDVVANA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rWzBCb6KE502R

Out of stock but that’s what I got, there are other sellers it’s all the same unit.

EPBOWPT AC 100-240V to DC 12V 6A... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DNW1CNB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This psu works just fine for me, AND it comes with the adapter you will NEED to plug this all into the wall
ESUPPORT Heavy Duty 20A 125V 15A...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZWWZ0GK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This switch is for cars, and rated at 20a.
It’s overkill, but my understanding is a higher amp rated switch removes the need for a mofset which I didn’t wana really wore up. You can also use a momentary switch, so it’s only on if you press it down, but the spring keeps it set at “off” but they aren’t rated at 20a and you will need a mofset.

I just got a wood box and used my drill stuff to make the holes, and hot glue to seal the box so I can open it op fairly easily for repairs and upgrades

1.

Which wires specifically? In general, I was planning on going for heat-shrink solder terminal connectors and crimp connectors.

One of the reasons I posted this is because there are quite a few connectors and I am still not entirely 100% sure what I need. Obviously when screwing something in to a screw terminal block, the ring crimp connectors. But when joining wires, I would prefer to use the heat-shrink-solder type, but there are also butts and blades (heh).

I bought this set of terminals, figured I'd need them anyways: Assorted crimp terminals

I am probably going to buy this set of solder terminals: Fancy solder terminals

I am pretty good at soldering (though usually circuit boards, not automotive wires, hence not entirely knowing what to do.) I have easy access to a heat gun as well.

2.

Well, both - the breaker goes on the battery, and it sets the maximum amperage for the entire new fuse block and everything attached to it. The fuses go for each individual circuit. I want to use just one fuse for each circuit, instead of having several different circuits sitting on the same fuse, largely for my own desire for neatness and debug-ability. I could have one main fuse instead of the main breaker, but I figure that they will serve the same function and I may as well go for the re-usable option.

I was going to go for this breaker: Fat breaker

That said, I bought this fuse kit, which includes up to a 35A fuse, which will be more than enough. I also bought this fuse holder, in case I decide to use one main fuse instead of one main breaker. (I figured I'd need both of these anyways for some project, may as well get them even if I don't use them right now.)

Fuse Kit

In-line Fuse Holder

---

In general, I think my system will basically look like this:

Battery 12V + Breaker = safe 12V

Save 12V + ignition 12V (do I need a fuse here?) + Relay = ignition-switched 12V

Ignition-hot 12V + Fuse Block + ATC/ATO Fuses = eight fused circuits

Fused circuits, obviously, feeding from above. I will probably add a 20A switch in line with high-power circuits, just in case, as an emergency switch.

Fused circuits will terminate at something like this Ground Bar.

 

What do you think of this proposed setup?

I do realize that it's kind of overkill for what I want.

But you can probably agree that overkill is better than your car burning down!

I’ve got a sport sedan. I’m considering getting katzkins for mine and definitely YES on the console liners. I bought the red trimmed ones and I love them. They look great in the car and help keep it clean.

I also got this for the steering wheel because I don’t like that giant weird solid black spot and these . They feel nice and look great.

>what in the world is an "Oak Grigsby"

It's a brand/type of high-quality blade switch. Available in several configurations, with the 3-Way being the most common for Telecasters, but the 4-Way is also quite useful (if your Tele had Humbuckers, the 5-way "Super Switch" type might be useful)

https://www.amazon.com/Oak-Grigsby-3-Way-Switch-Telecaster®/dp/B01L19P6WA

>pots are rated CTS 250k

"CTS" is a maker of good quality potentiometers. 250K is the rating in ohms (in this case 250,000 ohms). Humbucker pickups often utilize higher resistance rated pots (300K-500K ohm pots).

There is a second type of rating on pots, and that has to do with the taper of the resistance path of the pot. Some tapers are better for volume, some are better for tone controls. If you buy a pre-wired kit, it'll have the correct taper pots. Other pot makers are Alpha (generally considered of lower quality than "CTS"), and Bourns, which is considered of good quality. CTS pots are very common in good quality wiring kits.

Happy to see good progress on this project!

>Opted for a push model to save space, just gonna attach a cam or something to the pin.

Just to be clear, the model you've linked will pull when given power and return to static without power. I'm not to sure what your goal with a cam is, maybe I'm envisioning the wrong item, but you should be able to attach the Thunder B pin directly to the actuator's plunger.

> I don't have a ton of faith in the range on that remote, so...any suggestions to hook it up to my cell phone without still having to be within wifi range, which will be even worse than the remote's range? Or, how to extend the range on the remote?

It is my understanding, albeit probably inaccurate, that Radio range is directly proportional to antenna length with a weighting factor from the power supplied. So you might be able to splice a longer antenna, but I think there will be diminishing returns after a point. You'll want to investigate that further.

>Basically, I don't want someone to pick up the device in-game and have me detonate it without realizing it's in their backpack, so i'm giving them an option to defuse it. This will be in line with the battery so that everything is 100% cut off, no ifs, ands, or buts.

This is a very important safety feature and I'm glad to see that you're electing to go about it this way. However, I would suggest something like this with a switch cover to make sure that it can't be accidentally turned on. Also, it's a default off now which allows players to turn it on manually (or game organizers) and also to give a visual reminder, though small, that the system is active.

All said, that's a fair price point

https://www.amazon.com/Cole-Hersee-M-628-BP-Push-Pull-Switch/dp/B000KKFVLS
This is similar to what our team is using. Once it gets depressed, it physically breaks the shutdown circuit.

It mechanically stays depressed until physically pulled back into place and reset.

Because this switch is behind the pedal to be activated only at the extreme end of pedal travel (that should otherwise take a slight effort with the hydraulics fully functioning but will be super-easy if they go out), it's a real pain in the ass for the driver to get to it and reset it. So even if it's not a proper latching fault electrically, it is, in effect (mechanically.)

You shouldn't need any additional circuitry apart from the BOTS.The wording of the rules is to afford design flexibility. You don't have to use the exact switch style I have above if you need to get creative, but they do want:

- The mechanical switching action to physically break the current
- Repeated "presses" not to matter once it's been depressed the first time.

They've done a pretty good job of just hammering out the minimums they want for safety. In theory, you could use additional circuitry to jerry-rig other switches to work that weren't initially intended to work like the switch I posted above (which is perfect for this). Sounds like an unnecessary, but totally justified "Senior Project" for someone...

When I was a field tech, mostly working with structured cabling and networking equipment I took the following along with me, some of these things are no longer needed with VOIP phones though:

• Klein Scissors, great for working with cabling. http://www.amazon.com/Klein-2100-7-Electricians-Scissors-Stripping/dp/B000VL03NC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_2
  
  
• Klein 11-in-1 screwdriver (I actually had two) http://www.amazon.com/Klein-32500-Screwdriver-Driver-Cushion/dp/B0015SBILG/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_y
  
  
• Harris puncdown tool ( I think fluke took them over though in quality) the little flip out hook is really useful when doing 66 blocks or panels - something like this http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-D914S-10061810-impact-EverSharp/dp/B000GA6QEI/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1377872619&sr=1-2&keywords=harris+punch+down+tool (You can get cheaper here, but I burned through the ideal ones pretty fast. The harris ones seemed to last a while).
  
  
• Multimeter (Fluke makes some nice ones)
  
  
• Cable Tester - this will do phone, coax, cat5/6 and isn't crazy priced. You can buy more remotes for it too: http://www.amazon.com/Test-Um-TP300-Resi-Tester/dp/B000J15CEE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1377872779&sr=8-7&keywords=test+um+cable+tester
  
  
• Tone and probe kit (sends a signal over a cable and you can use the wand to figure out what cable it is. Killer for unmarked cables. You'll probably want to take some jacks and make up your own adapters too) - http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Networks-PRO3000-Tone-Probe/dp/B000FTADX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377872864&sr=8-1&keywords=harris+tone
  
  
• Banjo adapter is nice if you don't want to make your own: http://www.amazon.com/Paladin-Tools-1902-Modular-Adapter/dp/B000099O64/ref=pd_sim_indust_13
  
  
• If you have traditional phone lines to deal with, a buttset (or linemans set) isn't a bad thing to have either.
  
  
• Some coax tools (crimper/stripper)
  
  
• A drywall saw
  
  
• A decent tool bag. I used a generic husky one from lowes.
  
  
• A drill (keep the charger in the bag) and a decent bit set
  
  
• A box of random screws and anchors
  
  
• Bigass roll of velcro
  
  
• Double sided tape
  
  
• ALL the connectors (in bulk)
  
  
• Electrical tape
  
  
• Pull string anytime you fish a conduit or a pain in the ass space, leave a string.
  
  
• Various standard hand tools, spackle isn't bad to have and a putty knife, I had a cheap soldering iron and some basic stuff for it too. Sharpies (a whole pack of them). A level, a tape measure.
  
  
• A label maker! Brother makes a bunch. Label everything!
  
  
• Flashlight. I carried two. One small penlight on myself (streamlight) and one that shared the batteries with my drill.
  
  Obviously this all doesnt go in one bag, but I had mine in my car/truck all the time. It'd be a lot easier in an office.

'87 Yamaha Warrior 350. I picked it up for free. It hadn't run for a year or 2, was missing some bolts and the pull start assembly, seat was torn, headlights didn't work, and needed a battery. Work done...

• Cleaned out rats nests in air box and battery box
  
• replaced stator and crank case bolts
  
• changed oil and filter (twice)
  
• new air filter
  
• new LED headlights ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074W3X2D4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )
  
• new grips
  
• new battery
  
• cleaned out carb, replaced needle valve (needle wasn't stopping fuel and was dumping gas in the engine when stopped..hence the 2nd oil change), adjusted idle
  
• new (used) pull start pulley and assembly
  
• broke finger pull starting and had to have surgery ( https://www.reddit.com/r/ATV/comments/c0ri2a/be_careful_when_choosing_to_pull_start/ )
  
• Recovered seat
  
• painted plastics and applied decals (wet sanded with 400, 600, 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit. Primed with Duplicolor adhesion promoter, painted with Krylon Fusion for plastic using Gloss Black - roughly 6-8 coats. Wife cut stickers with Silhouette Vinyl Cutter. Applied Krylon Color Maxx Crystal Clear Gloss clear coat - 3 sets of 4-6 light coats with curing and a wet sand between.)
  
• new bolts and screws for plastics
  
  I had never worked on an ATV before and learned a lot during the project. It's not perfect by any means but it's definitely better than what it was and its now ready for some trails (or some sand dunes once I get some paddle tires)! I think I have less than $500 into it and it runs great!

After seeing a couple posts of people's custom button boxes on reddit I knew I had found my next project. I've been doing quite a bit of Arduino and small electronics lately, and this was the perfect fit. So off I went to Amazon, ordered a bunch of stuff I thought might be cool / useful and started piecing things together. Took a few weekends of working on it here and there, the most time consuming part just being tediously soldering and wiring the 38 inputs.

​

Was originally going to set it into some sort of project enclosure, but ended up getting impatient and just mounting it to two pieces of plywood with some feet. It added enough heft to it that I can lift the switch guard and rotate the somewhat stiff selector without issue. Eventually I'll get a better enclosure for it, probably grab one off of Hammond mfg or get someone with a larger 3D printer to make one. The Engine Start and black/red button (that I'm going to use for quantum jump) have leds in them that I don't currently have hooked up to the Arduino, but once we get some sort of API into Star Citizen hopefully I can tie them to engine state and jump spool/ready state.

​

The controls are:

Power on, flight ready, 3 misc buttons, zoom rotary encoder, 3 misc buttons, quantum spool, quantum jump

Hat switch + center for shield distribution and reset, engine, shield, and thruster power switches, power distribution profile selector, misc selector

Flare Fire button, flare select, 7 misc toggle switches, self destruct switch, eject switch.

​

I mapped everything to a button in the Arduino code (no rotary encoder as zoom in this screenshot) so that I can easily bind to functions in Star Citizen. Unfortunately without an API this means the switch positions can get out of sync with the actual ship status easily. If by the time of release / they make an API there still isn't a way to read / set state by API then I'll probably make a new version with only toggle buttons.

​

Code Libraries

PCF8574_library for interfacing with the IO expanders
- https://github.com/xreef/PCF8574_library

ArduinoJoystickLibrary for emulating a joystick on windows
- https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary/

​

Useful Instructables

Joystick Library
- https://www.instructables.com/id/Create-a-Joystick-Using-the-Arduino-Joystick-Libra/

PCF8574
- https://www.instructables.com/id/PCF8574-GPIO-Extender-With-Arduino-and-NodeMCU/

​

Parts List

1 Terminal Expansion Board - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PGDWJ2V

3 PCF8574 IO Expansion Board - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B95LMLQ

1 Rotary Encoder - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DM2YMT4

1 4 Position Rotary Selector - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JN2967L

1 Red Ring Momentary Push Button - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017ILTX60

1 Engine Start Momentary Push Button - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MK2394L

5 Heavy Duty Toggle Switch - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078KBC5VH

1 12 Position Rotary Switch - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074WMC9C8

1 5-Channel Rocker - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K5PFPNC

1 Arduino Micro - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFY2S56

7 Red/Black Momentary Push Buttons - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BD2D96W

2 Red Cover Toggle Switches - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BD2D96W

8 Small Toggle Switches - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013DZB6CO

Hey,

Here are the links to what I bought:

Lights:
https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-005750991-Black-Magic-Driving/dp/B00318JTCS/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1511108495&sr=1-1&keywords=hella+black+magic+driving+lights

Switch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EOMQLKC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I first wired the Hella wiring harness to the battery and ground. Next, I drilled holes for the lights, but you need to be careful and look on the inside of the bumper first. There is this structural webbing sorta stuff, so you need to drill between the struts. They are the same on both sides, so its easy to get the lights symmetrical. MAKE SURE THE HOOD CAN OPEN. I almost screwed this up

Next, I mounted the lights and connected the leads. I soldered the grounds together and connected them to the screw that holds the oil cooler on.

Run the yellow wire through the large grommet behind the battery. The switch i had linked is a direct replacement for all the blank switches and it looks AWESOME. If you use that grommet, you will be right next to the switch panel to the left of the steering wheel.

I connected both the green and yellow wires from the switch to a positive end of a Wal-Mart fuse tap. I tapped into the rear windshield washer, so the lights are never on when the car is off. Since i put both the relay lead and switch light lead in the same place, the switch light is always on and doesn't come on with the other dash lights. (it still turns off when the car is off).

I do not use a headunit at all in my car, I just have a DSP that is controlled by an on/off switch. My amps are also connected to the same switch. I included a walkthrough below if you are curious about how I did that.


If you want a kill switch AND keep the ignition on/off: First buy a simple switch (link below for the one I use, I thought that it looks badass). You find the blue remote wire going from the back of your headunit, going into your amp. This is the wire that tells your amp to turn on. You cut it in half and attach one each side of the remote wire to each terminal of the switch. Super easy, providing there is enough excess remote wire behind your dash to lead it to a switch you are going to add. You can drill a little hole somewhere in your dash and mount the switch.

If you want to have an on/off switch for your amps/DSP, independant of the ignition switch:
You can start off by unplugging the remote wire currently running from your deck to your amp. You don't need this anymore. You will need enough remote wire to run from the back of your car (from the amp), to the dashboard where your switch will be, and looped back to the amp. I purchased 30 feet of remote wire, about 2 car lengths. You plug one end of the remote wire into the remote plug terminal of the amp, and the other end into the 12v positive going into your amp (I plugged into into my 12v distribution block). This will force your amp to be constantly on. Now, we snip the remote wire in half where it loops at the dash, and attach each end of the wire to each terminal of the switch (polarity does not matter here).

Note: I have 2 amps and a DSP hooked up using the second method, but for the sake of simplicity only explained it using one amplifier! I tried to explain as best I can, hope this helps.

Link to the switch I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Toggle-Switch-Wires-Metal-Automotive/dp/B078825ZQH/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1541954650&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=low+amp+switch+on+off&dpPl=1&dpID=41c%2BTHPZ10L&ref=plSrch

Had it on in the background. Awful presentation.

Are they just swimming in cash? It looks like they're suffering from a lack of focus. Producing a jet-ski and a dune-buggy are not confidence inspiring.

Do they actually have a contract for the military vehicle? If not scrap that yesterday.

I do like the partnerships.

First, they need to focus on the truck. If the game is hydrogen, then prove it with a few long haul routes and go from there.

Get a better presenter. You recognize you're not good at everything and surround you with great people. Awesome. One of them should've told you you're a bad presenter. Steve Jobs was a smooth presenter, but not even he tried to do everything himself. Most of the time during this presentation I wondered why people were being invited on stage just to be talked at. Stop looking down as you talk. But most importantly, get an emcee to drive the conversations on stage and keep things flowing. Offer a prerecorded introduction. Get up on stage, say thank you, let the emcee drive the presentation.

Next time find some actual fans for the audience, offer an open bar before the presentation starts, and breath some life into that audience.

There were so many lines that were obviously intended to be "Jobsian" that just fell flat or were flubbed entirely.

> The window is here because that's where diesel ended and this is where electric ends. Wait no, that's where diesel... The window ends here and this is the start of electricity! Woo!

I had no fucking idea what window he was talking about.

And then he talked about the driver watching iTunes on the road in the Euro truck. I'm pretty sure he meant during downtime, but I wasn't entirely positive he wasn't dropping some FSD pitch.

Also, bashing industry engineers is a bad move and is a bad sign for the company. Who knows what they've missed by insisting on an entirely green team.

Then talking about getting rid of buttons. And it made me wonder if that's a priority for drivers. Who need to be excited about this. And it's not even true once you see the cabin. It actually looks really nice to my layman eyes, but it seemed the wrong thing to emphasize. I did have to laugh at the blue LED "on" button they probably got for 20 cents in bulk though.

Anyways, neat truck. Looks pretty real. Guess we'll see.

After seeing what /u/SgtDwightSchrute1 built the other day, I wanted to give it a go as well! I took most of the parts he used and linked in his thread, but I went with a few more switches as well as a set of POV buttons that have a mode switch to switch them from POV directions to an X-Y axis. The Green button is for the POV mode, and I also moved the Mode LED to the face of the box so you can tell what mode it is in.

I also added some vinyl carbon fiber wrap to give it a nice finish!

Parts links which are the same as /u/SgtDwightSchrute1 for the most part:

Button box: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BSRIO

Control board: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UUROWWK

Push buttons: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T45I7GQ

Toggle switches: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154JY8OA

Carbon Fiber Vinyl Film: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0059XCVVO

The LED is a 5mm Green 18mcd with a holder I had around, but any LED would work, just don't go super bright!

Original inspiration here: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/comments/acn7il/scrutes_cheap_dcs_button_box_diy/?st=JQIL5FJK&sh=c37d0a0a

so... not much help, but what I did find is that it's a big line of products from something called "Alpine Tech" or "Alpinetech" The ATI is an indicator for that. The part number is listed on the item as well. They also have an Amazon store.

I couldn't find any other info about anything called Alpine Tech or ATI in regards to who might actually be 'making' the switch.

Based on the item listings I've seen directly from them on Amazon, I'm guessing they're a random amazon shop that's not a real business and just buys up chinese stuff and re-sells it (not that there's anything wrong with that... he said as he looks at his shelf full of chinese stuff).

Here's teh Amazon Store

http://www.amazon.com/gp/node/index.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A1ZFJY6YSKB3ZG&merchant=A1ZFJY6YSKB3ZG&redirect=true

And here's what you were looking for I think.

http://www.amazon.com/Alpinetech-Anti-Vandal-Stainless-Momentary-Terminal/dp/B00MB5CXKC/ref=sr_1_1?m=A1ZFJY6YSKB3ZG&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1419086456&sr=1-1&keywords=12mm&pebp=1419086481061

I don't see a 12mm version that has the same actuator as what you linked, only the domed version. But I'm pretty sure that's the same back end, smaller panel cut out, same depth.

http://www.amazon.com/GTR-Red-Start-Button-2009/dp/B004D0I11S

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/45-4282

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4XBQPU/

Screw cap covers for license plate.

I recommend those as cosmetic upgrades, as well as white LED lights for the visor, dome, and license plate. It's incredibly simple to replace and in my opinion it makes it look much better.

A more expensive (but worth it) would be a gloss black vinyl roof wrap.

I don't know if it'll fit directly into the space but you can get a a pilot switch and either dremel out a hole in the oem switch panel or you can take the empty panel out and use some kind of filler to make the switch snug in the spot. I did something similar for my roof lights, put the switch in the spot and used a cut up magnet wedged in the crevasses to make it snug, and it looks pretty good

Something like this would work but you'd have to be able to open the unit and solder in a new switch. This switch would have to be glued in because of the thickness of the wood involved.

Or, this might be easier but not the same form factor.

http://imgur.com/a/B8eIh

So there are the pictures. I totally forgot about the push to start button. I changed the color of the LED's in my OEM one but before I went purple I started out with red:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D0I11S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You can't put a little pice of GTR in your AC. =)

12V/5V is nothing for a off the shelf switch. If you want to get semi-fancy, you can take one of our 5 1/2 in bay covers and drill out the appropriate sized whole and install 4 toggle switches. Maybe 5 if you want a master kill switch (space permitting).

Here is a 5-pack for $10: https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-Rocker-Toggle-Switch-Waterproof/dp/B078KBC5VH/

Get some PWM fan header cables (https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-Black-Sleeved-Splitter-Adapter/dp/B075H6HT8J/ for instance). you just need enough extra cable to go from the PWM header on the Mobo to the switch. Make sure the PWM lead (yellow i think?) and Negative is still wired to the fan. You still would like to monitor the RPM I am sure. Simply wire each 12V+ lead to the switches.

Even better, get some switches with an LED so that you can tell when they are on: https://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Rocker-Toggle-Linkstyle-Vehicles/dp/B0776QXX21


Edit: Cant confirm this... But this doc seems to show some or all of the PWM specification if you want to dig further. https://www.handsontec.com/pdf_files/4_Wire_PWM_Spec.pdf

Having this on your wall for your garbage disposal would be amazing!

I recently had to redo my 1980 CB750c after the previous owner made it a strait on/off switch.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU7D0Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I purchased. Since yours is already wired up to work on your starter, you should pretty much be able to just plug the wires to the corresponding spots. I have the wiring written down at home, but its for a 750c. I'm sure its the same, but I don't want to give you incorrect information either.

1. Nope, it is mounted through a couple custom brackets I made out of 90° aluminum stock that mount to 2 of the bolts that hold the bumper on.
   
2. I didn't run a relay. You can run a relay if you want, you will just needed a switched source (radio, cigarette lighter, etc.) to reference to turn the relay on when the car is on. That will keep you from accidentally draining the battery. I wanted to be able to run mine with the car off since I use it camping sometimes so I didn't go this route, just a fused connection. I did actually order a wiring kit for the switch and fuse which was plenty heavy (kit came 12 gauge copper stranded with the inline fuse holder and connectors and didn't draw more than 5 amps @ 12V, again just a random Amazon seller). I did source my own switch as I wanted one with the little plastic cover like this. I wouldn't bother with that again though. You can get inline blade fuse holders at most auto parts stores and the connectors at any hardware store. When I was looking at light bars, most on Amazon didn't come with the wiring hardware included so just pay attention to that.
   
3. Only other thought would be look into your local laws. I have never heard of a state where they are 100% illegal, but most states have rules for how you can mount them and such (min and max height, number, down road visibility, etc.). The safest bet is that if an officer asks, it is for off highway use only.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012IJ35VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OJN-AbA3J0G0W

Something like this, of you want you can go to your local hardware store, they will have switches there, just tell them you need one rated for 12 volts and 10 amps. I did that because all the ones on Amazon are a little expensive for switches IMO

All these options, and yet, you can always integrate a switch with a safety cover

i bout this to replace my ignition and it comes with a set of new keys. though the keys edges are very just like how the picture looks and probably the same for everyone key too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU7D0Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MB5CXKC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this is where i got it, yes it is 3 amps.... not really sure what i would need in a switch.

Dew heater straps. They're basically cloth straps wrapped around nichrome wire. You need the strap and the controller.

Lots of examples on the market those are just the first to pop up on amazon.

Edit: They might be called dew straps/strips/bands ect. but they're all the same thing.

These switches are petty cool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154JY8OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JJ7TCbCG3N2A3

internal shot

Parts list:

• Pelican 1120 Case
  
  
• Induction Coil Module
  
  
  
• Mosfet
  
  
  
• Momentary Switch
  
  
• Power indicator light
  
  
• Toggle Switch
  
  
• Power Supply
  
  
• Glass Test Tube
  
  Tools:
  
  
• Glass Cutter
  
  
• Connectors I only used 2 of the prong connectors for the toggle switch
  
  STL for 3d printing:
  
  All three files
  
  Wiring diagram:
  
  Terrible MS paint Diagram

What you really need are some of these

ESUPPORT 12V 20A Red Cover Rocker Toggle Switch SPST ON/Off Car Truck Boat 2Pin Pack of 5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0154JY8OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0v0RDb8XB2S8T


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F352491845873

There ya go

Module and Coil

ZVS Driver Module,5V-12V ZVS Low... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CNM24YM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

12V 20A LED switch with cover

AutoEC New 12V/20A Red LED Illuminated On/off SPST Car Automotive Toggle Switch Button https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012IHZW4G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YIOWCbX59GG36

18 gauge wire

BNTECHGO 18 Gauge Silicone Wire... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AQOI36M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

12v 6a power supply

AspenTek Us Plug Dc 12v Power... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GU63ICU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Then I used three spade connectors to attach the wires to the switch, which you can get from walmart

http://www.amazon.com/GTR-Red-Start-Button-2009/dp/B004D0I11S

Actually only a bit under $50 for the button itself

It’s just an electrical connection. You’re basically going to bypass the +12v wire that activates the valve flaps from the control module with a +12v wire that is activated by an accessory source(think cigarette adapter, radio, etc.).

What I would do is use one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/AutoEC-Rocker-Toggle-Switch-Control/dp/B012IJ35VQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=12+volt+power+rocker+switch&qid=1566944665&s=gateway&sr=8-6

That way you can have it “always on” until you flip it into the other position, and have it managed by the control module. Essentially one of the connectors will go to the flap, the second one will be the +12v from the original source, and the third wire will be the +12v from a cigarette adapter (which should only be “on” when the ignition is on). It’s a bit more complicated than that since you’ll have to worry about heat shielding the wires, where they come into the cabin, and where you put the switch. You may have to remove some molding/trim/carpet but it shouldn’t be much harder than wiring up an aftermarket amp/sub.

my idea would be to just drill some holes into the existing plastic-covers and install something like this or this

chances of getting a oem Kia switch/button will be hard, since the switches will be sold as spare parts, thus already labeled.