X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com X-SpamCatcher-Score: 2 [X] Return-Path: Received: from elasmtp-kukur.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([209.86.89.65] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.10) with ESMTP id 2178045 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:32:30 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=209.86.89.65; envelope-from=CBarber@TexasAttorney.net Received: from [24.238.208.71] (helo=userte4ok6qti7) by elasmtp-kukur.atl.sa.earthlink.net with asmtp (Exim 4.34) id 1I9sxk-00035y-RS; Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:31:53 -0400 Message-ID: <015001c7c680$00cae940$0401a8c0@userte4ok6qti7> From: "Christopher Barber" To: "Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list" , "Rotary motors in aircraft" Subject: Switch guards, switch locks, locking switches?? Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:32:23 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_014D_01C7C656.161CC5E0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1807 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1896 X-ELNK-Trace: 04a7e290e6af3b12d3631fa4f7b525ef239a348a220c26094f3da8e763decb7d69beb034cb64a1b2548b785378294e88350badd9bab72f9c350badd9bab72f9c X-Originating-IP: 24.238.208.71 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_014D_01C7C656.161CC5E0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable As most of y'all may know, my project is an all electric bird (Velocity = SE) with a rotary engine. Since if I loose power things get quite I am = using Bob Knuckls' duel alternator/duel battery set up. What I am = curious about is the switches in the cabin. Currently I have all the = switches up high on the panel a bit right of center towards the co-pilot = position. I hope to not have a passanger who would inadvertanlty flip a = switch down and off, HOWEVER, you never know what may get tangled or a = stray move may flip a switch. If my coil switch or primary injectors get = switched off I will start sweating. Also, I don't really mind the = switches where they are, but I do have a couple of other places I would = like them, but I placed them here as to minimize being bumped. My question is what other options do I have to either guard against = accidental deactivation. I have purchased a couple of aviation locking = toggles from ebay, but they are kinda small and may not be up for the = task (but at $13.00 for twoI couldn't go too wrong...they may work for = my coil switch and primary fuel). The regular priced DPDT (for my = contactors and injectors) seem to start at close to $60.00 a piece...a = bit much for my police salary if other options will surfice. I have also considered installing some of the switch guards you see in = old nuclear missle bunker movies that they would open to expose the = firing buttons for the big ol' missles. I considered installing them = upside down (which is really easy) so that they are on when the cover is = closed thus making the switch impossible to turn off by mistake. This = seems really fool proof, however, the guards, while cheap, are pretty = big and do not look all that, well, elligant. Also, I was watching the Astronaut Farmer last night on PPV and saw the = little hard wire loops that where installed next to the switches on each = side of the individual switches in his space capsule and this reminded = me of the ones NASA used to use....maybe still do. Donno. These seem = to be just half circles that make grabbing the switch very deliberate = and minimizes potential knocks. Finally, it seems as if I have seen = bars held in by springs that lay across a series of switches to keep = them in place. =20 What say ye? Insight? Wisdom? Warnings? Observations? WAG's? Thanks. All the best, Chris Barber Houston crossed posted on Reflector, FlyRotary, Aeroelectric Connection email = list & Canard Aviation forum ------=_NextPart_000_014D_01C7C656.161CC5E0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
As most of y'all may know, my project = is an all=20 electric bird (Velocity SE) with a rotary engine.  Since if I loose = power=20 things get quite I am using Bob Knuckls' duel alternator/duel = battery=20 set up.  What I am curious about is the switches in the = cabin. =20 Currently I have all the switches up high on the panel a bit right of = center=20 towards the co-pilot position.  I hope to not have a passanger who = would=20 inadvertanlty flip a switch down and off, HOWEVER, you never know what = may get=20 tangled or a stray move may flip a switch. If my coil switch or primary=20 injectors get switched off I will start sweating.  Also, I don't = really=20 mind the switches where they are, but I do have a couple of other places = I would=20 like them, but I placed them here as to minimize being = bumped.
 
My question is what other options do I = have to=20 either guard against accidental deactivation.   I have = purchased a=20 couple of aviation locking toggles from ebay, but they are kinda = small and=20 may not be up for the task (but at $13.00 for twoI couldn't go too = wrong...they=20 may work for my coil switch and primary fuel).  The regular priced = DPDT=20 (for my contactors and injectors) seem to start at close to $60.00 a = piece...a=20 bit much for my police salary if other options will = surfice.
 
I have also considered installing some = of the=20 switch guards you see in old nuclear missle bunker movies that they = would open=20 to expose the firing buttons for the big ol' missles.  I considered = installing them upside down (which is really easy) so that they are on = when the=20 cover is closed thus making the switch impossible to turn off by=20 mistake. This seems really fool proof, however, the guards, while = cheap,=20 are pretty big and do not look all that, well, = elligant.
 
 Also, I was watching the = Astronaut Farmer=20 last night on PPV and saw the little hard wire loops that where = installed next=20 to the switches on each side of the individual switches in his = space=20 capsule and this reminded me of the ones NASA used to use....maybe still = do.  Donno.  These seem to be just half circles that make = grabbing the=20 switch very deliberate and minimizes potential knocks.  Finally, it = seems=20 as if I have seen bars held in by springs that lay across a series of = switches=20 to keep them in place. 
 
What say ye?  Insight?  = Wisdom? Warnings?=20 Observations?  WAG's?
 
Thanks.
 
All the best,
 
Chris Barber
Houston
 
crossed posted on Reflector, FlyRotary, = Aeroelectric Connection email list & Canard Aviation=20 forum
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