I had an email about this, and figured I would share it. Bulgin makes some nice illuminated buttons in blue, green, and red, and stainless steel buttons as well. If you do use them, don't forget about the resistor for the LED or you will burn it up.
later,
K

http://www.svc.com/switches.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/ele-70.html

 

Those look sweet, but damn expensive!

Since those are momentary, and have a super low amperage rating, you're going to have to use relays. And in some cases, a latching relay circuit.

 

Yea they are expensive, don't get me wrong. But they look nice. For all the applicatinos I have seen, they will work. They aren't designed to be in line with high current system, but more for turning on screens or lighting systems, and other things like that. I use them more for things that already have a button, and run a wire from each side of the button to poles on the Bulgin button to power. They also make on/off buttons, and cheaper buttons, but they are not illuminated.

 

For turning on screens and lights, a latching relay is needed. And most people don't want to spend the time figuring out how to do that.

 

http://selectproducts.com/shopsite_s...ge54.html#1855

Might not look as neat, but definitely cheaper.

 

I'll sell you these for $1.99... Not $7.15 LOL

 

Do them have them in Blue? Those links I sent were really for pictures, not to buy them. If you search, you can find the toggles at a hell of alot better price, and find them in town. The Bulgins, I have only found those at 17.99 for the illuminated ones. Trust me, I wouldn't pay that much for a toggle switch, and pay shipping. You can find the same ones at alot of differnent places, but the Bulgins are not as easy. Let me knwo where you found those, and how big they are.

 

Hooking up a relay is insanely easy... and those buttons are hot. I just have a simple toggle switch like ^^^ those... but any good lighted switch should come with the resistor for the LED... mine did.

 

I've got the round rocker switches with LEDs in blue, red, and green. I import them from China, they're about .75" to 1"

Pooka, where can I get a latching relay? That will turn a circuit on when you push the button, and off when you push it again...

 

you can get those relays at Radio Shack, all different current ratings. Its a simple circuit. If you want a schematic, I can draw one up for ya

 

Hahahaha...nice

 

Yea, draw up a circuit if you have a chance

 

Here is a circuit that just requires relays, or relays and a few diodes. If you are familiar with caps, transistors, and resistors, then you can build a smaller circuit.
http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp#lsp


Here is a link that only requires one relay and is 12V. Everything can be found at Radio Shack and is pretty small once you build it. On this page, scroll down to Single Transistor Relay Toggle Circuit.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...gle3.gif<br />

Hope this helps.
K

 

Thanks for the links. I've seen the12v.com one before, and I have a fair amount of electrical knowlege, it is not a "simple circuit" or "insanely easy"

 

Try ebay. Thats where I found my relay. I don't know if it's a latching relay, but I know it works with rocker switches.
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Volt-30-40-Am...QQcmdZViewItem

Thats pretty much the exact relay that I got. I currenttly use it to turn on 6 neon tubes in my Explorer. Works great. And I ran it off the power for the cigarette lighter, which I still use to run my GPS. Also, the lighted rocker switch I got from ebay also included a resistor for it's LED.

And, if people are looking to put in LEDs as accent lights, I'd suggest maybe going with the street glow ones. They are a little more expensive, but they come with the resistors already soldered on, and they have nice little collars to make mounting them in certain places much easier.

 

I've got a whole drawer filled with those relays at home. They aren't latching relays...

For this pushbutton... momentary switch... a latching relay is needed.

I'd reccomend my LEDs. They are super cheap, and brighter than streetglow LEDs... Add a resistor for 5 cents, and I will toss in some LED holders if you want. http://www.oznium.com/led

 

those look so nice, i'm gonna have to find those cheaper somewhere and that actually have them in stock.

 

Latching relays:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...latching+relay

And from now on if I need LEDs(which i may very well need soon) I'll look at your site.

 

^ Ok but that only works with alternating coils. So, you'd need 2 push buttons, or a complicated circuit.

 

I dunno... I just did a quick search on ebay. I'm sure if I really felt like looking I could find the right thing... I don't need it though, so I don't really care that much.