On/off switch location

[BuggyDad 4482]

Hi all,

The Tamiya TBLE-02S ESC switch is a perfect match for the housing in the kit (DT-03 but I assume this is not unique to that) and it's got a rubber cover to keep it clean. However the switch on my third party ESC isn't going to fit that. Plus it's got the button on it for ESC settings.

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/hobbywing-quicrun-10bl120-sensored-425021

Back in the day I think I just had battery connector accessible(ish) and disconnected that (and did we have separately powered receivers then?). Seems inelegant anyway. Plus the connector is nicely buried down in this chassis with the shell sealing quite neatly along the edges.

Can you help?

- Have I missed something and there's another switch I can swap in to fit Tamiya housing? (noting I don't have the ESC yet)

- Or, if you just use the switch that comes on your non-Tamiya ESC, where do you recommend putting it? Presumably better to make it accessible without removing body shell, but it also looks fragile.

- Or, do you put one of those receiver switches in line between receiver and ESC? They look like the same sort of shape as the Tamiya one.

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I have a feeling it is but I've drawn a blank on searching, and if you don't ask...

[Willy iine 18806]

Do you mean like this?   I would just cut the TBLE02S 's switch and solder it on.  

My switch has a screw on the lever as it's for my M38's rubber switch cover.  

 

[alvinlwh 5895]

You have a few options, what I do are:

1. Cut the wire and solder a suitable connector and tape the switch at a similar location as original. -OR-solder to original/AM Tamiya fit switch in intended location, with rubber cover if desired. 

2. Just tape the switch at an alternate location and forget about the original. That is the only sticker from the warning sheet that I use, to remind me where the switch is. 

3. If it is a 1060 style ESC, attach the switch to the side of the ESC as designed and open up the body to switch on or off. 

4. Sort the switch cable and turn in and off with plugging or unplugging the cables. 

Last 2 method are not recommended if you have concerns about a runaway car. I recently had an ESC that fired the the car at beyond maximum speed when switch on and luckily that car was build using method 1 and I managed to stop it. 

[BuggyDad 4482]

Yeah the runaway car thing is a concern. On our car with the TBLE-02, if you turn it on with the transmitter off it sends power to the motor, so I kind of figured I'd want to be able to kill power from something accessible!

Reminds me - are they meant to do that?

The receiver for the to-be-built car does have an automatic shut off if it loses connection, which should help.

 

So I'm kinda wondering whether I could plug something like this:

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/etronix-jr-futaba-switch-412918

in line between receiver and ESC and maybe that might do the job. I guess if runaway comes from an erroneous receiver signal or an accidental knock to the transmitter it would. It wouldn't cut battery power to the ESC but then the Tamiya one must be a separate circuit anyway.

[Willy iine 18806]

I believe the popular use for those inline switches are for vehicles that don't run BEC.  

I don't know, perhaps I am on the OP's ignore list and therefore my posts are all invisible to him.  

[alvinlwh 5895]

1 hour ago, BuggyDad said:

Yeah the runaway car thing is a concern. On our car with the TBLE-02, if you turn it on with the transmitter off it sends power to the motor, so I kind of figured I'd want to be able to kill power from something accessible!

Reminds me - are they meant to do that?

They can do that, which is why the instructions is to turn on tx before rx (I don't always do that...). However, I believe modern rx with fail safe set can prevent that as it is supposed to send a neutral command to the ESC of there is no radio signal. 

My case is slightly different, it was due to a crappy ESC failing, eventually it smoked and drove the motor beyond maximum speed and the switch will not turn it off. Luckily by then, I was bench testing it and it had its body off and wheels off the ground. 

[InsaneJim69 1584]

Maybe it's just me but I always leave the switch "on" and just tie wrap it away with the wires. Switch my TX on and then attach my lipo connectors. 👍 But that's just me, not a fan of the switches they always look naff and out of place unless on something vintage imo .

James.

[BuggyDad 4482]

29 minutes ago, Willy iine said:

I believe the popular use for those inline switches are for vehicles that don't run BEC.  

I don't know, perhaps I am on the OP's ignore list and therefore my posts are all invisible to him.  

Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore you. I'm behind on the tech here. The switch on my ESC has a 3rd wire and a set button, so I don't think I can make use of a Tamiya TBLE-02 switch and I'm wondering whether I can either use something else directly in its place (for external access) or just what others do with ESCs like the Quicrun. 

[BuggyDad 4482]

8 minutes ago, InsaneJim69 said:

Maybe it's just me but I always leave the switch "on" and just tie wrap it away with the wires. Switch my TX on and then attach my lipo connectors. 👍 But that's just me, not a fan of the switches they always look naff and out of place unless on something vintage imo .

James.

I guess this is where I'm likely to end up then. It's just that my son's car has the switch (for now) and I've been getting him to switch that on last, I guess to give him a bit of a sensible procedure but in hindsight it's maybe also driven by his very basic radio gear lacking a cut off. Oh and on the DT-03 the switch is well hidden. 

That said, I'm still interested to know whether a switch like the one I linked to above would eliminate any signal triggering the ESC to power the motor, because although not totally foolproof that might still serve a useful purpose. 

[alvinlwh 5895]

53 minutes ago, BuggyDad said:

That said, I'm still interested to know whether a switch like the one I linked to above would eliminate any signal triggering the ESC to power the motor, because although not totally foolproof that might still serve a useful purpose. 

I believe it is actually the lack of a signal that causes the motor to turn, I could be wrong though... 

[Re-Bugged 10161]

Hey @BuggyDad, I did as mentioned above cutting off the short wired switch on a Hobbywing clone ESC and soldering on a switch from a fried Tamiya ESC onto it so it could reach the original switch position with a Buggy Champ clear box.

(you can see the join just above the ESC)

 

Regarding the runaway car situation, was the throttle trim set to neutral, or 0 when it was calibrated to the Tx. I’m just thinking if it wasn’t maybe that’s why it takes off when the signal stops from the Tx as it’s returning to its default neutral possibly?

I would be inclined to re-calibrate making sure the trims are in neural and see what that does.

 

[BuggyDad 4482]

10 minutes ago, Re-Bugged said:

Hey @BuggyDad, I did as mentioned above cutting off the short wired switch on a Hobbywing clone ESC and soldering on a switch from a fried Tamiya ESC onto it so it could reach the original switch position with a Buggy Champ clear box.

(you can see the join just above the ESC)

 

Regarding the runaway car situation, was the throttle trim set to neutral, or 0 when it was calibrated to the Tx. I’m just thinking if it wasn’t maybe that’s why it takes off when the signal stops from the Tx as it’s returning to its default neutral possibly?

I would be inclined to re-calibrate making sure the trims are in neural and see what that does.

 

@Re-Bugged I think yours is a straight on/off switch? 10BL120 I've got coming combines an on/off switch with a push button for ESC settings, 3 cables. Maybe I could break black or red power cable to add a switch in the line but I'm not certain that would be ok.

Yeah good point on our other one. It was my first time calibrating one. It behaves just as though trim is out. 

[djmcnz 754]

@BuggyDad - your current power switch is two switches (that, I think you know). The red and black wires are for on/off and the white wire is for the settings and is a momentary switch (although it will presumably need a power signal from the red wire also, unless they're using the black wire to ground the connection but that would be unusual). You don't need to replace them with an integrated unit, you can deploy two separate switches.

Snip off switch and connect the red and black to practically any low voltage switch you prefer, in the pics below you can see I've used a very, very robust toggle switch and it's fantastic, easy to use, very safe and bullet proof.

Then you can use pretty much any momentary switch you like, you tap into the red wire and use that with the white (signal) wire, both connected to the momentary switch. On the off chance that the black wire is used this can be easily tested before soldering.

The benefit of this approach is that you can then locate your power switch and settings switch (button) in different locations and with different wire lengths which is actually quite useful.

 

 

[Mad Ax 9329]

I just use double-sided tape to put the switch block on the inside of the chassis tub, close to where I can get a finger under the body to turn it off.  If I'm at a meet with a lot of cars I don't want to have to keep pulling bodies off to unplug batteries, I leave them all plugged in and use the switch to make them safe between drives.  (this is OK for a one day event, obviously the batteries get unplugged at the end of the day).  Also useful on the speedos with a set switch on the battery switch, because you want to be able to access that for easy recalibration.

[whahooo 465]

Put it on the rear damper stay as shown in that video:

 

 

You can see it at 20:30 min.

[BuggyDad 4482]

3 hours ago, whahooo said:

Put it on the rear damper stay as shown in that video:

 

 

You can see it at 20:30 min.

Ooh. Thanks. Very practical mods in those. 

That switch method looks like a plan. I think he says he's dremelled out the wing mount to take the switch, which seems like a good practical call. I'll fit a reciever switch if it both fits and works (it's only £2) and if not I reckon I'll follow this vid.

I also note his front and rear bumpers are (I'm pretty sure) these:

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/product/pos-front-bumper-tamiya-dt-03-1332651

(they also do the rear)

I was thinking to do the same at some point, depending on how we get on over time with the stock bits. 

At a couple of points (inc 1:15) he mentions those wings. They look like a good robust option but I don't speak German... I've seen something similar though somewhere.

And the extended wheelbase and bumpers on the beetle are interesting. I can see a similar bumper in my future to go with a wildly inappropriate body shell. 

[whahooo 465]

You can make the Wing by yourself.

Just cut it out from a Cleaning/laundry Bottle or something or an old Plastic Gas Tank.

Maybe you cannot paint them, but they will last forever.

 

But there are Plwnty of Wings out there to Purchase...

 

[BuggyDad 4482]

11 minutes ago, whahooo said:

You can make the Wing by yourself.

Just cut it out from a Cleaning/laundry Bottle or something or an old Plastic Gas Tank.

Maybe you cannot paint them, but they will last forever.

 

But there are Plwnty of Wings out there to Purchase...

 

I've got previous on this! 

[Willy iine 18806]

Just get a Billy driver on there and you're all set!

 

.. 

[BuggyDad 4482]

1 hour ago, Willy iine said:

Just get a Billy driver on there and you're all set!

 

.. 

... Adds to basket...