Ebay Toggle Switches?

[autocadplease]

Has anyone had any experience with the toggle switches being sold on Ebay from Hong Kong/China? My biggest concern is if they contain lead. Mind you, isn't everything made in China now anyways?

[Efe Cem Elci]

Lol. Yes, it seems its either China or one of its neighbors. The supposed problem is that companies that have production done in Asia enforce much stricter quality controls in the production process than do local companies producing for themselves. But occasionally you get the same product for less.
I wanted to get a USB audio splitter to separate ATC and the flight sim when flying (remember that, guys?) and ordered from a company in Hong Kong (off eBay) just to save a little cash. I got the product but there was too much interference in the audio, lots of static noise so I contacted them and they refunded me the payment. However, I've also had good buying experiences with various companies direct or through eBay as well so I guess its a bit of research and a bit of luck/fortune/what-have-you.

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

g'day chaps........
i have bought encoders, led's and switches from this guy on ebay.
cheap and the service is good.
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Sure-Electronics
i'm not a forensic chemist so i can't comment on the lead, but he sure (excuse the pun)
is cheap and reliable.
his amber led's are excellent and he chucks in the resistors for free as well.
hope that helps you out.
regards from the welsh borders...... ian

[P1IC]

Has anyone had any experience with the toggle switches being sold on Ebay from Hong Kong/China? My biggest concern is if they contain lead. Mind you, isn't everything made in China now anyways?

Well, actually, to be totally non-PC here, that concern doesn't impinge on my consciousness even slightly. I'm 64, fit & healthy (although I probably drink too much :D) and I'm a lead user.

And I've just taken another load of Pb solder from eBay because that's what I use. And will always use. And always have used. So if a switch I want has lead in it, see if I care.

What gets me about all this RoHS stuff is that we're actually returning the lead to where we got it from when we dispose of it. And if the disposal sites are too close to populations for safety, then that is not, I submit, a fault of the lead.

Everyone knows that lead is poisonous, therefore nowwdays we don't have it in our water pipes any more because of that. But I use probably 2oz of Pb in the solder I use, annually, and that is simply not an environmental concern. And the quantity of lead in a freaking switch is just , well, you know.:roll:

[Joe Lavery]

Hi All,

Like my learned friend Ian, I have also bought hundreds of LEDs and switches from Sure Electronics in China. Never a problem, quick delivery and cheap.
Not sure about the lead content but I too use lead solder and always have....
Ho Hum. :?

Regards

Joe.

[gblock]

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/forsale/forsale.html

In this section, I believe near the bottom, they have switches from actual aircraft in bags. There is no telling what you get, but they are certainly nice to have.

go to angelfire.com also, because they have many other interesting pics.

[gblock]

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/aphs/steal/steal.html

Here is the switches link with more deals...

[Joe Lavery]

Hi Elliot, I was aware of The Arline Pilots Historical Society but to be honest the switches sold in those Goodie Bags are not really worth the money.
You can buy brand new large toggle switches from Rapid for 60P, admittedly thye're not aircraft quality but difficult to tell when mounted in a panel. The miniature toggle switches are even cheaper from Sure Electronics in China.

However as you say they do have some very interesting bits and pieces, pity they don't sell the landing light switches for that sort of money. They're asking $40 each for those.
Regards

Joe.

[gblock]

Yeah, I never bought from them but it is good that they are actually reputable and have good stuff...

Thanks,
Elliot

[Jackpilot]

the switches sold in those Goodie Bags are not really worth the money.
You can buy brand new large toggle switches from Rapid for 60P, admittedly thye're not aircraft quality but difficult to tell when mounted in a panel.
Joe.


Just flip them on and off and you will know which one is "aircraft quality"...two worlds!!
Even the "click" is different!

[Joe Lavery]

I agree,
there is a significant difference, my point being that if you're building a full sim, to have real switches throughout would cost a small fortune, even from The Airline Historical Society. A friend of mine is a 737 co-pilot and I sat with him and run a check list for the fun of it, so I know what the difference is.
Unfortunately this applied to just about everything inside the cockpit, from the MFDs to the Knobs. In fact the rotary encoders are optical in a 737 and cost almost as much as most sim producers are charging for the whole radio. I suppose it depends how far you want to go and how much you can afford to spend.

Regards

Joe

[Jackpilot]

The problem with cheap toggles is that they break or wobble after some time.
Even on a full sim overhead half of the toggles are rarely used...the cheapos are Ok for that. The others need high cycle heavy duty ones, not necessarily aerospace but costing more than the cheap ones.
A very good source of aircraft quality toggles is the constant offer of various aircraft panels on Ebay which come with nice real hardware and cost usually $25 - $30.
Throw away the panel and keep the hardware, These toggles and switches are indestructible.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Boeing-727-Aircraft-AC-System-Control-Panel-69-17529-6_W0QQitemZ330316138260QQihZ014QQcategoryZ26436QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

3 toggles 3 lights= $4 each

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/A207-CRREW-CALL-PANEL-BOEING-727_W0QQitemZ270361479004QQihZ017QQcategoryZ26436QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2 toggles 3 push buttons= $5 each (plus a nice panel if reequipped with cheapos)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/C-826-AIC-10-Aircraft-And-Helicopter-Control-Panel_W0QQitemZ230332020827QQihZ013QQcategoryZ26436QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

5 toggles for $10

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/AZ1-C141-SWITCHING-PANEL-SOUVINER_W0QQitemZ270361478711QQihZ017QQcategoryZ26436QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



Put very low bids and with the constant offer of such panels you will end up with a lot of "real " hardware for a lesser cost than the Radio Shack type.

Another nice source for very specialized applications like APU start for example...
http://stores.shop.ebay.ca/White-Hawk-Electronics__W0QQ_armrsZ1

[Michael Carter]

Hey now! Don't be giving all of my secret sources away!;)

You can find all sort of aircraft grade hardware on e-Bay. Fortunately, a lot of the hardware is already installed into the correct panel...for the 727 anyway. :D

Even if you can't use the panels you can strip the hardware from
them. Ever price a real Korry?

[Jackpilot]

I agree fully...727 is so easy to populate!!! piece of cake hey?