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olivers

Member Since: 19 Jan 2012
Location: Southern Scotland
Posts: 115

2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

Spring-loaded carling switch?

I’m going to put some Carling switches in for various purposes. For a worklight on the back of the Defender I want to use two SPDT switches, so I can switch the light from the front and back of the vehicle. So far, all good. However, with the standard “rocker” style Carling switches, the result would be that the position of the switches changes - you know, this behavior you see in the house when certain lights have multiple switches... initially, the switches might be in the “up” position, so you push one “down” to switch on the lights. Now, if you use a different switch to switch the lights off, that one goes “down”. Suddenly the first switch needs to go “up” to switch the lights on. This can be confusing and is simply not pretty

Or maybe I’m just picky...

Anyway, it comes to mind that there could be a SPDT switch that doesn’t rock, but instead it toggles from output 1 to output 2 when pressed, reverting into its standard position every time by means of a spring-loaded mechanism. Kind of like the light switches you’d see in the stairwells of big apartment buildings. This would allow me to use two switches for the circuit while both would always remain in the same position, toggling the light each time any switch is pressed.

Now, is there such a Carling switch? I looked at various reseller websites and they all seem to stock limited choices. Carling’s own website on the other hand has enormous lists and long PDF files, but I haven’t been able to find an answer to this question.

17th Apr 2018 6:30pm

grafty99

Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: North Devon
Posts: 4785

How about a latching relay controlled by two momentary carling switches?

Press either switch once, 12v sent to relay, light on.

Press either switch again, 12v sent to relay, light off.

2002 90 Td5 Station Wagon
1990 Vogue SE
Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200
Td5 90 Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic50767.html
Tdi 110 Thread https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic69562.html
RRC Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic54492.html
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17th Apr 2018 6:42pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

That's exactly what I have planned for my 110 using one of these for the relay:

Click image to enlarge
Ludicrously cheap from eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Channel-12V-L...1438.l2649 Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

17th Apr 2018 6:56pm

olivers

Member Since: 19 Jan 2012
Location: Southern Scotland
Posts: 115

Good idea... I wasn’t thinking to use a relay because they’re LED lights. But that should solve the problem nicely. Thanks!

17th Apr 2018 7:21pm

bankz5152

Member Since: 02 Feb 2017
Location: South London/North Kent
Posts: 2169

Or you could be extra fancy and make it wireless! Thats my plan for the rear lights.

If not could always run two feeds

17th Apr 2018 7:50pm

olivers

Member Since: 19 Jan 2012
Location: Southern Scotland
Posts: 115

I think I’ll add a remote controlled switch into the circuit later, but nothing fancy... just waiting for ebay delivery from Hong Kong

17th Apr 2018 9:35pm

olivers

Member Since: 19 Jan 2012
Location: Southern Scotland
Posts: 115

Update: I got some of those latching relays from ebay, and just wired things up to test with two carling off-mom switches. Works a treat!

24th Apr 2018 8:26pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

Excellent! When you install, don't forget to include a warning light on the dash.

I haven't played with my relay yet but I believe it will default to the 'off' state if the power is interrupted. If you wanted to be really cunning, you could power this relay via a changeover relay connected to the brake lights, so that when you brake it cuts the power. That way, you wouldn't risk driving around with the work light left on by accident. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

24th Apr 2018 9:21pm

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