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Need to find vibration switch in the US....


By Derek, Section Controls
Posted on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 03:39:09 AM MST
(also called trembler switch)

I'm in search of a vibration switch that makes contact when whatever it is attached to vibrates to a certain level.  I've found some in the UK here: http://www.comus-intl.com/comus-vibration.asp

What they do is when something vibrates, the sensors contacts connect and completes the circuit, so could make something such as LED's light up during intensive vibration.  Or even an alarm of some sort.  Anybody have any ideas on where I can find these in the US or locally?

Need to find vibration switch in the US.... | 10 comments (10 topical)

Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by RP on Sun Dec 03, 2006 at 09:02:40 PM MST

I've seen this kind of thing used on automobile alarm systems.  Try looking at a website that deals in security systems.



Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by thirteen on Sun Dec 03, 2006 at 10:00:38 PM MST

maybe a mercury switch would would work thay are in some elect magazines and around some lumber mills.



Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by dudevato on Sun Dec 03, 2006 at 10:24:35 PM MST

I was going to suggest a mercury switch also. In the USA you'd find one at Radio Shack for about $2.00 I'd guess.



Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by nanotech on Sun Dec 03, 2006 at 11:34:05 PM MST

I would also suggest looking into accelerometers, like the ones used in ABS brake systems.  Digikey seems to sell quite a vriety, but since I'm not sure of the parameters you require, I can't make an educated suggestion.  Also since I'm on such a crappy internet connection, looking through thier pdf catalog is an exercise in testing my patience....  ;)
__________________________________________
My ship finally came in, but it was the Kobayashi Maru!


Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by badmoonryzn on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 12:25:10 AM MST

I'm unclear what you want. Do you want a sensor that actually counts vibrations per second? Or do you want something that goes off when a certain amount of vibration or deflection is determined, or maybe the ones that determine glass breakage like the ultrasonic versions, or how about ones that goes off when it gets jarred otherwise known as a vibration detector? What's your poison?

Badmoon

I just wanna have some fun, maybe learn something new every day and make some friends in the process.
[ Parent ]



Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by thefinis on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 05:48:21 AM MST

They make ones for washing machines that tend to do that.
Texas born and bred


Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by drdongle on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 06:19:04 AM MST

Pinball machine "tilt" switches.
Carpe Vigor, Dr.D


Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by fishfarm on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 07:20:39 AM MST

http://www.robertshawindustrial.com/pages/products/vibration/guide.asp




Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by ghurd on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 07:48:52 AM MST

A pedometer or a lighted super ball? Maybe a lighted frisbee?
Quite a few of that type of stuff use a spring similar to one from an ink pen, with one end fastened solid.
A stiff wire is suspended in the other end.
When the spring moves, it makes contact with the wire.
G-
Ghurd.info


Re: Need to find vibration switch in the US.... (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by badmoonryzn on Mon Dec 04, 2006 at 03:25:05 PM MST

Yea, that's a great one! How about taking a 22 shell casing (EMPTY, FIRED AND DEAD!) and filling it with powered carbon, solder a wire to the brass case and take a brass rod about 1/8 inch in diameter and suspend it in the empty case with the powdered carbon making sure you do not touch the sides or the bottom of the case build a device that will hold the wire with out touching the case and solder a wire on to the brass rod. now that this is all done take an VOM, VTOM, DVOM meter and hook one lead to the rod wire and one to the case wire. If you tap on the case the resistance will change. A mini seismic detector. If you need more sensitivity use a 1 foot length of 1/2 inch rubber tubing build a device that will allow you to stretch the tube two feet and attach the ends in the middle of the tube. Attach a 2 inch brass rod vertically to the center of the stretched tube.

We used tie wraps and bent the rod in an L shape so we could attach it to the rubber tubing. We mounted the rubber tubing dead center inside a 3" PVC pipe and caped the ends. Each end held the tubing. I drilled a hole in the PVC and mounted the syringe that is filled with carbon capped with a brass plug with a wire soldered to the brass plug. Aligning the brass rod into the syringe tip filled it with carbon capped it off  with a brass plug and soldered a wire on it. We made several of these different ways until we got one we liked. These were very sensitive and changed resistance when shook or bumped. I used them as a driveway alarm and buried them under the ground and placed them 50 feet apart. We had an alarm circuit t6hat looked at certain set resistance and if it changed the alarm beeped. Using different densities of carbon by packing it tighter allowed different resistances.

The PVC pipes were sealed with automotive silicone sealer and are still in the ground working after 2o years. They are very sensitive and can detect a deer at 100 feet, so we had to be adjusted with a screw that loosened or tightened the rubber tube. This has to be done evenly so the rod will not bind in the end of the syringe. I had to fiddle with the carbon and rod setting for a while to get optimum performance, but at the time a decent seismic detector cost several hundred dollars, however now they are under 50 bucks I'll bet. It also helped I had a friend who is an electronic genius, he is a walking circuit encyclopaedia, his mind is truly amazing. I built the detection circuit from a Radio Shack book of electrical projects on security systems and the ideas from my friend. It was fun at the time and I saved some money.

badmoon

I just wanna have some fun, maybe learn something new every day and make some friends in the process.
[ Parent ]



Need to find vibration switch in the US.... | 10 comments (10 topical)
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· http://www .comus-intl.com/comus-vibration.asp
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