80 replies to this topic

[freshairmini]

Hello,

I was reading about PCB prototyping this morning (avoiding work ), and was think back to all the topics I had seen lately about people wanting to use savage switches but struggling at getting to grips with the wiring in order to implement these switches into there loom.

It seems that building a PCB prototype would be fairly simple, all that is needed is the blank boards, a printer, and some etching solution.

Basically was wondering whether there would be any interest in people wanting a ready made wiring solution for easy savage switch installation?

Any feedback would be great, as I think it would be quite a good idea.

Thanks!

[Ethel]

I think it'd be a tad more complicated, but I'm interested if you've found an easy way of etching a pcb.

[mini_in_progress]

can the switches not be wired in direct then?

depending on final cost of this board id be very interested mate :)

[Dan]

I imagine the PCB would be very suceptible to breakage, given the combination of vibration and people hitting the switches. That's why the instrument PCB is flexible. You might be able to make one up and pot the whole thing to protect it I suppose but it may still crack. Maybe terminate the back of the board in pins so it can plug in directly.

[freshairmini]

I imagine the PCB would be very suceptible to breakage, given the combination of vibration and people hitting the switches. That's why the instrument PCB is flexible. You might be able to make one up and pot the whole thing to protect it I suppose but it may still crack. Maybe terminate the back of the board in pins so it can plug in directly.

I was more thinking about simply, creating a board with the discrete components in position and having input and output points that you could either solder or attach via terminals (whichever would be most practical).

As it was really the assembling and soldering of the components that people where having the most problems with.

So not necessarily having the switches directly attached to them, which i would imagine, could possibly break from 'rugged' use of the switches.

Edited by freshairmini, 02 March 2012 - 12:24 PM.

[freshairmini]

I think it'd be a tad more complicated, but I'm interested if you've found an easy way of etching a pcb.

this is what i was reading http://bit.ly/zG4CIV

[Ethel]

Ta for that, iron on mask eh? Wonder if any heat transfer paper will work, might have an experiment :)

There are micro controllers, Picaxe, Arduino.... that will already do similar stuff, but I can see the appeal of an hardware only solution. Unless everyone builds their custom dashes the same you'll want the switches hooked up via wire, so you'd want an earth and power rail(s) with zones for the various functions to populate with logic chips, mosfets, relays etc and hook up to original Mini loom (screw terminals?)

[freshairmini]

to be honest my electronics knowledge is relatively limited to discrete components. But I would welcome to any changes or modifications that anybody or you could offer once I have come up with a prototype, to make the circuit design simpler or better.

And yeah I was thinking maybe screw terminals to hook into the existing looms. I was also looking to see if there where any pre-made savage switch sockets to make it more plug-and-play if possible.

I have been looking at also a guide that someone posted up on here for the wiring specifics for the savage switches, and I did have a question, from alot of the switches I have seen this morning they have only 2 spade terminals on them, where as the guide I was looking at had multiple wires going to the switches. So am I looking at the wrong kind of savage switch or are there ones with more than 2 spade terminals.

For reference the ones I have seen look like this.


Am I missing something, is there a piece that is supposed to plug on the end of it that has the extra terminals. Sorry if this seems a silly question, I have literally only started thinking about doing this, this morning!

[Dan]

That's just the actuator. The switch is separate, they come in a few functionalities.

[freshairmini]

Ah right fair enough.

[Marcos Controls]

I've just built a prototype so that I only need to use 1 savage switch for my headlights, bringing on the sidelights first then the headlights and switching them both off on the 3rd button press. I'm going to use it on my car, suppose it would be easy enough to extend the same priciples for the rest of the switches. If you order around 20 boards you can have then professionally made for abour a fiver each.

[NudgerSS]

Did you do anything else with this? Sounds like a sound idea to me

[29guitarman]

Being electronic engineer student, could i suggest for prototyping using just a strip board? instead of PCB, etching is a pain, and if you can give me something to work with i could also get a Printed Circuit Board, using an etching printer, I have used it before to make PCB boards for Amps and Guitar pedals.

I just stumbled apon this post because i saw the Savage switches and thouigh they would look sick! But i dont have much knowledge of how they work or what problems people are coming into. 

Ill keep searching around and seeing what can be done. 

But meanwhile, if anyone has a simple circuit that will work, that just needs putting onto a board, let me know.

 

Also,  i have considered for a while now to use an Arduino or even a rasberry Pi to program some things in the mini, like interior lighting, automatic side lights and a few other things, but just havnt had time to take a good look at it. I have used Arduinos and Rasberry Pi's a lot so know a good amount, so if anyone has any ideas throw them at me, i may open another thread about this, see what ideas people have :)

[Ethel]

We've had a few similar topics, but I don't think any got further than this. My inkling is that Arduino (or similar pic jobby) would be better - quicker to start up & reset. You could do more with Pi, but doing more gives more scope for bugs - not what you'd want while you're driving along!

 

I've got loads more planned (and some hardware built) than my current electronics / programming abilities are up to 

[Tamworthbay]

I think it'd be a tad more complicated, but I'm interested if you've found an easy way of etching a pcb.

Years ago at school I made a bespoke circuit board by using a paintbrush to carefully apply nail varnish where I wanted the tracks. It was then dipped in dilute nitric acid to remove the exposed copper. Then I cleaned the tracks with acetone, job done! My mate is an electronics engineer and he has a fancy way of doing the same but from a printed sheet, not sure how it works but its quick. The problem I usually have is knowing how to lay out the board in the first place.