Hi all!
I called and spoke with one of the staff this morning and they suggested that I post in the forums to see if anyone can help.
I’m after some large sized spring connectors. I have googled around, I think they may also be called pogo connectors or SLCs (spring loaded connectors).
I have attached some still images take from a youtube video which show what I want. The function is the same, I am putting lights on my garage door don’t want a cable hanging. Idea is the lights turn on when the garage door goes up and the contacts touch at the end of the travel.
I’m also not opposed to making something with similar function but I am unsure where to start.
Hi Sid.
Would a larger industrial type of limit switch do the same thing, I men the larger type with a roller on the end of the actuator. They come with a lever ty[e of an action or a plunger type. Not the little micro switches commonly available.
I think this type of thing might be more available at electrical wholesalers like L & H, TLE, John R Turk etc. They sell to the public.
Cheers Bob
Thanks for sending through a photo of what sort of thing you are after, as we discussed earlier we only have the standard-sized pogo pins that aren’t going to be a good fit for this sort of build.
I think @Robert93820 might be on the money with the suggestion of full size industrial limit switch, those would be designed to handle the repeated motion without bending or wearing and probably work a lot more reliably than some other spring contacts that may not be expecting a sidewards load.
Thanks for the suggest for the limit switch Robert. I looked at those, but maybe I’m not understanding how they work. Is it something like this from RS components? Or this?
Whoops, I see the complication now, having power pass between two surfaces that move Parallel to one another is hard.
A limit switch is perfect for detecting when your garage door is in the correct position to connect the power but won’t be able to transfer the power from the garage door mount into the door. It would only work if the power supply for the lights was also on the door.
I’m trying to think if there is an industrial machine that I know of that has its power connected and disconnected along a slide rail but I’m having trouble, otherwise, we could just copy whatever parts that device uses.
It’s common for large machinery that rotates and needs a fixed power connection to use a slip ring, but sliding motion with a touch-contact for power isn’t something I’ve come across.
Hi Sid.
Yes the first one is the style I was referring to, even a bit bigger than that. As it is not being used as a limit switch in this application, just to turn a light on and off it should be mounted in asch a manner that the door operates it as it is going past and will not damage it by going too far. As a light switch I don’t see the position being all that critical, anywhere convenient between closed and open should be OK. Connect truth NO (normally open) contacts in series with the light circuit so the contact close and complete the circuit when the door is up.
IF THE LIGHT CIRCUIT IS 240VAC GET AN ELECTRICIAN TO DO THE WIRING. Unless you are qualified to do this.
Cheers Bob
From our earlier discussion on the phone it seemed like Sid required that his light system be mounted to the moving section of the door and source power without a hanging cable, which turned a very simple problem of turning on a light switch based on the position of the door into a very complicated system of power distribution.
@Sid83388 is it absolutely necessary that your lights are mounted on the garage door or have I misinterpreted your aim here?
A diagram of what you are trying to connect and how you see it operating would be invaluable, even just something tossed together in MS paint could get us all on the same page quicker.
Hi Trent
Sorry but I am not privy to that phone conversation. I just that Sid was going down the sensible path and have the light mounted in the shed/garage. If he is going to mount the light and switch on the door (I question the wisdom of this) he is not going to get away rom a hanging cable unless he goes to extreme trouble. Keeping in mind 240VAC power has to be fully enclosed so it can’t be contacted accidentally.
Another example of only half the information being available on the forum for comment or assistance.
Cheers Bob
My plan was to have the power supply mounted on the wall. Power wires will go up along the outside of the garage door rail to the spot where the garage door stops when it is opened.
Power wires will connect to one of those spring loaded switches mounted on a bracket.
On the door, the LED strips are connected to another spring loaded switch.
Pretty much the exact setup from the original pictures. Purple circle area is where I want to use the spring loaded switches.
Unit is always powered so door goes up, contact is made and lights go on. Door closes, lights go off.
I’ll probably have an in-line switch just near the power supply so I can turn it off if I need to.
Hi Sid
That explains a bit more. If you have the light on the door it is obviously not a roller door as I was assuming but one that lays horizontal in the ceiling space when opened. Is that correct ??
If that is the case all you need is contacts that will connect 12VDC to the door wiring when in the open position. Is that correct ??
That would change things. Delete all reference to limit switches above and return to your Pogo Pins which would be ideal. Did you search RS or Element 14. I think they have quite a range of this sort of thing or some other sort of simple spring loaded contact system must be available surely. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head as I don’t think I have ever had the need to source anything like this but there WILL be a way.
Cheers Bob
Hi Sid.
Add on.
Just watched the video. Where did they get that scintillating music from? Remind me to go the other way.
Nothing too startling here. As I said surely there are these pogo pins or some other suitable spring loaded contacts available locally. Your other main problem would be mechanical but that doesn’t look that difficult.
Looks to be a useful project. If I had a garage I would look at this myself.
Cheers Bob
Hi Sid.
Have a look at Element 14 code numbers 2945554 and 2945559 as a pair. One would have to be mounted on some sort of springy thing as I don’t think the pins have much travel and I don’t know how accurately the door stops. You may do better with a couple of longer leaf type contacts as used in larger relays.
Cheers Bob
Yes, the type of door is a panel door or sectional door - in the raised position it sits parallel to the roof.
Yep, contacts to connect when the door is in the raised position.
Haha I agree the music on the video is great.
I did find those two items you mentioned at Element 14 thanks. Haven’t pulled the trigger as they look pretty small from the datasheet. At least they have mounting holes which a lot of similar ones do not.
Holding out to see if something along the same lines as the contacts in the video can be sourced.
Hi Sid
Yes they do look a lot smaller than the ones in the video. If you could find some suitable contacts you could spring load them yourself. Mount one with long screws and fit compression springs over the screws between connector and panel so it is free to move up and down to allow for any variation in door position.
At a pinch you could even make something with a couple of bits of bakelite or other insulating material 5 or 6mm thick and some brass screws for contacts.
Cheers Bob
I finally came back to this project after not being to find a solution earlier in the year. Turns out the part I was chasing is a basic door jam switch which people use to add lights, power windows etc to older vehicles. When the door is closed, everything is powered, when it opens, everything is unpowered.
Considering the trouble I had finding a sprung contact mounted in a plastic housing, I thought I’d post again in case other people were trying to find a similar product.
Here is one example, there are a few different styles available in the US.
Are you sure this is the right way around? I would have thought the lights came on when the door opened, that’s what my car does anyway. Having said that, in this day and age where even body lighting is controlled by a computer you don’t know which way around this signalling works. In the old days the light switch in the door pillar simply put a ground on the low side of the light globe.
We have cars here too. Have you tried the several auto bits suppliers (Supercheap etc). They sometimes have all sorts of strange and cute things. For instance that’s where I get small “P” clips from, most electrical suppliers only have larger ones.
Cheers Bob
Thanks for posting an update when you found a part, good to know they do make sprung contacts that are larger than pogo pins with reasonable availability.
