Push-to-Talk Buttons

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

Final Approach
PoA Supporter
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
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Display Name
Jack Fleetwood
I've got one ptt button that you have to not only push down, but kind of push sideways, and the other one seems to be dying a slow death. If I go to Aircraft Spruce, they're $25. I want good working switches since I use my plane while flying closely with others, but I'm wondering if there's anything special about a $25 switch vs something like this where I get 12 of them for $7.99 on Amazon.

If I'm being stupid, I can take it... fire away!

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Lowflynjack said:
I'm wondering if there's anything special about a $25 switch vs something like this where I get 12 of them for $7.99 on Amazon.
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You'll probably need all 12 of them to last as long as a proper switch. But technically they're not legal. Most proper switches are just standard parts. If you can determine the part number off the original switch you can probably buy the equivalent at a commercial electrical supply house for a lot less and it will be legal. Whenever possible I went that way.
 
I'd by the 12 pack off of Amazon install one of them in the passenger side if that works then I would install one of the pilot side and if that works I would have you sell two of them to me and then I would do the same thing.
 
bentmettle said:
If you want to go deep, try Mouser or Digikey
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This. Buying through a reputable distributor protects you from most fakes and poor quality parts.
Case in point: an outfit I used to work with built a signal conditioning unit using parts bought from digikey (low volume production, not worth dealing with suppliers directly). Passed all required DO-160 qualification testing and has been functioning without any issues for more than a decade.
 
stay away from amazon crap, they are terrible quality. go with mouser, they are in mansfield if you get up that way and they have a will call desk. when i lived in i used to call my orders in and pick them up at will call later that day. no shipping charges.they also charge no minimums.
 
Lowflynjack said:
I want good working switches since I use my plane while flying closely with others,...
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So don't go cheap. How much did you spend for your camera gear and airplane? Is it really important to save ten bucks on a switch?

Lowflynjack said:
...but I'm wondering if there's anything special about a $25 switch
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There are more specification parameters to describe a switch than you might imagine, but in this case the one that probably matters most is the number of switch cycles before failure. As @Bell206 points out, the cheap switches are far more likely to die an early death. You're flying in close formation - do you want a switch's early death to cause your early death, too? :devil:

What's the p/n of the switch you're trying to replace?
 
unsafervguy said:
stay away from amazon crap, they are terrible quality. go with mouser, they are in mansfield if you get up that way and they have a will call desk. when i lived in i used to call my orders in and pick them up at will call later that day. no shipping charges.they also charge no minimums.
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when I was building electronics kits in a past life, Mouser was my go to because of their no minimums and reasonable shipping policy. Digikey second. And I didn't mention Newark at all for a reason. Ha ha...

I got a Carling style rocker from amazon that came apart in my hands when I tried to remove a push on connector from it. The stuff can be *really* *really* terrible and you'd never even know until it was too late.
 
Half Fast said:
So don't go cheap. How much did you spend for your camera gear and airplane? Is it really important to save ten bucks on a switch?



There are more specification parameters to describe a switch than you might imagine, but in this case the one that probably matters most is the number of switch cycles before failure. As @Bell206 points out, the cheap switches are far more likely to die an early death. You're flying in close formation - do you want a switch's early death to cause your early death, too? :devil:

What's the p/n of the switch you're trying to replace?
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I ordered the ones from Steinair.
 
Great company w great products. Every time the cheaper version didn’t work or was intermittent… you’ll be glad u bought the good switch
 
When my PTT switch stopped working I went for an Otto P7 switch (P7-521122). Nice tactical click and definitely worth the money for something used so often.
 
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