Looking for a switch

dashriprock

Full Member
Jan 18, 2014
178
98
Arizona
Detector(s) used
Whites Goldmaster Vsat
Tesoro Diablo Umaxx
Garrett CXIII
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I am in need of a B100K pot switch for my detector. I found an old thread that mentions this switch and the place to get it (Futurlec) but after sending a request they told me that its out of stock and they don't know when it willl become available again.

Anyone know where else I can get one? I've searched and all I've found are pots with 6 legs with no switch. The pot I need has 5 legs that solder onto the circuit board. The switch I need is a 1/2W Linear Taper Potentiometer with Switch. Below is pic of the switch I need.

Appreciate any help that you can give me.

Robert POTSWITCH.jpg
 

Last edited:
A 5 pin pot is typically just a 6 pin pot with one wiper unconnected to ground to act as both a voltage divider and current limiter. You should be able to just clip the back central lead off a 6-pin and have it work the exact same way.
 

A 5 pin pot is typically just a 6 pin pot with one wiper unconnected to ground to act as both a voltage divider and current limiter. You should be able to just clip the back central lead off a 6-pin and have it work the exact same way.


Why... why ... oh why would anyone just happen to know this....

You smart people really make it difficult of the rest of us, you know that?
 

Why... why ... oh why would anyone just happen to know this....

You smart people really make it difficult of the rest of us, you know that?

Minor electronics hobby. 'Minor' likely being an understatement. :D

Hey, just wait, it's us smart people that ultimately make things easier, too!

I'm working on a way to allow you to actually 'see' (outline) what you're detecting in the ground within a limited resolution. How much easier would that make your detecting?
 

Thank you for the reply. I thought of that but was hesitant to do it. I have 6 pin pots but didn't know if would still act as a switch and potentiometer.
 

They are on eBay Robert
 

Thank you for the reply. I thought of that but was hesitant to do it. I have 6 pin pots but didn't know if would still act as a switch and potentiometer.

The switch part is just a neutral-lock position for the wipers before they hit any contact surface, so as long as that doesn't get broken the switch function will still work.

The rest should function as expected. You might wish to look up the pinout of the pot but overall it shouldn't really change. There are some odd pots but those are somewhat few and far between.
 

Okay. I will give one of my 6 pin pots a try but I have another question...when the switch is turned fully counter clockwise which should be the off postion...will my detector still be on or will it be off? Without the identifiable click in the pot I hate to have take the batteries out everytime I'm done using it. It won't still be on and run my batteries dead?

Robert
 

They are on eBay Robert


I looked at all the pots on ebay and this pot was the closest I found. It's not the same as far as looks but it does have the switch in the pot and it has 5 pins.

1054021Alps09B100KSwicth20mmD_zpseee3b9b1.jpg


Robert
 

Okay. I will give one of my 6 pin pots a try but I have another question...when the switch is turned fully counter clockwise which should be the off postion...will my detector still be on or will it be off? Without the identifiable click in the pot I hate to have take the batteries out everytime I'm done using it. It won't still be on and run my batteries dead?

Robert

If there's no click, there's no switch in it. You would in that case install a manual on/off switch (which is what I'll be doing to my own unit soon enough.)

All the 5-pin pots I see are 'stereo' pots with the middle rear leg removed. Go ahead with the clipped potentiometer instead. Also, those plastic cased pots tend to die way easily. The metal-cased ones take to cleaning solutions better, as well.
 

Thank you for the reply. I thought of that but was hesitant to do it. I have 6 pin pots but didn't know if would still act as a switch and potentiometer.
If ALL else fails hit the thrift stores & yard sales for old radios etc to scavenge one out of.

JUNK IS NOTHING MORE THAN MISUNDERSTOOD MATERIALS. Big enough junk pile & you can build / repair ANYTHING!!!!!:icon_thumright:
 

I figured I would be putting in a seperate on/off switch. Was hoping to find a pot with a switch but it doesn't matter. I will hopefully find the time to work on it sometime this week. Thanks again for the advice guys!

Robert
 

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