Mechanical switches are one of the most common electrical devices as they allow power to be turned on or off.
Switches are rated for the amount of current and voltage they are suitable for. For switching low power and low currents like using a switch as an input to a microcontroller just about any switch will do. When using a switch to control power from a battery or turn a motor on then care should be taken to ensure the switch is rated to the expected current. For high power uses an electronic solid state switch can be better.
Mechanically switches are varied. Momentary switches are either on or off while you hold them like buttons while others will maintain the state until switched back like toggles or sliders. Like relays, switches can be SPST (single pole single throw), DPDT (double pole double throw) or lots of other variations.
Code: SKU-001229
These simple switches are the Mechanical Bumper sensor for the SparkFun RedBot giving you the ability to detect a collision before it really happens. This sensor works by acting as a SPST switch. More Details...
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Code: SKU-005249
These are the sturdy little stomp switches that you find on guitar effects pedals. They’re 3PDT (three-pole, double-throw) type switches. Thhese switches allow you to modify your effects for true bypass and lets you wire a status indicator LED. More Details...
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Code: SKU-000092
Surface mount DPDT switch for those tight portable designs. Capable of switching up to 1.2VA (360mA at 3.3V and 240mA at 5V).Documents: Datasheet More Details...
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Code: SKU-000152
Surface mount 3-way switch. These switches are commonly found on handheld devices like MP3 players. This switch allows the user to navigate using up and down selections then select by pressing the plastic piece inwards. More Details...
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Code: SKU-000811
A simple SMD slide switch. Perfect for when you need access to a setting or a power switch from the edge of a PCB buried deep within a project. More Details...
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Code: SKU-001941
This is an SMD 12mm square SPST button. What we really like is the large button head and good tactile feel (it ‘clicks’ really well). More Details...
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Code: SKU-001940
This is an SMD 6mm square SPST button. What we really like is the little button head and good tactile feel (it ‘clicks’ really well). This button is great for user input or a good reset button on a PCB. More Details...
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Code: SKU-000642
This is a simple 12-pack of momentary, multicolor buttons, great for all sorts of projects! More Details...
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Code: SKU-000301
This is a joystick very similar to the 'analogue' joysticks on PS2 (PlayStation 2) controllers. Directional movements are simply two potentiometers - one for each axis. Pots are ~10k each. More Details...
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Code: SKU-000417
This is a resistive analogue joystick very similar to those found on the PSP1000. These compact joysticks are different in that they have a very interesting 'slide' feeling.For wiring this part if you look at the device from the bottom the pin out goes1) x-axis output2) +5V3) y-axis output4) gn... More Details...
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