S3 light switch

[Stesjh]

Before I replace my faulty switch I thought I would see if can be repaired. Any advise on how to best strip it?

[missing lynx]

They come apart quite easily but put it in a clear plastic bag when you do as there's a little spring and ball bearing inside. They're very simple inside so it's worth looking to see if you can see the problem before you chance the lottery of a replacement

[Littlewheels]

You will need to remove the rivets by drilling the heads off, that go through the fixing holes.

Then you will need to replace them but not sure how they can be peined over?

Does anyone know what rivets to use and how to fit?

[Storkfoot]

They aren’t rivets. It’s thin copper tubing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-Tube- ... xy4dNSqKX~

[Littlewheels]

They look like hollow rivets to me?

[Littlewheels]

I had to dismantle my switch so I did and these are the parts.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135994003 ... ed-public/

I used a drill the same dia as the counterbored holes and took the top off the rivet then tapped them out.

They are hollow rivets 4mm od and 3mm id x 15mm long.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135994003 ... ed-public/

Anyone know where I can buy some hollow rivets from?

[HxPaul]

They aren’t rivets. It’s thin copper tubing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-Tube- ... xy4dNSqKX~

+1

[Littlewheels]

Sorry, I'm not listening am I

Thanks for the link. Just ordered some.

Next question is how do I flare the end?

[HxPaul]

Cut it off to size,and use a centre punch or something that has a flared end that fits inside the pipe.Or if you've got one use a flaring tool(or if you know a friendly garage owner,ask them)

[Littlewheels]

Here's a couple of pics now I've cleaned all the parts and re wired the switch. Also replaced the grey sleeving and made two new fasteners.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/510 ... b0ac_b.jpg

[Littlewheels]

Just put this light switch back together. The rivets fitted together a treat and I thought that's it it's fixed! Sadlly for me the toggle switch part stopped moving because the brass pin under the spring moved off its seating??
I can't help thinking that there is something missing? Any chance someone could look at my photo of all the parts I have (in previous post) & tell me if they are all there?
Needless to say I have had to drill the rivets out again and make some more but I need to find out why the toggle is not operating correctly. I WILL FIX IT!

[Littlewheels]

Can anyone tell me if I have any parts missing? If they are all there could I add some solder where the roller operates as a stop?

Thanks

[dickie]

I would go and open mine up, but I can't get in the garage to check as I've broken my leg! But I stripped one a couple of years ago and I'm 99% sure you've got all the parts there.

However, the mechanism was more sensitive to set up than I expected. So I had to do it several times before I was happy with it. Although what's confusing me is that I didn't have to remove any rivets, it was screwed together. It might be in a post from the build; I'll take a look back as I'm not doing much anyway....

[Littlewheels]

Hi Dickie,

Thanks for trying to help. Yes cannot understand why it ain't working properly apart from as I said a part missing or just worn.

Cheers

[dickie]

Mine was badly worn, but like you, I was determined to make it work and save £15. I had to bend some brass tabs several times and seem to remember that bending one side affected the other so it was a bit of an iterative process.

I'll struggle into the garage and open it up. Should take up half a day of my boring life

[dickie]

Sorry, different switch! Mine is LI150. It was puzzling that you need rivets and I didn't.

I still think you have all the parts though as the principle looks the same.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

It's many years since I encountered the issue of the rocker switch not functioning properly, but several were fixed @ the time. In one instance, a fully functioning TV white buttons switch was dismantled so the owner could paint them black! Different times......

Anyway, as memory serves, the OEM switches are quite robust & repair friendly IMO.

Disassembly by removing the hollow rivets/tubes (delete as preference ) allows thorough cleaning & inspection.

The contacts should be thoroughly cleaned & built up with solder if required.

The brass contact roller that does the toggling should be thoroughly cleaned p but can be replicated easily with marginally oversize material should it be felt necessary.

Likewise, the spring can be replaced with a slightly stronger one but don't go mad!

Reassembly should be done with a good grease. We only ever used common-or-garden grease that we had to hand, but it was conductive. Somebody known as an "electrician" may advise you better here My belief is that grease is an essential component & I once carried out a similar repair on a VW Variant automatic shifter (44 BHP through a three speed auto.....Hellraiser) & that worked fine.

Before final assembly test it. In fact, I've known them be repaired but never riveted back together. The riveting makes for convenience, but the two screws that fix the switch to the housing have proved to be sufficient.

Good Luck!

[Littlewheels]

Thanks for the replies.

I couldn't stop the roller from over travelling and popping out of it's home in the channel under the toggle switch so I have added some solder to the rivets that hold the contacts to the plastic/bakelite base.
It works but my only worry is that the solder is quite soft and may not hold up for that long. Would, as you suggest a larger diameter roller help this?
Was going to use PTFE grease?

[dickie]

Personally, as an electrical engineer (I worked hard for the right to say that ) I wouldn't worry about conductivity of grease, I'm sure grease with significant conductivity exists, but I'm yet to find it.

If you're worried about it, just stick the probes of your meter into a pot of whatever grease you want to use with your meter set to ohms or resistance. As long as it reads more than say 100k ohms, you've nothing to worry about.

I just use whatever grease i have to hand on any electrical connection I make.

Every connector on any ship I've ever connected gets a dab of grease from the nearest open gear before I close it up.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Personally, as an electrical engineer (I worked hard for the right to say that ) I wouldn't worry about conductivity of grease, I'm sure grease with significant conductivity exists, but I'm yet to find it.

If you're worried about it, just stick the probes of your meter into a pot of whatever grease you want to use with your meter set to ohms or resistance. As long as it reads more than say 100k ohms, you've nothing to worry about.

I just use whatever grease i have to hand on any electrical connection I make.

Every connector on any ship I've ever connected gets a dab of grease from the nearest open gear before I close it up.

Bullseye! Ha!

I had meant to add that grease can dry out/go hard/get dirty & (what with me being only a mechanical engineer) think that refreshing the grease can eliminate a flicker. That said, I'm probably out of my depth.....