Does a 6-pole, double-throw (2-way) switch exists? For hobby DC electronics

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,070
No, we’re talking about the same thing here. I guess my issue was the first link posted here was kinda pricey at $25. Then the others didn’t have the exact pole type switch I was looking for. But yes, I have tons to search thru now, and will just have to settle. Thanks everyone for helping out
A 6PDT toggle switch is going to be an expensive monster. There will not be a small, cheap one. If you want a small toggle, will have to use it to control either relays or solid state switching devices rather than do the switching with it. Neither of those options is particularly hard to do, and I suspect that the silicon rather than electromagnet route would be best for your application.
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
High power switches and relay contacts use silver because it conducts well (when new and clean). But silver turns black with corrosion that does not conduct low power and the spark from high power cleans away the corrosion.
I always use switches, relay contacts and IC sockets that have gold plating that never corrodes. The thin layer of gold costs the same as the thick layer of silver.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
The circuit 2 position switch that I have come across actually has more cheapest 6 circuits and is marketed as a parallel printer A-B switch. Similar switches with fewer circuits may be called serial port A-B switches.Often they are available used quite cheap, and they come with an enclosure and connectors and a knob. Aside from that are multi-position rotary switches, which may be expensive new but are often found in really inexpensive used equipment. So there you have a few options.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Have you ever seen toggle switches connected with a bar? When you toggle, all switches toggle together.

So two 3PDT switches connected in this manner is a 6PDT switch.

I’d use a short piece of aluminum bar, drilled out to fit over the 2 ‘bat’ handles. You can make them removable by drilling 2 set screw holes, tapping them for set screws. After mounting the toggle switches, add the bar and lock them in.

They may sell the connecting bars. I don’t know. You might even connect 3 DPDT switches in this manner.

UPDATE: Oops, I missed @ericgibbs post. Same idea...
 
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MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Have you ever seen toggle switches connected with a bar? When you toggle, all switches toggle together.

So two 3PDT switches connected in this manner is a 6PDT switch.

I’d use a short piece of aluminum bar, drilled out to fit over the 2 ‘bat’ handles. You can make them removable by drilling 2 set screw holes, tapping them for set screws. After mounting the toggle switches, add the bar and lock them in.

They may sell the connecting bars. I don’t know. You might even connect 3 DPDT switches in this manner.
Is ther
Have you ever seen toggle switches connected with a bar? When you toggle, all switches toggle together.

So two 3PDT switches connected in this manner is a 6PDT switch.

I’d use a short piece of aluminum bar, drilled out to fit over the 2 ‘bat’ handles. You can make them removable by drilling 2 set screw holes, tapping them for set screws. After mounting the toggle switches, add the bar and lock them in.

They may sell the connecting bars. I don’t know. You might even connect 3 DPDT switches in this manner.
Is there some perceived problem with a rotary switch? Or is there a reluctance to consider rescuing a switch from a different application? A-B switches have been around for a while and a lot of the are available really cheap, if not free. And all of them are intended to handle digital signals.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
Is ther

Is there some perceived problem with a rotary switch? Or is there a reluctance to consider rescuing a switch from a different application? A-B switches have been around for a while and a lot of the are available really cheap, if not free. And all of them are intended to handle digital signals.
There seems to be an aversion to everything but a toggle switch. And toggle switches that meet his specs are too expensive. I linked to a slide switch, and that went over like a lead balloon.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I have not seen a 6-pole toggle switch suitable for digital signals, but they may possibly exist. Mostly, though, some redesign of the circuit can get the requirement down to a more reasonable number of poles. I can show the function that you want with a single switch and some IC devices, as another option. So do the 5 volt signals all go in the same direction? Or are they duplex, going in both directions? Are these fast digital signals or??? There is a lot of knowledge available at this website BUT most of us are not very good guessers. But if we understand the project we can usually deliver a good solution.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
I have not seen a 6-pole toggle switch suitable for digital signals, but they may possibly exist. Mostly, though, some redesign of the circuit can get the requirement down to a more reasonable number of poles. I can show the function that you want with a single switch and some IC devices, as another option. So do the 5 volt signals all go in the same direction? Or are they duplex, going in both directions? Are these fast digital signals or??? There is a lot of knowledge available at this website BUT most of us are not very good guessers. But if we understand the project we can usually deliver a good solution.

I skimmed through the posts and nowhere did the TS mention that it was for digital signals.

However, I agree with you that if they were, it simplifies the problem immensely. Any SPDT switch and a pair of Quad 2:1 Multiplexor ICs and he’s done.

Like this one (random selection)
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/308/FSAL200-1295381.pdf
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I skimmed through the posts and nowhere did the TS mention that it was for digital signals.

However, I agree with you that if they were, it simplifies the problem immensely. Any SPDT switch and a pair of Quad 2:1 Multiplexor ICs and he’s done.

Like this one (random selection)
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/308/FSAL200-1295381.pdf
The majority of 5 volt low power signals are digital signals of some form, so it was certainly a reasonable question. AND the reality is that certainly within the extended community here there are folks able to come up with alternative approaches that will work, and be well suited to the job, and probably cheaper as well. I see that frequently.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
The majority of 5 volt low power signals are digital signals of some form, so it was certainly a reasonable question. AND the reality is that certainly within the extended community here there are folks able to come up with alternative approaches that will work, and be well suited to the job, and probably cheaper as well. I see that frequently.

I understand your position! I considered that they may have been digital signals. But when trying to determine the load on each contact, the best the TS could come up with was 200mA, which is most likely NOT a digital signal.
 

Thread Starter

msaucedo99

Joined Mar 8, 2019
15
Hey guys, sorry for the reply delay. Here's some very specific info about the application, in case it helps:

This is for a retro-console mod (video game console), specifically, the NES (gen 1 era, 8-bit), North American unit. I believe it's known as the Nes-001. There's also the Nes-101. Difference between the two are minimal, mainly the way the cartridge interfaces with the main board.

Anyway. The project is to get pure RGBs output from the console so that it can go to a 15kHz, 240p capable display. These are usually those old Sony PVMs (CRTs). Those accept distinct R, G, B, and Composite sync (csync) and output a really pure image. Otherwise, the console only outputs composite video (yellow RCA), or even worse RF (in the case of the nes-101).

A guy from Australia (Tim Worthington) has created this cool board that allows the nes to output straight 15kHz RGB, 240p, called the NESRGB. It's this board that has 6 output pins I'd like to switch off of. Pretty sure, those pads are analog outs, since that's were the RGB and csync comes from.

I've got it all working and outputting fine. But my adventures have also took me down the path to see what my pure rgb output would look like on a VGA computer monitor display, but in LCD (I make that distinction because those VGA computer monitors also come in CRT flavors). But as you may know the PVMs and VGA pins usually differ in sync only. PVMs taking csync, VGA taking h-sync AND v-sync separately.

I solved this problem by using a dev board from some Canadian lab that incorporates TI's Lmh1981 chip which separates csync into two distinct h- and v-sync signals. and Viola, it works. Well, you need a capable VGA monitor that accepts 15kHz. Turns out the one I have does: Dell's UltraSharp 2001FP, 20.1". from circa 2004-ish.

SO...all that to say, I'd like my console to be able to switch off the two interfaces: in switch position A: I'd like the NESRGB board to branch off to the BNC connectors I've interfaced from the RGB+csync. And in switch position B: I want it to branch off to the VGA connector I've interfaced.

Cool right? Well, worse case, I just splurge and get that $25 bat-type switch. But in case I do this mod again in the future, I was trying to reduce my costs. Anyways...
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
OK, so now we know that they are video signals. Probably running video signals to and from a toggle switch will leave you rather non-impressed with the results, because video, even composite video, gets up into the megahertz frequency range.
Now we know that the signals are analog, medium impedance, and fairly high frequency, and also not very many volts. There are several analog multiple switch ICs that would do the switching job very well. And a simple DC toggle switch could easily control them, while the sensitive wiring is all back inside a shielded box. And the whole setup should run less than $10 buying all new ICs at a less expensive supplier. It could even be done with a mechanical relay of the type intended for low level signals. Probably two banks of reed switches with a magnet to switch one or the other on. Small reed switches are fairly cheap. PLUS, you could shield the whole setup with aluminum or copper foil. That is about as cheap as I can get.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
OK, so now we know that they are video signals. Probably running video signals to and from a toggle switch will leave you rather non-impressed with the results, because video, even composite video, gets up into the megahertz frequency range.
Now we know that the signals are analog, medium impedance, and fairly high frequency, and also not very many volts. There are several analog multiple switch ICs that would do the switching job very well. And a simple DC toggle switch could easily control them, while the sensitive wiring is all back inside a shielded box. And the whole setup should run less than $10 buying all new ICs at a less expensive supplier. It could even be done with a mechanical relay of the type intended for low level signals. Probably two banks of reed switches with a magnet to switch one or the other on. Small reed switches are fairly cheap. PLUS, you could shield the whole setup with aluminum or copper foil. That is about as cheap as I can get.
Finally, we get the application. After 38 posts. @msaucedo99 , this could have been resolved is 4-5 posts had we known up front. @MisterBill2 ’s response is similar to what I guessed in post #31. A simple solution.
 

recklessrog

Joined May 23, 2013
985
hi ag,
Those switches I linked too, have been working without fault, on almost a daily service, for about 3 years.
E
I've used that method too, in fact, it was used with a cross bar operating 3 switches on an analogue jet engine control computer test rig I worked with in the late 1960's. No contact de-bouncing used or needed, and had been in use for several years without any problems
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Really, two banks of reed switches could be glued to a piece of perf-board and made into a very good switch that would work well for the purpose, since it could be electrically shielded and magneticley operated and probably be set up similar to an arcade-style toggle switch. 2 rows of 6 switches with the common feed between the rows and the magnetic operator bringing the magnet against one or the other iron strips that run across all of each set of reed switches. At least I think that will make them all work at once, each set of 6, that is.
 
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