Tactile switches are small and are usually mounted on a board.... in this case a remote control type board. I want to pick up a foot movement that activates a micro switch on a pedal board. I am using Cat5 type cabling on the micro switch circuit. I want to send a signal from the pedal board/micro switch movement to a small pull type solenoid to activate a drumstick to hit a drum. (as in a musical drum kit). This will be through a relay and powered by 12v supply. I can find relay infra red enabled boards with 8 relays fitted that are activated by 8 tactile buttons on the remote transmitter. Could I successfully take the top off the tactile switches and solder in the cables from the micro switch?

 

This scheme will technically work.
Only you will know whether you are capable of executing it successfully.

 

There will be a significant (in musical terms) delay between pushing the pedal and the stick hitting the drum head. Is on-the-beat actuation important?

Also, is there a reason you can't just wire the microswitch to the solenoid? Is a wireless link a requirement for the project?

ak

 

Good point ... on the beat is important. I am seeking to have a snare, a bass and hats behind my guitar sitting position. I can have a pedal at each foot each providing for a toe and heel rocker motion activating the micro switches underneath. That provides for four activation's for four solenoids to pull the cords. Two activating the hats back and forth on beats 1,2,3&4, one activating the base on beats 1&2 and the snare on beats 3&4 as an example. It is like a one man band but I do now want the drum kit on my back pulling the strings with my heels and elboes etc. I am not against a wire going back so wireless thus not important. Simplicity is probably best.... does this wiring arrangement require relays or would it be much simpler than that. The power on each switch is just momentary anyway as the pedal calls it.

 

Industrial limit switches are low cost and can handle several amps of current, more than enough for the size of solenoids you will need. Switches, solenoids, wire, and a 12 V or 24 V DC power supply; zero "electronic" components, other than some diodes across the solenoid coils to protect the switch contacts.

Or, the controller for a small electronic drum kit (no pads or triggers, your pedals replace them) and an amp.

ak

 

Sounds like magic. Does the fact that I would be allowing for about 8 - 10ft (3.0m) of cable between the pedal board and the base board of the drum kit has this any bearing on time and delay? Assuming that the power supply (12v battery) will be in the board at the bottom of the drum kit so power to the switches could be travelling over 20ft or more on its journey circuit.

 

Electricity travels at about 2/3 of the speed of light in a cable so 20 feet isn't going to make much difference.

 

The attached sketch shows a wiring layout for the rocker foot pedal switches and the pull type solenoids. Information on the web states that these type of solenoids are primarily for short time use. That is for about a second or less with a input of power, above that time they may start to heat up if kept connected.

Assuming in the normal course of events that a foot activation inadvertently keeps a solenoid connection engaged for longer than expected this will cause a problem of sorts or burn out of the solenoid. Is there something that can be installed on the wire between the switch and the solenoid that will only allow for momentary power to be supplied to the solenoid? In other words if a foot activation keeps the pedal engaged on a switch for longer than expected that the solenoid could thus be protected by the power being denied to it.

 

I found this small switch in my searching that may help to protect the solenoid as the time can be set to fractions of a second. It is at this link.