Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Power wheelchair board for REAL info!

POWERCHAIR MENU! www.wheelchairdriver.com/powerchair-stuff.htm

Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby Heygnow » 13 Jun 2017, 18:34

I currently have an amysystem r3 with elevate via the RNet joystick no jacks.

Any ideas besides the physical switch what is entailed to hook up a button or switch?


Thanks
Heygnow
 
Posts: 238
Joined: 05 Jan 2013, 18:40
Location: USA

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby ex-Gooserider » 20 Jun 2017, 04:09

Hard to describe without photos, but what you need is a "DOUBLE POLE, DOUBLE THROW, CENTER-OFF, MOMENTARY switch...

This is a switch that will have 6 contacts on the back, and is spring loaded so that it always returns to the center position, but you can push it in either direction as long as you hold it....

Look up "DC Motor Reversing Switch" for details on how to wire it, but in essence you bring your plus and minus power leads from the battery to the middle pair of terminals on the switch, and the wires from the actuator motor to the end terminals, criss-crossing them....

If you number the terminals like this
Code: Select all
1, 2
3, 4
5, 6

You would bring the battery wires to terminals 3 & 4, and one motor wire would go to 1 & 6, and the other would go to 2 & 5 This will connect the motor in one polarity with the switch up, and the other with it down... Mostly you need to experiment to see which way makes the actuator move in each direction...

You may ALSO want to add 'travel limit' switches on one or both sides of the actuator. These are optional, but keep you from possibly damaging the actuator or other mechanical bits by holding the switch down past the point where the actuator has gone as far as it should in one direction...

The trickiest part of doing these is to mount them somewhere in a way that they are operated when the actuator reaches the end of travel... This is a mechanical challenge, not an electrical one...

Basically a travel limit switch is a micro-switch with both normally open and normally closed (NO and NC) contacts (there will also be a third "Common" contact) It is wired so that power can flow in both directions while the actuator is in the middle of it's range, and the switch is in one position (depending on the mechanical setup it could be unpushed (normal) or pushed) and the appropriate contacts are closed. The other side has a power diode (make sure it is rated for more amps than the actuator can draw, typically 10A on a chair) wired so that current can flow only in the direction that moves the actuator back towards the middle of travel...

When in the normal range, the current flows through the closed contacts, and the motor can go in both directions. But when the actuator reaches the end of travel, it operates the switch, and puts the diode in the circuit. The diode blocks current in that direction and thus stops the actuator. However the diode does allow current to flow in the opposite direction, which allows the actuator to return....

Again, do a search for diagrams on how to wire them in more detail...

ex-Gooserider
T-5, ASIA-B
Jazzy 1100
Jazzy Select 6
Quickie Q-7
Invacare Mariner
Want to make / get a better chair, ideally one that stands.
User avatar
ex-Gooserider
 
Posts: 5962
Joined: 15 Feb 2011, 06:17
Location: Billerica, MA. USA

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby rlnguy » 20 Jun 2017, 04:26

One more thing-you want a switch that can handle the current, and is physically rugged enough, to last.
I like the ones from these guys:

http://www.johnnyproducts.com/JP_Parts_ ... rdware.htm

Number 8, 9 or 10-part way down the page

They have the cross jumper built in, and are pretty tough.
They have both toggle, and rocker style, and the toggle version includes rubber dust boot.
I picked up some 4 conductor cable off Ebay, for a good price.

Be sure to protect the wiring (and yourself) by properly fusing.
If you're not sure what you're doing, find someone who does, or keep asking questions, until you do feel confident.
Sloppy workmanship, could lead to a fire.

Good luck
rlnguy
 
Posts: 390
Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 23:36
Location: Tennessee

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby sourstraw » 21 Jun 2017, 21:30

You can also hook up a button to the jack on the underside of your JSM provided you have a programming dongle and appropriate software, or you could add the ISM to control the actuators through the JSM. Both of these would be alternative methods of course.
User avatar
sourstraw
 
Posts: 101
Joined: 21 May 2014, 12:34
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby Heygnow » 21 Jun 2017, 21:52

Thanks for the reply's.

I want to utilize the R-net system and I do not have any ports on the joystick. I am familiar with reversing polarity toggle switches but not looking to do that.

I was thinking there may be a switch that plugs into the r-net connector that can be assigned for this function.
Heygnow
 
Posts: 238
Joined: 05 Jan 2013, 18:40
Location: USA

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby ex-Gooserider » 27 Jun 2017, 03:04

Not an expert on R-Net, but on most systems, the biggest need is to have an extra output module to control the actuators - typically called an "ALM" module for Actuators, Lights, Module... It has to be compatible with the rest of the system (IOW, made for R-Net, or whatever family is on the rest of the chair) Basically it's a set of relays (electronic or mechanical...) and the electronics to talk to the other modules in the system. Tends to be VERY expensive for what you get, though if you can find it used on eBay, it's a lot cheaper than from the chair manufacturer (like everything else...)

The module can then be controlled either by switching modes on the joystick, or by extra function switches - I've seen them on other people's chairs, but never played with one to see how they are set up... However my understanding is that the switch box (another over priced system specific box) plugs into the line between the joystick and the power module...

ex-Gooserider


Heygnow wrote:Thanks for the reply's.

I want to utilize the R-net system and I do not have any ports on the joystick. I am familiar with reversing polarity toggle switches but not looking to do that.

I was thinking there may be a switch that plugs into the r-net connector that can be assigned for this function.
T-5, ASIA-B
Jazzy 1100
Jazzy Select 6
Quickie Q-7
Invacare Mariner
Want to make / get a better chair, ideally one that stands.
User avatar
ex-Gooserider
 
Posts: 5962
Joined: 15 Feb 2011, 06:17
Location: Billerica, MA. USA

Re: Hooking up toggle switch for seat elevate

Postby sourstraw » 28 Jun 2017, 05:04

If you want to use R-net, you'll need the color screen joystick at a minimum.

I have a spare seating module I'll sell you if you want, just plug in the actuator to it and program it using the dongle and software.
User avatar
sourstraw
 
Posts: 101
Joined: 21 May 2014, 12:34
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA


Return to Everything Powerchair

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 64 guests

 

  eXTReMe Tracker