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AntiRotate Switches

rockitdoc

Well Known Member
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My AntiRotate toggles use a washer with two rectangular tabs. One internal tab fits in a slot in the switch body, the other is external and fits into a slot cut in the panel. The result is a switch that will not rotate when attached to the panel. Desirable to me.

How does one cut the small rectangular hole in the panel for the anti-rotate tab to fit into? Just drilling a hole for the tab to fit into comes to mind, but if there is a reasonable way to make the hole the shape of the tab, that would be preferable. Square drill? :D
 
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Anti-Rotation

I use a very small square file - mark the 12 o’clock position on the mounting
hole and file upward until fit. I have friends who made a template with a 1/16 drill hole at the correct position-used the mounting hole as a locator.
Cheers
db
 
23+ years ago, I just drilled a hole for the anti-rotation tab into the panel. I used ON / OFF plate that were made to be used with the switches and that covers the hole.

Here is a photo of switch and the hole used for a CB beside a switch. After more than 3,000 hours of flight, it does show wear and tear plus corrosion.

IMG_9526.jpg

Had to delete the photo the first time. I then opened it on my computer and did EDIT on it rotating it around till it was upright then reattach. It can now be viewed upright.
 
I did the same thing Gary did on all of mine. I made a jig that fits into the hole for the switch with the tab hole in the appropriate place for drilling. I think the hole for the tab was something like a #33 - maybe #30 - whatever the width of the tab is so it fits snugly.
 
If you put the tabbed washer on the front of the panel most (or half) of the hole will be covered and not as noticeable.

Also another trick is to use the switch and the tabbed washer to mark where to drill the hole. Put the washer on the switch and insert it into the panel from the rear. Then rotate the switch from side to side enough to lightly mark the panel. Then remove the switch and use a square to mark the centerline of the hole with the intersection of the mark. That is where you drill the hole.
 
Or, mark where the locking ring tab hits the back of the panel. Remove the switch. Use a #40 drill bit to make a small hole at the mark - but do not go all the way through the panel. The small depression easily holds the locking tab in place.

Carl
 
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Easy and nicer aesthetically:
Use a doubler for your switch row behind the panel. Then just drill holes for the anti rotation tab in the doubler and not in the panel itself.
 
Or, mark where the locking ring tab hits the back of the panel. Remove the switch. Use a #40 drill bit to make a small hole at the mark - but do not go all the way through the panel. The small depression easily holds the locking tab in place.
I use this method as well. If the washer doesn't fit completely in the hole, instead of risking drilling deeper I just file the corners of the tab until it nests nicely.
 
For manual installation of switches / breakers I just drill a round hole for the anti-rotation washer's tab instead of trying to make the square tab-sized hole. I can usually hide the hole under a switch label after installation but the hole doesn't look too bad even if left uncovered.

For full-panel laser cut installations I actually have a small "tooth" in the CAD detail of the switch/breaker hole. That tooth engages the slot in the threaded barrel section of the switch. No indexing washer needed. The switch itself is held in rotational position by this tooth. Obviously that's not possible if drilling a hole with a drill bit. But I am talking laser-cut panels where the laser could care less about the hole geometry since it is not a rotary cutter.

Jim
 
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