What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Toggle vs lighted rocker switches

jdozment

Member
Patron
Starting layout of my RV14 panel. Any thoughts Pros/Cons on normal toggle switches versus those lighted rocker type switches? I know the rocker type look real nice but are more expensive. Is the higher cost justified? Reliability?
 
If it makes a difference to you, locking rockers are virtually impossible to find. I wanted locking switches for a few things (electrically-dependent engine) and couldn't find locking ones without paying for full-on production runs of them. That ruled them out.

Locking Honeywell TL toggles can be found at reasonable prices if you look around a bit.
 
This is just me, but I found the toggle switches to be more prone to inadvertent operation due to their profile. I suppose you can buy the U shaped guards or similar, but that requires more real estate, etc.
 
FWIW, I will only use Honeywell TL toggles, locking for important stuff and non locking for everything else.
I will not install rockers, the small push on terminals are prone to loosening and I just feel they are not up to MIL spec type standards.
 
I’ve had both, toggles originally and then rockers when I upgraded my panel. Both types worked flawlessly, but the rockers just look nicer to me. I color coded mine to minimize risk of unintentional use, red for master, blue for each pmag.

Erich
 
Shuttle switch protectors can be sourced inexpensively from a number of vendors online. All my toggle switches either have shuttle switch protectors or missile switch protectors. Toggle switches are way easier to install, inexpensive, incredibly reliable, take up little real-estate, and with a black panel, white text labeling is easily read at night with a dimmable LED strip under the glare shield.
Tom.
RV-7, with lots of toggle switches.
 

Attachments

  • vh-srv rv-7 panel trimmed.jpg
    vh-srv rv-7 panel trimmed.jpg
    167.1 KB · Views: 793
Thanks for all the feedback. I’m still a little uncertain, but considering cost, ease of installation, and no major negatives I’m leaning toward toggle switches with appropriate locking toggles in a few locations.
 
Shuttle switch protectors can be sourced inexpensively from a number of vendors online. All my toggle switches either have shuttle switch protectors or missile switch protectors. Toggle switches are way easier to install, inexpensive, incredibly reliable, take up little real-estate, and with a black panel, white text labeling is easily read at night with a dimmable LED strip under the glare shield.
Tom.
RV-7, with lots of toggle switches.

Tom (with apologies to OP for thread drift), what did you use to make the panel labels? They look flexible and effective. Thanks!
 
jdozment, take a look at these switches, they are toggle and lighted, also metal and not plastic. Also 20 amps rated @ 12 volts.
ntepartsdirect.com item54-748
Allen
 
Last edited:
Hi Paul,

I used a K-Sun BEE3 printer that I had purchased as a heat shrink printer for the wiring, and just changed out the cartridge for a white on black sticky backed version. It gives you a few text size options and multiple lines which is handy. I just printed a border around everything, then trimmed them back to look neat and professional. That was probably the most time consuming part. The best bit about it compared to getting something professionally done at the outset is that if you choose to make changes in the future (which you inevitably do) you just print another label and it matches everything that was already there. If you are buying a printer that you also plan on doing heat shrink labeling with, I think there are better options out there now. The key is get one which has cheap cartridges/heatshrink per unit length, as you end up going to through quite a bit more than you would think at the outset, and they quickly dwarf the cost of the printer if you are labeling every wire in the aircraft at both ends. I know there were some posts about half a year ago regarding printers somewhere on the forum.

Tom.
 
I tend to like the look of the rockers better, but I ended up using the Honeywell TL toggle switches. They come in just about every possible configuration, Center off, momentary in both directions, momentary in one direction, two position locking, three position locking. I don't think you have as many options with rockers. My original reason for not using rockers though was just the cost. That is not to say that the cost of the TL toggles doesn't add up.
 
label printer

Hi Paul,

I used a K-Sun BEE3 printer that I had purchased as a heat shrink printer for the wiring, and just changed out the cartridge for a white on black sticky backed version. It gives you a few text size options and multiple lines which is handy. I just printed a border around everything, then trimmed them back to look neat and professional. That was probably the most time consuming part. The best bit about it compared to getting something professionally done at the outset is that if you choose to make changes in the future (which you inevitably do) you just print another label and it matches everything that was already there. If you are buying a printer that you also plan on doing heat shrink labeling with, I think there are better options out there now. The key is get one which has cheap cartridges/heatshrink per unit length, as you end up going to through quite a bit more than you would think at the outset, and they quickly dwarf the cost of the printer if you are labeling every wire in the aircraft at both ends. I know there were some posts about half a year ago regarding printers somewhere on the forum.

Tom.

Thanks Tom, that's very helpful, I'll research that option. VAF also had a thread that discussed dry rub labels but I haven't been able to find a local supplier. A thermal printer like yours would be much more convenient. Cheers, Paul.
 
Some people use locking toggles for the master or the ignition(s). I have them for my master/alt and my endurance bus/backup alt. I'm not sure they are required, but it just prevents them from getting bumped and turned off by accident.
 
Availability

Before you decided on toggles or rockers you should check availability. The toggles are readily available. The rockers, well lets just say my first flight will probably have the flaps and landing lights with the unlighted versions. Digikey says they will get some more in June, but probably not the ones I need. There is a hugh back log building up for rockers.
 
Toggles

Before you decided on toggles or rockers you should check availability. The toggles are readily available. The rockers, well lets just say my first flight will probably have the flaps and landing lights with the unlighted versions. Digikey says they will get some more in June, but probably not the ones I need. There is a hugh back log building up for rockers.

Exactly why I'm drilling my panel for toggles.
 
Back
Top